CMSC Professional Development

Teacher Development

This component is designed as a two day residential experience for teachers that takes places at the same time and coincides with the youth science camps. Teachers that attend receive curriculum materials created for science camp that tie into the state science core curriculum. They are able to observe and participate in the implementation of this curriculum as it is taught to student campers. Emphasis is placed on an environmental outdoor science education experience that is relevant to the immediate surroundings, with knowledge gained through a broad-based and experiential process. Focus is on inquiry and discovery learning in an outdoor education setting with content studied in an integrated, interdisciplinary model. The goal is for teachers to gain an appreciation of nature and all of the many resources available to help them return and teach their students using the natural environment where they teach. Many teachers leave CMSC with a renewed desire to help students enjoy nature while learning science skills, with resources and contact information to help them successfully implement activities in their own schools.

Pre-Service Teacher Development

This component of CMSC provides pre-service teacher education students, with a practicum experience that is also a two day residential experience coinciding with the youth science camps. Emphasis for pre-service teachers is placed on an outdoor environmental science education experience while supervising and instructing student campers and gaining knowledge about useful teaching tools and student management strategies. Focus is on inquiry and discovery learning within the content areas and studied in an integrated, interdisciplinary model. Pre-service teachers will participate in the management of student campers in the scientific inquiry, outdoor learning model. They will also participate in the many aspects of planning and carrying out a field trip experience with young students. These future teachers will gain knowledge about nature and many science content areas and see how master teachers instruct student campers using the camp curriculum and will take with them valuable resources and contact information to help them successfully implement activities in their clinical practice and as they move into their own classrooms.