Walden West HomeFor Teachers Teacher Responsibilities

We encourage all teachers to participate in as many facets of the Walden West program as possible. We love to see you involved in field classes as well as in all other activities (so do your students), however we need you most when the students are on site. The duties listed below are those you will be responsible for. All teachers will share duties with other teachers and are expected to cover only a few each day.

1. TEACHER MEETING
   Attend and participate in the on-site orientation meeting during the first morning of outdoor school.
    
2. FIELD AND CABIN GROUPS
   Assist staff in assigning students to field and cabin groups during first morning of outdoor school. Cabin groups must be organized and lists sent the full before week of attendance.
    
3. CABIN INSPECTION
   This is usually done each morning after 9:00 and before 3:30 each day. This entails checking and scoring each cabin on a scale of 1-10 based on neatness and the number of teddy bears.
    
4. RECESS DUTY AND/OR DISCIPLINE DUTY
   Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 3:50 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. and Tuesday 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. During recess your first priority is to meet with students who are on the discipline list. If you have signed up for recess duty, ask another teacher to cover for you until you are free. Your responsibility is to monitor the lower field to make sure students’ are playing appropriately (no school against school, cabin against cabin, or boys against girls. Trust your judgment as to proper behavior.
    
5. TEACHER/STUDENT MEETING
   Tuesday (the second day) immediately after lunch (approx. 1:00), meet with your class so students can complete a questionnaire about Walden West thus far. Collect, read, and organize forms by cabin so you can meet with cabin leaders at 4:15 to discuss them. Inform Walden West staff members of any issues they should be aware of. After questionnaires have been completed, supervise recess if you are on duty.
    
6. CABIN LEADER/TEACHER MEETING
   Tuesday (the second day ) at 4:15 meet with cabin leaders in the teacher room to discuss student comments. You should have time to address discipline issues with your students before the cabin leader meeting from 4:00-4:15. Walden West staff members will supervise recess during the meeting.
    
7. SHOWER COVERAGE
   Monday - Thursday 4:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Although cabin leaders will be in charge of their cabin during shower time, problems may occur. You can help by monitoring cabins while showers are going on. Please…female teachers in girls cabins and male teachers in boys cabins. Students’ should be dressed and ready for dinner by 5:30.
    
8. CLASS MEETING/EVENING WATCH
   Monday - Thursday 6:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. The time immediately after dinner, is set aside for you to meet with your students. It can be used for discussion, journal work, letter writing, etc. Although we have some materials, you may wish to bring your own. It is your time to be with your students and is required the first and last night. We encourage you to meet with your students other evenings.
   
   When you finish meeting with your students or choose not to, please monitor the main quad area and visit cabins. This can be a very volatile time and the more visible you are, the better.
    
9. EVENING PROGRAMS
   Each evening from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. there are evening programs. We love teachers to participate in all of them but most important is Tuesday’s Astronomy program (during 5 day programs) and Thursday’s Jeopardy game.
    
10. NIGHT PATROL
    Monday - Thursday 9:00 p.m. - Quiet. After students are dismissed from the evening program, you should be available and on patrol to help students settle in for the night. At 9:30 p.m. cabins should be given their first score, from 1-10, depending upon how quiet they are and if lights are out. We need your help until students are quiet.
     
11. EARLY MORNING RISE & SHINE
    Tuesday 7:00 a.m. - 7:30 a.m. This is only during early sunrise days. Students that are early risers can go to the front lawn area and play quietly as long as there is supervision. Hopefully, this will allow those children who want to sleep to have more quiet time.
     
12. FIELD CLASS
    Although we do not require teachers to attend field class or night programs, the experience is extremely beneficial to both you and your students. Your students’ love to see you participate and it gives you the opportunity to mingle with them on a more personal level.
     
13. EXIT MEETING
    All teachers are expected to complete an evaluation questionnaire and participate in an evaluation meeting Friday (10:15 a.m.).

An additional duty is dispensing the medications that students’ turn into you. Remember medications should be properly labeled and each student should have a release form from parents and doctors.

These responsibilities may seem overwhelming but remember there are lots of teachers to help and just as we tell the cabin leaders, what you put in is what you get out.

Related links:

• Classroom Teacher Responsibilities
• Emergency Communication Responsibility Chart for Sanborn
• Emergency Communication Responsibility Chart for Costanoan