School Programs
School Groups, Teams, Clubs, and Youth Groups
Program Description:
Otolith Education facilitators are highly experienced at working with
groups to help them build stronger communities or find their peak
performance. Student groups and teams at the junior high, high school
or
collegiate level often require a high level of teamwork in order to
find success. School clubs and other youth groups can benefit from
community building, team building, or leadership building programs.
Call us today and we will design a highly active, engaging and
constructive program for you that is guaranteed to challenge your group
or jump start your season!
Population:
Youth sports and athletic teams, school clubs, youth clubs, youth
groups.
Group Size:
8 - 150
Location/Setting:
We can travel to your location or we can find a location that suits
your programming and educational needs
Date & Time:
We can conduct these programs year round.
Adventure Education Orientation Programs / Graduation Events
Program Description:
These programs are designed to be conducted either at the very
beginning of the school year (late August through mid October) or
towards the end of the school year (May through June) either as a way
to kick off the school year by building community and engaging in
shared experiences or by wrapping up the school year with a high
energy, culminating event. Content of these programs varies drastically
relative to the needs of your group, available event locations and
group size. The focus of the day is also dependant on your needs and
goals. We can custom design a day totally focused on leadership
development, conflict resolution, facing adversity, problem solving,
communication or we can simply have fun. The timeline can vary from 5
hours to 5 days of overnights in the wilderness! Examples of options
include but are not limited to:
- Sea Kayaking
- Rock Climbing
- Backpacking
- Canoe Tripping
- Day Hikes in Acadia National Park
- Mountain Biking Bicycle Touring (pending 2008-9)
- Challenge Course Elements high and low (pending availability)
- Night Hikes
- Cooking over an open fire in a Dutch Oven
- Warm Ups, Ice Breakers, Team Initiatives
- Orienteering
- A Natural / Cultural History Treasure Hunt on the eastern shores and trails of MDI
Population:
Grades 5 - 12
Group Size:
8 - 150
Location/Setting:
Can range from front country to wilderness, local trails and shores to
local summer camps, conference centers, or your own venue.
Alternative Spring Break Outdoor Leadership Course
Program Description:
Participants will backpack, set camp, cook their
own meals, and be part of a wilderness learning community for 6 days.
While en-route, we will seek new levels of understanding and skill
development in areas such as risk management, judgment &
decision making, personal care, communication, knot tying, navigation,
weather reading and local and natural history to name just a few. The
hike will be challenging and the weather will likely range from hot and
sunny to cold and rainy or snowy. The ability to persevere, participate
willingly and engage actively are all considered desirable
prerequisites. Backpacks, food and all group gear such as tents and
stoves provided. Appropriate clothing, appropriate footwear, and a
sleeping bag are essential for participation in this program.
Population:
Grades 9 - 12
Group Size:
5 minimum – 8 maximum per group
Location/Setting:
Backpacking. Location TBA based on spring weather
patterns. Either the Long Trail in VT, the Greenway Trail in NH, or the
Appalachian Trail in ME.
Fee:
$600.00
Date &
Time: 6 Days, April Vacation, 2008. Please call for more
information
and to register.
Challenge Course
Program Description:
If you are looking to have your work group,
learning community, athletic team, Resident Assistants, or family take
the next step in their ability to face personal and group challenges,
work through those challenges in constructive ways and be better
prepared for challenges that lie ahead, we suggest you consider this
option. We can use all low elements, all high elements (15-50 feet off
the ground wearing a harness, helmet and belay system) or combine the
two depending on group goals and needs. The low elements can greatly
build teamwork, trust, communication, strategic planning, problem
solving and also involve risk taking. The high elements generally evoke
a response of “there is no way I can do
that…” followed by “I can't believe I
just did that, I got farther than I thought I could”. These
programs are powerful because we do not utilize the challenge course as
a means of recreation. Its roots lie in education of the self as a way
to build up individuals and teams. We want you to be better prepared
for challenges that lie ahead and utilize a variety of reflection
techniques in that process. Call for references if you are
interested.
Population:
Grades 4 – College, Businesses, Governmental
Units
Group Size:
8 - 150
Location/Setting:
Varies by site availability
Dates & Times:
Challenge Course programs are scheduled by
groups only. Please call to book a date and discuss the goals and needs
of your group.
After School Programs
Program Description:
After School Programs make up a vital component of
the 40 Developmental Assets as outlined by the Search Institute. Our
programs utilize a variety of adventure education strategies including
action socialization experiences, challenge courses, service learning,
authentic problem based challenges, and environmental education to help
participants in the following areas:
- Build a positive support network
- Experience their autonomy
- Understand and explore boundaries and expectations
- Practice using time productively
- Finding reasons to feel intrinsically motivated to learn
- Develop values, social competence and a positive identity
We would love to work with your school for an entire year,
multiple
years or just a few weeks. Please call us to see how we might be able
to assist you in building your learning community.
Note Worthy:
Kyle
Bissell, Co-Founder of Otolith Education, has been the primary
facilitator for the adventure education programs utilized by the
Ellsworth High School ASPIRE Program since 2004. In October of 2006,
the Maine Commissioner of Education recognized the ASPIRE Program as an
exemplary program dedicated to the development and growth of
Maine’s youth.
Population:
Primarily 5 - 12
Group Size:
4 - 30
Location/Setting:
We can travel to you, find a novel setting near you,
or we can work with you to find a great setting here on Mount Desert
Island.
Alternative Education Programs
Program Description:
Creating and recognizing ownership over learning is a powerful catalyst
towards growth and identity. We invite students to recognize and
embrace the power of their authority over their education, and to
choose to share that power with their instructors, rather than
perceiving only inequality and insurmountable challenge. This dynamic
contributes to a heightened sense of
care for one's self, the learning community, the privilege of
education,
and the patience it takes to meet success. It is rare that this
population of youth, who have become disheartened about learning, set
goals
and provide themselves with the proper structure to achieve them. In
the alternative schooling process we find it essential to support
students in the difficult work of creating the stepping-stones upon
which they may journey. We embrace the stumbling of failure and the
grace of success as students strive to reach their goals. Throughout
the way, students are guided in reflection so that they are not only
conscious about what happened, but also make
decisions about what to do with what happened.
Population:
Grade 6-12. We do not specialize in adjudicated youth or
youth with violent tendencies. We are most interested in the population
of youth who are significantly falling through the cracks. We recognize
these individuals may be overwhelmed, bored, or unstimulated by the
traditional school system. These students may not engage at school or
in extra curricular activities, lack a meaningful relationship with
their own education, and are at risk for dropping out or engaging in
life-alienating rather than life-enriching behaviors.
Note Worthy:
Under the umbrella of Camp Beech Cliff,
co-founders Kyle Bissell and Gabe Finkelstein have both worked with a
team of teachers and administrators from Mount Desert Island High
School to create, manage and facilitate the very successful STARS
(Students Taking Alternative Routes to Success) program for first year
students who were not demonstrating motivation in continuing with their
education. It is from his work with the STARS learning community in the
spring of 2007 that Gabe received an award from College Of the Atlantic
recognizing his innovation in education.
Group Size:
Groups of 4 – 12, co-ed (we have male and female
instructors)
Location/Setting:
Varies on availability of local resources. We find
that these students are best served in a novel setting and we prefer to
have that setting outdoors and away from the school whenever possible.
We are flexible and creative with establishing locations.
Date & Time:
These programs generally last for several months at a minimum. We are
willing to conduct programs that last all year or that recur year
after year.
In-School Character Education & Learning Community Development
Program Description:
As with all of our programs, Otolith Education
will conduct a goals inventory to assess how we might best design a
program that will meet your groups needs and goals. Want to work on the
Maine Learning Results for social growth? No problem. We utilize highly
active and engaging initiatives that stimulate individual thought and
group process. It is through these experiences, combined with the
reflective learning techniques that Otolith Education Instructors will
facilitate that the opportunity arises for social and emotional growth.
Please call to book a date.
Population:
Grades K - 12
Group Size:
8 – 150 (space dependent)
Location / Setting: On
your school grounds
Service-Learning & Service-Learning Support Programs
Program Description:
Service-Learning, as defined by KIDS Consortium, is a “method of
teaching and learning that challenges students
to identify, research, propose and implement solutions to real needs in
their school or community as part of their curriculum.” At
Otolith Education we are very familiar with the importance of
developing effective relationships and dispositions within a learning
community as one of the very first steps on a service-learning project.
In fact, one of the most common reasons for the failure of service
learning projects is the quality of teamwork and collaboration. We are
willing to come into your school or have you
meet us at another location to work with your learning community to
develop positive collaboration and communication. We are experts at
choosing and utilizing highly engaging activities with students and
following those experiences up with unique reflective strategies that
initiate positive movement within the group. We are also willing to
work in collaboration with schools throughout the service-learning
process in whatever capacity you see us as best suited. One of our
staff
recently attended the KIDS Consortium summer conference and several of
our staff have been involved with a number of service-learning
endeavors in the past. Please call to see how we can best help
you.
Population:
Grades 5 - College
Group Size:
Varies
Location / Setting:
Varies
Alternative Suspension Programs
“Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by fear of punishment, and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent than the one derived from fear of punishment.” ~Gandhi.
These 3 or 5 day-long programs are offered as an alternative to schools suspending students for a week or two weeks. Participants will build skills revolving around non-violent communication so that they are more likely to connect with themselves and meet their own needs in positive ways when they return to school after the suspension. Program content focuses on how to build positive, constructive relationships with oneself and others, anger, requests rather than demands, empathy, and forming observations rather than judgments. The core of this work will focus on identification of the beautiful needs they have, which were unmet, and which stimulated them to utilize a tragic strategy to try to meet their needs. Sequentially, we will explore positive strategies they could use in the future to meet their needs. These programs are highly active and are best suited to take place outdoors, weather and proper clothing permitting. When appropriate, there is the potential for including a drug and alcohol counselor for part of these programs. Close collaboration between Administrators and Otolith Education is requested. Please call for more information.
Promoting Non-Violence In & Out of the Classroom (Bullying)
Location / Setting:
We can travel to you if you have an appropriately sized indoor or
outdoor space. We can also utilize a variety of settings here on Mount
Desert Island if you would prefer. Contact us for options.
Program Description:
Sit down with one of our staff and custom design a program
for your youth that addresses issues commonly called bullying
Programs include action socialization activities, group work,
teambuilding, compassionate communication, and more. Please
call to discuss what kind of program will best fit your needs and your
population.
Population:
K - 12
Group Size:
8 - 150
Cultural Awareness
Program Description:
These workshops, like most Otolith programs, can be designed to meet
the specific needs of the group. Topics we explore generally
include building an understanding of cultural differences and
similarities, developing skills for connecting with and honoring other
cultures, and defining individual and group cultural identity. These
workshops can be aligned to meet learning results for foreign language
and social studies classes. They provide a fun and experiential way to
delve into principles of anthropology while preparing people for
foreign travel, understanding culturally diverse communities and
connecting more closely with the self. Population:
K - 12
Group Size:
8 - 150 (program and space dependent)
Location / Setting:
We can travel to you if you have an appropriately sized indoor or
outdoor space. We can also utilize a variety of settings here on Mount
Desert Island if you would prefer. Contact us for options.
