A Trip Planning Guide for Teachers
GENERAL INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS
Contents
Class Selection
Well before your field study, our Program Coordinator will contact you to set up a schedule. You must choose the classes for your students. Follow the format on the Class Selection Worksheet.
When more than one school is on center, we often have the same class being taught at several locations. Because the number of locations to teach certain classes is limited, the first group to contact us with their class selections will receive priority over other groups asking for the same classes. Due to scheduling conflicts with other schools, we reserve the right to refuse last minute schedule changes.
Learning Groups
Teachers assign students to learning groups. Wahsega's Program Coordinator will assign the name of groups (squirrel, bear, etc.) to your school. The number of students per group, and the number of groups will depend on the total number of students on center from all schools.
Our contract stipulates that as many as 25 students may be assigned to a group. However, in order to provide the best possible experience, we attempt to keep the student/instructor ratio below 25:1.
Reporting attendance numbers
Please provide us with attendance numbers using the ES-237 Form. Present the form along with a check when you pay the balance for the field study.
Chaperones for classes and cabins
Each learning group needs at least one chaperone. Our staff will not teach a group that does not have a chaperone present. Cabins will need to be chaperoned by members of your group as well. Wahsega does not provide cabin counselors for the youth.
Phone service
Phones for adults to use are in Pavilion 4 and the First Aid Station. A phone is not available for students. Cell phones don’t work at Wahsega. Plan to use a calling card to call long-distance. We sell calling cards at our cost for $10.00. Please don't request to use an office phone except in an emergency.
Student nametags
Most school groups choose to give their students nametags to wear. Wahsega does not provide the nametags and does not require them.
Classes taught by teachers from the school
While we make the facilities available, our staff does not teach every class. Adults from the school teach one day class and two night classes during a typical three day/two night session. See the class selections and the Class Selection Worksheet for more information.
You may either choose to create lesson plans and lead a class of your own design during these times or use the Wahsega curriculum. Feel free to request the curricula for the classes you want to teach. The Program Coordinator can assist you in making the class selections best suited for your grade level.
Journals
Writing about their experiences in the various classes allows students to express their own creativity and reinforces the learning experience. Breaks and journal times are scheduled into the field study to maximize this opportunity.
DOWNLOAD OUR JOURNAL PAGES
The format of the journal is left up to you. For your convenience, Wahsega journal pages corresponding to the scheduled classes can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat format. We can also email the text of the pages to you when requested. You are welcome to copy these journal sheets.
Enforcing our rules, school rules, curfews & lights out
The General Information For Parents & Students section has a list of rules we would like you to help us enforce while your students are here. Our curfew is 11:00 p.m. but you can move it to an earlier time if you like. In addition to our rules, you may want to impose a few others or remind students of rules specific to your school.
Carpooling and parking vehicles
Parking is limited; please carpool if your group is not using buses
Damage fees
A schedule of damage fees is posted in each cabin. The fees for damages, if any, will be assessed on the last day of your visit.
Kitchen Patrol (KP)
A small group of youth helps set the tables before a meal and cleanup after the meal. This is called KP. Youth should be assigned to KP duty before arrival by the lead teacher. Typically, youth are assigned KP on a rotation basis so that most students only serve KP for one meal, if any.
Adults are integral to KP. At least two chaperones should accompany the youth to the dining hall when KP starts. We need adults to serve as role models who help the youth as well as keep them focused on the job.
Our staff will provide direction and instructions, but they are not responsible for discipline.
The lead teacher of the school assigns KP duties. Please communicate with the Program Coordinator to make sure that KP is assigned correctly. There are usually 6 meals that have to be covered as well as a boys' and a girls' bathhouse cleanup. This is a total of 8 service opportunities during a typical 3-day/2-night field study.
When the KP bell rings, it is important that students and chaperones report to the dining hall. Different grades require different numbers of KP'ers:
- Grades three & four -- One KP person is needed for every 8 people
- Grades five & up -- One KP person is needed for every 10 people
Cabin Cleaning
Upon arrival, the Program Coordinator and a representative of your group will check the cabins for pre-existing damages and cleanliness. Sign off on the Cabin Condition Report before students move in.
On the last day of the session, packed luggage should be taken out to the front porch of the cabin. Students will then clean their cabins before breakfast with chaperones supervising. Please read the Cabin Information poster on the cabin door for details.
A Wahsega staff member will check the cabin. Students and chaperones remain at the cabin until released by our staff. Finally, all luggage should be taken to the area designated for your school by the Program Coordinator to be loaded on buses.
Trash and recycling
Stress to your students the need to keep our grounds clean. Encourage students to recycle or throw trash away properly.
Students not participating in bathhouse clean up on the last day will help clean up the grounds. All trash should be picked up from the grounds and creeks.
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