Outdoor Education: Helping teens to learn self improvement

When a student enters Discovery Ranch their formal educational needs are fully assessed. Students begin their formal education review by taking the SAT-9 (Stanford Achievement Test), and they take the same test upon discharge. This test usually takes two or three school days for each student to complete. Upon completion a student SEP (Student Education Plan) is created.

The student SEP shows his or her competency in each subject. The student may enter the program having missed the majority of 10th grade. The SAT-9 lets us know the student is scoring at 10th grade, 8th month in English and 9th grade, 9th month in Math. So, the student will attend English class and math class and work on the subject matter appropriate for their level, from standard textbooks used to teach the core curriculum for the State of Utah. There is a teacher in each class, working with the students. Each textbook chapter is literally pulled apart and we then call them concepts. The student is then assigned the corresponding concept/chapter. This provides the student a manageable piece of information to master. (As opposed to a full textbook for each subject.) Each student is required to pass each concept with an 80% score or higher before they can move on.

This method of teaching allows the students to receive personal attention from the teacher, catch up and move ahead if needed, or move at their own pace and not become discouraged. This is the teaching method for all subjects, supplemented with teacher presentations and full classroom instruction. Advanced Placement is also available.

Discovery Ranch education is provided by Discovery Academy Education Services, which is accredited by the Northwest Association of Colleges and Schools and follows a full course curriculum as outlined by the Utah State Office of Education for public schools.

The school day is 3:30pm to 8:30pm with Friday reserved as the “Experiential Day”. This outdoor learning is required to complete all coursework. Thus, the formal education and regular teaching is augmented by the outdoor learning and experiential activities:

Field trips
Guest and teacher lectures (with note taking)
Group learning
Oral presentations
Labs
Study skills

Based on the SAT-9 entrance and exit testing, the Discovery Ranch formal education department has had unique success in assisting the individual students in:

Developing organizational skills
Improving textbook and note taking skills
Increased reading comprehension and reading competency
Improved reading speed and conceptualization
Increased vocabulary and spelling competency
Improved extraction of information through research
Increased student self-confidence and self-esteem
Increased interest in college and vocational schools after high school

Other benefits include:

Individualized teacher-student interaction
Career interest and college exploration

With Discovery Ranch set up as an outdoor education center/campus, and the school day taking place in the afternoon and evening, the students are available during the day to the therapists, and are not being pulled out of class for therapy. Our expectation is that the therapist will go and find the student and interact with them “out and about” wherever the students are. This type of setting and culture is deliberately set up to foster and allow creativity on the part of our therapists in working with the students.