Best Outdoor Teaching Opportunities in Southern California

Did you know that the average American devotes a whopping 90,000 hours of their life towards their job? That’s more than ten straight years of one’s life possibly sitting in front of a computer!

It’s no wonder then that on average, Americans spend 90% of their time inside buildings, be it the office or home. Unless you’re an avid outdoor enthusiast, chances are, you don’t spend that much time in nature.

The good news is, there are many fun and interesting outdoor careers that you can now choose from! These jobs are a perfect way to get that exposure to the environment you’ve always longed for. Plus, being outdoors can also make you happier, while boosting your physical health.

Ready to reconnect with nature and make it a central part of your life? Then take a look at this list of outdoor jobs to find the perfect fit for your career!

1. TEACH GEOLOGY TO KIDS

In 2018 alone, there were 14 different natural disaster events that cost the U.S. billions of dollars. In fact, from 1980 to 2018, the country saw a staggering 241 events of weather and climate disasters. In total, these cost the nation more than $1.6 trillion in losses.

This is why it’s become more important for us adults to prepare our little ones for such catastrophes. With geology, kids get to learn more about earthquakes, floods, and volcanic eruptions. They learn more about rocks, minerals, mountains, and water while preparing for disasters.

Be part of their education by taking on a geology teaching job! This way, you can also help the next generation realize the importance of taking care of nature. Teaching geology to children can be one of the best and most satisfying outdoor jobs for you.

2. SHARE YOUR FRESHWATER KNOWLEDGE AT A SCIENCE CAMP

About 3,000 lakes and reservoirs – that’s how many you’ll find in California alone. If you grew up around these, you’re likely fascinated with freshwater creatures. If so, teaching freshwater biology is one of the jobs in the outdoors you may want to consider.

You’ll find these outdoor education programs offered by science camps for kids. You’ll teach your students about freshwater ecosystems and what lives in these habitats.

Best of all, these science camps include hands-on learning experiences. Meaning, both you and your students can enjoy the benefits of outdoor education!

3. OUTDOOR EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR

In outdoor education, the outdoors (yes, including the wilderness) is the classroom. The horizon will serve as your blackboard and the paths and trails will be your hallways. Everything that you find outdoors, you can use as your teaching materials.

If you teach outdoor education for kids, you’ll guide the little ones on the right way to connect with nature. You’ll teach them the animal kingdom hierarchy, and what these creatures do to survive. Your students will also learn basic outdoor survival skills.

From hiking to archery, these education programs offer a lot of learning experiences. All these will help you and your students connect better to nature.

4. BACKPACKING GUIDE

As a backpacking guide, you’ll do more than teach your students how to “rough it up” and survive outdoors. You’ll also help make them thrive in the wilderness by learning the rules of the wild.

For starters, your job may include pointing out what’s food and what’s poison. You may even get the chance to show off your from-scratch cooking prowess!

You’ll camp outside and point out and name constellations to your students. You’ll teach them how and where the best place to set up camp is. Most importantly, you’ll make your students realize how beautiful yet fragile nature is.

5. CAMP COUNSELOR

Ever dreamed of becoming a role model and a hero? Well then, consider being a camp counselor! This is one of the most satisfying jobs outdoors that’ll also let you get in touch better with nature.

As a camp counselor, you’ll be displaying your leadership skills to younger campers. You’ll show them how to overcome the differences in their personalities. You’ll also manage and resolve possible camper conflicts.

You’ll also teach outdoor and survival skills, art, science, or archery to the kids. If you excel in all these, then you can choose to be an instructor in all these subjects!

The most important part of your job, however, is to keep everyone safe in the outdoors. As a camp counselor, your main job is to ensure the well-being of your campers and staff.

6. ASTRONOMY

Have you always longed to share your love for celestial bodies and constellations? Then one of the most rewarding outdoor jobs for you is to teach astronomy to kids. The best science camps, once again, offer you this career opportunity.

At Pali Institute, astronomy is part of the evening science programs. With the camp situated in the San Bernardino mountains, it’s one of the best places to teach space science.

7. LEADERSHIP TRAINER

Leadership programs for kids instill confidence in the next generation. They help our little ones work with others and hone their skills in resolving conflicts. They teach children creative ways to collaborate with others.

Leadership programs prepare kids to achieve better control of their lives. They help raise self-confidence and let them practice their problem-solving skills. They also impart knowledge on how to help others develop their own leadership skills.

The best camps for kids offer leadership programs taught outdoors. In these programs, you’ll teach leadership basics through activities like outdoor team building. Pali Institute even has a canyon zip line that can make your teaching sessions more exciting!

GET STARTED WITH ONE OF THESE OUTDOOR CAREERS NOW

As you can see, there are a lot of fun, exciting, and interesting, outdoor careers you can choose from. If you love kids and would like them to be part of your employed life, consider a science camp career. Being an educator for the next generation can no doubt make your outdoor job more fulfilling.

Ready to explore your outdoor job options? If so, then be sure to check out Pali Institute’s employment opportunities! You may be the next hero our campers will look up to.

Learn more about working at Pali!