Culture of the Sky School

Culture of UA Science: Sky School Congratulations on being selected as a Sky School instructor! These positions were very competitive this year, and we value the expertise, experience, and unique perspective you will bring to the program.

You were selected because we believe you will contribute to the culture of adventure, curiosity, and scientific rigor in a supportive and collaborative way. While you may already have substantial experience teaching and conducting science, we have listed some goals more specific to the age group and setting for all the program leaders, including directors, staff, instructors, and chaperones, to keep in mind during Sky School programs:

Encourage curiosity Whenever possible, encourage students to ask questions, and to seek the answers themselves. Instead of giving them the name of a flower or rock type, offer a field guide, or brainstorm about other sources to find that information. If students in your group are not asking questions, try giving them a task (with an incentive for success) that may spark questions. Or try posing some hypothetical questions of your own that should get them thinking. Have them brainstorm and write down several questions each, then share them with just a single neighbor if the group is too large to get to everyone, or if there seems to be stage fright. The students may also just be tired, and a break to nap, eat, or run around may get their mental juices running again.

Encourage adventure Define boundaries early in program and enforce them. Boundaries may include something like, “Keep an adult between you and the edge of the 400 foot cliff,” or “Stay within line-of-sight of the group leader.” Be clear that within the boundaries, students are absolutely encouraged to think creatively about how to explore their environment. Boulders less than 400 feet high are durable surfaces that are great fun to climb on, for example. Within sight of the group may be plenty of rocks to flip over to look for invertebrates. Participants may have opportunities for early morning trail runs or birding hikes that they have never experienced, and should take advantage of those.

Encourage scientific rigor Be clear about what you do know, and what you will have to have the students look up. Encourage them to check facts, to use scientific units, to think about the precision with which they are capable of making measurements. In the context of projects that are so rapidly developed and carried out, simplifications or assumptions may be required. Instead of sweeping those under the rug, instigate a discussion of how changing them might alter your results.

Incorporate flexibility Unforeseen circumstances will inevitably change our schedules and our research plans. School buses may be re-routed at the last minute, cutting in to activities ascending the mountain. An injury may require an entire research group to return to basecamp ¬early. Or we may extend or cut off an activity depending on the group’s response to it. Always be thinking about a contingency plan. In the Educational Materials section of this guide, you will find several go-to activities to engage students whenever you find yourself with unexpected downtime or delays, so familiarize yourself with those activities.

Respect Respect is obviously an important goal. If you were selected as a Sky School instructor, you clearly understand that already. There are some specific components of promoting a respectful culture that are unique to working with middle and high school students, and to the Sky Center campus. Here are some specific suggestions for addressing uncomfortable situations:

You may be more comfortable with students calling you by your first name, even if students are used to addressing their chaperones by “Mr./Ms.” That is fine. Participants should still be appreciative of the time you are taking to interact with them, and should listen to your instructions and actively participate in a project or lesson you are leading. You can reasonably expect their teacher chaperones to take the lead on discipline.

Likewise, your demonstrating respect for the knowledge students may already have, and for any physical limitations and their attention spans, will help you keep their attention. If you are unsure of an age appropriate way to quiet the group, you can take cues from their teachers. A loud and assertive request of, “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?” is usually effective with most age groups we will engage with.

Respect among peers is important both for the Sky School program leaders and participants. We have so far had a really enjoyable team that has worked together well. When teacher chaperones who know the students feel respected and able to have input to schedules and research questions, they can add a lot of value. Respecting that all of us will have some stress organizing and coordinating the program, and refraining from taking that stress out on other members of the leadership team is important. Be open to feedback, and readily give constructive feedback to others, rather than bottling up any concerns or resentment. If a conflict were to arise with another program leader, try to resolve it privately and respectfully. If that is not possible, please approach a member of the Sky School leadership, such as the Program Director or Education Director for assistance resolving the conflict.

Students should be inclusive and respectful of one another. This includes ensuring everyone feels valued in a group for group activities. Be aware of students who are ostracized or left out when students are forming groups. We will usually assign students to groups, but be on the lookout to suggest someone include a new friend in their group, or to sit down with a student eating alone during a meal. During small group activities, be aware of who is speaking a lot and who is not. Ask questions directly to students who are not participating. If one student is smothering others’ attempts to contribute, politely suggest that he or she has contributed a lot of ideas already, and ask if someone else wants to respond.

If you notice any students actively picking on or putting down other students, do not ignore it. If it is in front of the group, point out right away that it is not kind or acceptable to make such comments. If you observe this happening in one-on-one interactions, take the student aside. If you are not comfortable intervening yourself, you should alert one of their teacher chaperones to help address the incident. In all of these cases, ensure the chaperones are aware of the situation.

Respecting the campus is critical to the success and continuation of the Sky School program. If astronomers, public observing programs, or other groups are on campus, they may be sleeping or utilizing the serenity of the mountaintop environment, so please keep group volume low. Explain and model the importance of respecting the dormitories and learning centers by not wasting resources like water and paper towels unnecessarily, and cleaning up after ourselves. This also applies to respecting scientific equipment by not using it without permission and oversight, to ensure it is being used correctly and not being damaged.

The Sky Center campus is located in a unique Sky Island environment, on public land, and should be respected by using the seven Leave No Trace principles. These are printed below for your reference. Some of the details apply more directly to us than others. If you see students who are being less than respectful to the campus or environment, correct the behavior and use it as a teaching moment to remind the group of the importance of our respecting our surroundings, and the ways in which we can do so.

Leave No Trace

Plan Ahead and Prepare

• Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
• Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
• Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
• Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.
• Repackage food to minimize waste.
• Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.

Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

• Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.
• Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
• Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.

In popular areas:

• Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
• Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
• Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.
• In pristine areas:
• Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
• Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.

Dispose of Waste Properly

• Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food and litter.
• Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
• Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
• To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.

Leave What You Find

• Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
• Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
• Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
• Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.

Minimize Campfire Impacts

• Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
• Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
• Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
• Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.

Respect Wildlife

• Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
• Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
• Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
• Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
• Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.

Be Considerate of Other Visitors

• Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
• Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
• Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
• Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
• Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.

The member-driven Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics teaches people how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. This copyrighted information has been reprinted with permission from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org. 
 - See more at: Leave No Trace