Saturday November 07, 2009
Becoming a Leader Trainer
Fall Leader Trainer Applications are due on Monday, September 28, 2009 by 5:00 PM. Complete the Word Application and email it to OA(at) princeton .edu. |
Becoming a Leader Trainer
Leader trainers carry the tremendous responsibility of training Princeton students to lead groups in a wilderness setting. As a result, we take the qualities and qualifications of a leader trainer applicant very seriously. A leader trainer applicant should be entirely comfortable in an outdoor leadership role and ready to take on the next level of leadership: teaching others how to lead.
Criteria
In addition to completing all of the leader training requirements, applicants must have at least twomulti-day outdoor leadership experiences, one of which must be through OA. It is recommended that applicants have led at least one multi-day trip other than the Frosh Trip (since the Frosh Trip does not require trip planning) or participated in an Advanced Leader Training Trip. In some cases applicants may have outside wilderness trip leading experience that also qualifies. Outdoor Trips alone
To provide a clearer sense of the qualifications we are seeking in applicants, we have identified four major skill sets which a leader trainer should possess:
Technical Skills
Technical wilderness skills (or hard skills) are fundamental to all aspects of OA trips. Technical skills include tarping and bear bagging; stove use and repair; first aid; pack care, fitting and repair; etc. Because we expect all OA leaders to possess baseline technical competency, we expect leader trainers to display expertise in all OA related hard skills to the point that they can can effectively teach these skills to trainees with comfort and ease, even in challenging wilderness conditions.
Teaching Ability
Excellent teaching skills are necessary in order to teach Leader Training Classes and to help LTT participants grow as leaders. Leader trainers are expected to take their teaching commitments seriously and should demonstrate the following qualities: proficiency in subject matter (knots, stoves, LNT, etc.), competence in assessing trainees' comprehension, the ability to recognize and capitalize upon teachable moments, creativity in teaching style, and patience.
Ability to Evaluate & Give Feedback
We expect leader trainers to have the capacity to evaluate and provide feedback to their trainees. To this end, applicants must be comfortable evaluating their peers, and possess excellent observational and debriefing skills. We expect leader trainers to identify strengths and weaknesses in their trainees, provide a tailored environment for trainees to work on these identified areas, and effectively communicate feedback to them. We also expect a willingness to work closely with co-leader trainers to accomplish these goals.
Debriefing Skills
Debriefing is a primary tool that leader trainers employ to help trainees reflect and develop their own leadership styles, particularly on the LTT. Leader trainers are expected to have solid debriefing skills, among which are active listening, an ability to ask probing questions, moderating skills, thoughtfulness, and an ability to recognize teachable moments. A strong candidate possesses the necessary qualities to debrief well and an eagerness to consciously improve upon them.
Leader Trainer Application Process
Applying to be an OA leader trainer is a multi-stage process designed to comprehensively evaluate leader training candidates.
Step 1 - Written Application
The first step is a written application which consists of questions about outdoor experience and training, a self-evaluation portion, and an essay section. It can be found on the OA website on the OA Leader Homepage. The application will be reviewed to determine whether an applicant has the requisite experience to become a leader trainer. If the application is accepted, leader trainer candidates will be invited to participate in the second step—an evaluation of teaching skills.
Step 2 - Teaching Lesson
During this portion of the process, a candidate will be asked to prepare and teach a lesson to a small group of leader trainers. This five to ten minute lesson should cover a subject that is well-known and comfortable to the applicant. The lesson does not have to be outdoor-related. After this, the candidate will be asked to teach a basic OA skill such as the bowline knot or stove lighting. Upon a satisfactory evaluation of requisite teaching skills, an applicant will be invited to the interview process.
Step 3 - Interview & Leader Trainer Committee Review
The leader trainer interview is a short but comprehensive interview designed to solicit more information about outdoor skills and experience, technical and interpersonal skills, debriefing and evaluating abilities, as well as other qualifications necessary in becoming a leader trainer. After completion of the interview, Rick Curtis and the Leader Training Committee will discuss the results of the entire process in order to select new leader trainers.
Questions and Contact Information
If you have any questions concerning requisite criteria or qualifications, the application process, or any facet of being or becoming a leader trainer, please contact the Leader Trainer Committee.
