Outdoor School - Multnomah Education Service District
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How to Program Leader


MESD Outdoor School > For Staff > How to Program Leader > Ways to Be in the Cabin
​

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What is a Program Leader?
ODS Lingo
Sample Schedule
​How to Be a Mentor
How and When to Set Goals
Ways to Be in the Cabin
Skits and Cabin Calls
Shower Time
Being a Guest at Meals
PM Time
Times to Check In with Your SLs
Feedback - What to Look For
Ways to Help Returnees Grow
How to Teach an SL to Be a Mentor
Nice Things to Do for Your SLs
Breaks!
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Games for Cabin Time
PL Evaluations

​PL Handbook (PDF) • PL Handbook (Word)

​WAYS TO BE IN THE CABIN
  • Be a visible presence early on and visit often, so the kids and SLs get used to you being around and don’t feel like they’re being watched when you are there.
  • On Sunday:
              — Introduce yourself once the kids are there and explain who you are and that you’ll be popping in all week long to visit the cabin – establish the SLs as leaders, though.
              — Read or tell a story or sing a song for the cabin at bedtime. 
  • This is good any night, but especially Sunday, since the SLs go to bed at the same time as the kids, so this way they get to enjoy it to.
  • During cabin time:
              — Bring bunk tag making supplies early in the week and stay to make one too.
              — Teach a game and then blend into the group and let the SL take over and lead.
              — Hangout in the corner pretending to need a place to warm up or get out of the rain for a minute and use that time to write notes to your SLs.
              — Be there during skit making (you can subtly help facilitate it if the SLs need the help or be a practice audience).
              — Just hang out and chat with the kids.
  • Do something special with the cabin at bedtime:
              — Go on a night hike
              — Looking at the stars
              — Read or tell a story
              — Sing a song or play an instrument
              — Make sure someone else is watching the other cabins if this would normally be your job during that time.
  • Send SLs to social hour a bit early and do personal goodnights with the cabin – use this as an opportunity to see how the SLs are relating to their kids by asking questions like “what is something your SL does that you really like?”, or even just “how are things going in the cabin?”
  • Transition times:
              — Be a time reminder, but be careful not to be obnoxious or undermine your SLs by pestering them all the time, or telling their cabin to get ready when they could’ve been about to say it themselves. (Try to give your reminders to the SLs in a way that allows them to still be the leader for their kids).
              — Wait outside chatting with the kids who are ready while the SL wrangles the rest. You get to know the kids, and the SLs will have an easier time getting the rest ready with less to keep track of.
              — ​If cabins at your site meet up somewhere after meals before walking back to the cabins, hang out at the meeting spot and get to know the kids and walk back with them – you probably need to head to the cabins at that point anyway, so you may as well walk with a cabin and ​see how things are going.
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11611 NE Ainsworth Circle, Portland OR 97220
phone: (503) 257-1600 fax: (503) 257-1592
​[email protected]
© COPYRIGHT 2023. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
  • About
    • Mission
    • Meet Our Staff
    • Session Calendar
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Merchandise
    • Partners
    • Contact
  • Programs
    • Program Tour
    • Field Study Tour >
      • Animals Field Study Tour
      • Plants Field Study Tour
      • Soil Field Study Tour
      • Water Field Study Tour
      • Academic Program Elements
  • Sites
    • Angelos / Sandy River >
      • ASR Location & Directions
      • ASR Facilities
      • ASR Science & Nature
      • ASR Land & History
      • ASR Meet the Staff
    • Collins >
      • CL Location & Directions
      • CL Facilities
      • CL Science & Nature
      • CL Land & History
      • CL Meet the Staff
    • Kuratli / Trestle Glen >
      • KR Location & Directions
      • KR Facilities
      • KR Science & Nature
      • KR Land & History
      • KR Meet the Staff
    • Namanu >
      • NM Location & Directions
      • NM Facilities
      • NM Science & Nature
      • NM Land & History
      • NM Meet the Staff
    • Westwind >
      • WW Location & Directions
      • WW Facilities
      • WW Science & Nature
      • WW Land & History
      • WW Meet the Staff
  • History
    • History by Decade >
      • The 1960s
      • The 1970s
      • The 1980s
      • The 1990s
      • The 2000s
      • The 2010s
      • The 2020s
    • Retired Sites >
      • Adams / Milk Creek
      • Adams / Nate Creek
      • Arrah Wanna >
        • AW Location & Directions
        • AW Facilities
        • AW Science & Nature
        • AW Land & History
        • AW Meet the Staff
      • Canby Grove >
        • CG Location & Directions
        • CG Facilities
        • CG Science & Nature
        • CG Land & History
        • CG Meet the Staff
      • Cascade >
        • CAS Location & Directions
        • CAS Facilities
        • CAS Science & Nature
        • CAS Land & History
        • CAS Meet the Staff
      • Colton
      • Crestview
      • Eagle Fern
      • Howard >
        • HO Location & Directions
        • HO Facilities
        • HO Science & Nature
        • HO Land & History
        • HO Meet the Staff
      • Kiwanis >
        • KW Location & Directions
        • KW Facilities
        • KW Land & History
        • KW Staff
      • Scouter's Mountain
      • Sports Acres
      • Trout Creek
      • Yamhill
    • Outdoor School Staff Photos
  • For Parents
    • Frequently Asked Questions >
      • English
      • Español
      • русски
      • tiếng Việt
    • Sample Daily Schedule
    • Sample Menu
    • Students with Specific Needs
    • Parents of Student Leaders
    • Session Calendar
  • For Student Leaders
    • Criteria for Participation
    • SL Workshop Training
    • Register for Workshop
    • Makeup Workshop
    • Student Leader Recruiters
    • Student Leader Calendar
    • Bus Schedules
    • Forms for Student Leaders
    • Parents of Student Leaders
    • 10 Reasons to Participate
    • Handbook, Songbook, & Skits >
      • Beginner Handbook
      • Advanced Handbook
      • Outdoor School Songbook
    • SL Sample Weekly Schedule
    • Evaluation Rubric
    • College Credit & Scholarships >
      • PCC College Credit
      • Student Leader Scholarship
    • Social Media
    • Special Needs Volunteers
  • For Staff
    • Trainings & Certifications
    • Incident Reporting
    • Wildlife Handling Guidelines
    • How to Field Instructor
    • How to Program Leader
    • Staff & Field Study Songs
    • Merchandise Payment
    • Staff Calendar
  • MESD