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Education Internships

Education internships will not be offered in 2011. This page is intended for general informational purposes only.

Intern Network

Crow Canyon Education

The Crow Canyon education department uses experiential education methods to engage learners of all ages in an inclusive and dynamic study of the human past. The staff works toward this goal by teaching about past and present cultures of the Southwest, investigating student learning, and communicating the Center's educational methods and theories to others. The work of the department is guided by a respect for, and is conducted in collaboration with, American Indians. Archaeology, education, and applied anthropology provide the academic foundation for Crow Canyon programs.

Crow Canyon's innovative education programs not only provide instruction in archaeology, but also involve the lay public in the actual research process. This firsthand approach increases awareness of, and appreciation for, our rich cultural heritage, while providing broad-based support for archaeological research and preservation. Through Crow Canyon's programs, students of all ages gain an understanding of culture, American Indian history, archaeological research, human interaction with the environment, and the importance of cultural resource preservation.

Full-time educators at Crow Canyon includes individuals with academic and professional backgrounds in education, archaeology, anthropology, and museum studies. The staff collaborates with archaeologists and American Indians to develop educational programs that engage both children and adults. Curricula and lesson plans emphasize an experiential approach to learning and draw upon the results of Crow Canyon's archaeological research into the ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) Indians of the Mesa Verde region. In such an environment, education interns have the opportunity to gain valuable experience in working with, and learning from, a wide variety of people.

Principles that Guide Our Work

  • Everybody's history matters.
  • Archaeological research and indigenous perspectives are essential to building a more inclusive story of the human past.
  • Archaeological sites hold the stories of the past and must be preserved for the future.
  • Experience and reflection form the foundation for meaningful learning.
  • Archaeology is a multidisciplinary field.
  • The learning environment should engage students in the learning process and promote respect for culture, the environment, and other people.

What Do Education Interns Do?

Education interns will gain experience in some or all of the following areas:

  • instructing participants in the chronology of the American Southwest, especially that of the ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) people
  • teaching traditional skills (pottery making and fire starting)
  • instructing participants in archaeological concepts and methods
    • spring and fall interns work primarily with elementary and middle school students—education background and interest preferred
    • summer intern works primarily with high school students and adults—archaeology background and interest preferred
  • assisting with the supervision of lay participants in archaeological excavations
  • conducting tours of Crow Canyon's archaeological excavations and leading trips to other ancestral Pueblo sites in the Mesa Verde region
  • developing curricula related to Crow Canyon's education and research

Course Work and Skills Required

Applicants should meet the following requirements:

  • advanced undergraduate or graduate course work in education, museum studies, archaeology, anthropology, American Indian studies, or a related field
  • ability to work as part of a team (interns attend education staff meetings and participate in discussions about education strategies and organization and scheduling of work)
  • ability to work well with students ranging from fourth graders to senior citizens, many of whom have no previous archaeological experience
  • ability to adapt in a dynamic work environment
  • ability to work and live in outdoor settings and perform rigorous physical duties

Campus

Crow Canyon's 170-acre campus is located in southwestern Colorado, near Mesa Verde National Park and the town of Cortez. Wooded hillsides overlook a grassy meadow, complete with a running stream and small pond. From the porch of the lodge, you can enjoy a spectacular view of both Mesa Verde and the La Plata Mountains.

The following on-campus facilities are available to interns:

  • kitchen and dining room
  • Intern cabin
    housing in primitive cabins (see photo at right) with no electricity, water, heat, or air-conditioning (a composting toilet is available adjacent to the cabins, and a modern shower and restroom building is located a short distance away)
  • a 15,000-square-foot building that contains research labs, specimen-processing area, temporary curation space, archives, teaching labs, gift shop, offices, seminar room, and reception area; a 2,800-volume research library focused on Southwestern archaeology and anthropology
  • networked PCs, integrated research database, and Internet connection

Benefits

A travel allowance (up to $350) and a small weekly stipend are available to help defray expenses. All internships include meals in the Center's dining hall. Interns are also provided with housing and usually share accommodations with one or two other interns.

Interns work a five-day week, Monday through Friday. Interns are not eligible for the Crow Canyon benefits package. Crow Canyon does not provide vehicles for personal use.

Course Credit

The Center does not offer course credit for internships, but will gladly certify work/study performed and provide evaluations if students wish to arrange for credit through another institution.