Instructor Guidelines
The Maryland Master Naturalist Volunteer Program has been designed to:
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Provide an introduction to Maryland natural history through the eyes of natural resource
professionals and experts in the field.
Provide an educational opportunity to individuals 18 years of age and older.
Provide an opportunity for course participants to establish a short or long-term
partnership with a natural resources agency or local organization involved in natural
resource management by volunteering as a part of the course.
Instructor Qualifications
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Must meet the educational requirements mandated by the State Program Coordinator and
the Steering Committee.
Educational requirements include a minimum of either a Bachelor’s degree in
environmental science, education, or related field; or demonstrated comparable practical
experience providing environmental education programs.
Must submit an Instructor Information Form to the Program Facilitator prior to teaching.
Must adhere to the Master Naturalist Program goals and course objectives mandated by
the State Program Coordinator and the Steering Committee.
Must submit to a performance evaluation by course participants.
Instructor Duties
Maryland Master Naturalist program Instructors will work with a Program Facilitator at a
designated Host Site. The facilitator is responsible for coordinating the training at the Host Site
where the presentations will be made. Each Instructor will receive an Instructor Welcome Packet
which outlines their responsibilities and course requirements. An Instructor can also be a Master
Naturalist trained Program Facilitator which enables them to hold volunteer training sessions at
their facilities.
Each Instructor is required to use the Maryland Master Naturalist Volunteer Manual as a basis
for training the core subject matter in all training sessions. Each training session should provide
an overview of the subject matter while incorporating local information and facts of interest.
This can be accomplished through a variety of media such as a lecture, PowerPoint presentation,
hands-on opportunities, labs, guest speakers, interactive activities, and field trips. Instructors
should include actual examples of their topic to help the class participants demonstrate the
material to others in their volunteer role.
Volunteer Training Class Participants
Course participants are Maryland citizen 18 years of age and older with a genuine desire to learn
about and experience the natural world where they work and play in their community. Instructors
will be working with a diverse group of participants in terms of age, experience, and abilities.
The class might include professionals and serious amateurs with varying degrees of
environmental knowledge. The participants have enrolled to broaden their awareness of
Maryland’s natural resources and they expect to use this knowledge in giving back to their
community through volunteer service. Class sizes vary, but will not be less than 10 or will not
exceed 25 participants.
Evaluation
Class participants will complete an Instructor Evaluation Form for each instructor. Completed
forms will be kept on file with the Program Facilitator. Copies can be provided to the instructors
upon request. The Program Facilitator will distribute the evaluation form on the first day of
class. Class participants will evaluate each instructor at the conclusion of their presentation. The
completed Instructor Evaluation Form will be turned in to the Program Facilitator at the
conclusion of the final class. The feedback from these forms will be helpful in determining
whether or not instructors were effective in teaching their topics and can be referred to in
planning subsequent training programs.
Instructor
Information
Form
DATE: ____________________________
Please print:
First Name:
Last Name:
Title:
Company Name (if applicable):
Street Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Phone: (Please select: work/home)
Cell:
E-mail: (Please select: home/work)
1. What is your area of expertise? Please include a Brief Bio on a separate page for your class
introduction.
2. Please select which Maryland Region(s) you are willing to present in for future Volunteer
Trainings:
Piedmont
Region:
a
(Carroll,
Harford, Frederick, Baltimore, Montgomery, Baltimore City, and
.
Howard County)
Coastal Region:
a Kent, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Talbot, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset,
(Cecil,
and .Worcester County)
Mountain
Region:
a
(Garrett,
Allegany, Washington, and Frederick County)
.
Please mail/e-mail the completed form to the Program Facilitator coordinating the Volunteer Training
session at the Host Site where you will be teaching.