Dear CD Majors, Minors & Grad Students -
Please see email below in case you are interested.
******************
Dear Sarah,
Here's an interesting internship in Somerville for those interested in
working with preschool aged children, curriculum development, and
nature. I thought child development majors might be interested.
-Tai Dinnan
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <Growingcenter@aol.com>
Date: Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 12:41 PM
Subject: nature program internship at The Growing Center
To: Growingcenter@aol.com
Hello-
As part of our Spring 2009 programming, we are seeking interns to help
with developing and implementing an after school program for
preschoolers titled 'Soil, Air, Sun & Water – What We Need To Grow'.
A complete description of the internship and program is provided
below. Please pass this information on to anyone you know who may be
interested.
And a quick reminder....You are invited to join the Friends of the
Community Growing Center board for a 2009 Planning Meeting on Tuesday,
February 10 at 6 PM, at 16 Holyoke Rd, Somerville (near Porter
Square). All welcome to come help plan a full year of activities and
advocacy to get people outside, enjoying nature, learning about
gardening and growing, experiencing cultural activities
together--building a stronger healthier community. RSVP to Lisa at
lisa.bruk@gmail.com or 617-666-2969.
Sincerely yours,
Aileen
Aileen Bellwood
Site Manager & Volunteer Coordinator
The Somerville Community Growing Center
www.thegrowingcenter.org
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Internship: An Afterschool Nature Program for Preschoolers at the
Somerville Community Growing Center
Are you are creative, energetic, engaging and genuinely interested in
connecting young children to the natural world? This program is only
one year old and there is much room for creativity! We will be
leading children in outdoor exploration through any of the following:
hands-on investigation, active movement and play, songs, games,
stories, projects. First, we want to develop the curriculum for the
selected theme. I would truly value incorporating your input into
this effort. I hold a Ph.D. in environmental biology and invite you to
bring a complementary set of skills for working with young children in
an experiential education setting. I am looking for someone who loves
working with preschoolers and knows how to create developmentally
appropriate lessons. A degree (or genuine interest) in environmental
education or the natural sciences would be beneficial. Spanish or
Portuguese language skills or musical skills (the ability to lead
children in song) would be a plus. The primary goals of the program
are to foster an appreciation for the natural elements of water, air,
sun and soil and, above all, to have fun in the outdoors.
Are you dependable, responsible and organized? Responsibilities will
include helping to prepare lessons and gather materials for each
session. You must be available for setup and cleanup. For most of the
sessions, that would involve arriving no later than 1:30 p.m. and
departing no earlier than 4:00 p.m. If you can stay until the session
ends at 4:30 p.m., it would be ideal. Many of the children will be
coming to the Growing Center from a public preschool (The Capuano
Early Childhood Learning Center); some of the children will be
homeschoolers.
The program is scheduled to take place Monday afternoons from April
6-June 15. (Please note that there is also the possibility of
scheduling the program on Friday afternoons from April 3-June 12 if
Monday afternoons do not fit in with your schedule). We will begin
meeting in late February/early March (at a mutually agreeable time) to
design a curriculum and lesson plans. There are a number of resource
books and supplies present at the site to support the program. There
is also an opportunity to continue gardening and playing with the
preschoolers on Monday or Friday afternoons through the summer and
fall.
The internship will be supervised by:
· Aileen Bellwood, Ph.D. in Environmental Biology and mother
of a preschooler,
Growing Center Site Manager
· Lisa Brukilacchio, O.T.R and Ed.M., Environmental Educator,
co-founder and Board Member of the Growing Center
If you are a student seeking credit, it can be arranged pending
approval of your educational institution.
If you are interested or have any questions, please send an email to
Aileen Bellwood at growingcenter@aol.com. If you have a resume, send
it as an attachment in a second email. If you are really interested
but have concerns, please don't hesitate to send an email. To learn
more about the Center, visit our website at www.thegrowingcenter.org.
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Spring 2009
An Afterschool Program for Preschoolers at the Somerville Community
Growing Center
Soil, Air, Sun & Water – What We Need To Grow
Description: The after school program is designed to connect
preschool age children to the natural world. We will explore four
natural elements--soil, air, sun and water--from the perspective of
plants, animals, and humans using hands-on investigation, active
movement and play, songs, games and stories. We will plant seeds,
nurture them and watch them grow. This will give us the opportunity
to look at what plants need to grow and how this relates to other
animals (including humans). In order to encourage continued outdoor
exploration, caretakers will also learn about other programs at the
Growing Center and be encouraged to share other local resources. The
primary goals of the program are to foster an appreciation for soil,
air, sun and water and, above all, to have fun in the outdoors.
Location: The Somerville Community Growing Center, 22 Vinal Avenue,
Somerville. The Growing Center is just outside Union Square. For
more information and a local map, visit our website at
www.thegrowingcenter.org. In the event of severe weather, we will
meet at the Somerville Recreation Center at 19 Walnut Street a couple
of blocks away. In the event of light rain, we will meet at the
Growing Center and take the opportunity to experience and explore wind
and water. Both locations are accessible by public transportation.
Days: 8 afternoons from April-June
We will meet on either Monday afternoons on the following days: April
6, April 13, April 27, May 4, May 18, June 1, June 8, June 15
OR
Friday afternoons on the following days: April 3, April 17, May 1,
May 8, May 22, May 29, June 5, June 12
Time: We will meet from 2-4:30 p.m. Our schedule will look something
like this:
2:00-2:15 free play
2:15-3:30 discussion & activities
3:30-4:30 free play
The garden will open at 2:00 and the program will formally begin at
2:15. This will give people who are walking or taking public
transportation enough time to get from school to the Growing Center.
The program will formally end around 3:30, but the garden will remain
open until 4:30 for free play.
