About the Open Air Classroom

Teaching in our Open Air Classroom program is a truly rewarding experience.

We teach a variety of curricula, ranging from community building and watershed ecology to forest and seashore ecology and more. Our small study groups usually range from 8-12 students in size, with at least one adult chaperone present and one OAC instructor.

Day programs are usually from about 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM, with lunch on the trail. At the end of each day, we meet to debrief, discuss scheduling, and clean program areas. We typically finish around 4:30 PM. Overnight programs are most often (but not limited to) one-night/two-day programs, beginning at around 9:30 AM the first day and ending sometime after lunch the next day; evenings run no later than 9:00 PM. Afterschool programming typically runs from about 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM.

Some travel may be required, as we have two sites and some of our programs also takes place directly in schools. 

Our school program teaching staff is an intimate group of between 6 and 8 in the spring and fall, falling to 2 or 3 in the winter.

Spring and Fall

Spring and fall are seasons of change, and Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove are the perfect places to teach and experience up-close the natural movement and wonders of the earth and its inhabitants.

Winter

Our winter programs are run by only a few staff members and we incorporate winter ecology and/or winter living skills into our regular curricula. Programs take place at schools (as outreach) and at our sites. The majority of programming in the winter season is after school at Blueberry Cove.

Housing: Community Living

Housing is provided but not required on Tanglewood’s beautiful 940-acre section of Camden Hills State Park. Staff share insulated, wood-heated cabins with one other staff member.  There is a cozy “community lodge” for educators with a kitchen for preparing and storing food. Spring and Fall housing is also available at Blueberry Cove. 

Delicious and hearty meals are provided with food from our gardens when overnight programs are in session, which is generally 60% of the workweek during.

Recreation

Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove are sandwiched between two great coastal towns of Rockland and Belfast with the nearby food and arts community of Camden nested in between. Lincolnville is home to a rocking General Store, several boutique bakeries, a public beach, restaurants, and more. Tenants Harbor is nestled down the St. George peninsula within a diverse arts and fishing community.

Tanglewood is located in Camden Hills State Park, which offers abundant hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and rock climbing opportunities. We are two hours from Maine’s hippest city of Portland, and under two hours from Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor. The White Mountains of New Hampshire are 4 hours away, Boston five, Quebec City, and Burlington six.