About the Program

Apply academic learning to teaching practice

Students who join our program will experience a unique blend of academic training and authentic teaching experiences in Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone, as well as public and independent schools in the greater Wyoming landscape.

The Graduate Program is anchored by the three competencies of Teton Science Schools’ Framework: Educational Approach, Community Leadership and Intentional Culture. These competencies guide alignment of academic coursework, teaching and community experiences.

Download Program Competencies

Academic Approach

Classroom curriculum provides instruction and knowledge development in field science, educational theory and community leadership through the lens of place-based education. The courses are generally block-scheduled for two-to-four weeks and interweave lectures, fieldwork, classroom presentations and collaborative projects — each season, presenting new opportunities and challenges.

Authentic Teaching Experiences

The goals of the Teaching Practica are to improve teaching practices and expand professional education skills. These objectives are achieved by giving graduate students multiple opportunities to teach a variety of ages under the guidance and close mentorship of faculty. During the practica, students will develop curriculum, apply coursework content, build core competencies of a skilled educator and nurture their instructional identity.

Throughout the year, graduate students have the opportunity to teach in Teton Science Schools’ independent school, in the field with visiting school groups and at numerous regional schools through state-wide outreach. In total, graduate students complete over 350 hours of mentored teaching.

The Program Year

Each season presents new opportunities for the development of educational skills and topics; emphases will be approached on a continuum, with mentors and graduate students focusing on individual expertise and teaching goals. The seasonal progression includes the following topics.

Please note that the University of Wyoming is the Teton Science Schools’ first-year residency university partner. Once enrolled at Teton Science Schools, you will apply for admission to the University of Wyoming for this year, as well. The following course numbers are from the University of Wyoming course catalog.

Fall

Emphases: Introduction to Place-Based Education and field science teaching practices

NASC 5640 – Introduction to Field Science Teaching – 3 credits
ZOO 5430 – Community Ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem – 3 credits
NASC 5625 – Principles of Place-Based Education – 3 credits
NASC 5630 – Fall Teaching Practicum – 2 credits

Winter & Spring

Emphases: Best practices in place-based instruction, winter ecology, social-ecological systems, natural history and curriculum design.

ZOO 5405 – Winter Ecology of the Yellowstone Ecosystem – 2 Credits
EDCI 579 – Advanced Instructional Strategies – 3 credits
NASC 5630 – Winter/Spring Teaching Practicum – 4 credits
ZOO 5420 – Ecological Inquiry – 3 credits
NASC 5620 – Advanced Elements of Field Ecology Course Design – 5 credits

Our Faculty

Our team of experienced and talented faculty provide exceptional learning opportunities and mentored teaching experiences for all students.

Joel Pontius Director of the Graduate Program
Joel Pontius brings over 15 years of experience as a place-based education leader, leadership developer, teacher educator, guide, and educational designer. As a Graduate Program alum (2006-2007), he’s honored to have the opportunity to shape and grow this transformative program. After completing the Graduate Program, Joel guided for Wildlife Expeditions of TSS before completing his M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Wyoming. He also worked with the Albany County School District in Laramie as a Science Coordinator, creating K-12 place-based programs and professional development experiences for teachers.

Most recently, Joel served as Associate Professor of Sustainability and Environmental Education at Goshen College, where he directed Goshen’s Sustainability Studies major, directed the Sustainability Leadership Semester, and taught and advised students in the Masters of Arts in Environmental Education program.

Joel is passionate about wild foods and the practices and skillsets around foraging, hunting, fishing, and cooking. He is a writer, an archer, a musician, and a backcountry enthusiast. He is raising two wild and inquisitive daughters with his spouse, Laura.
Cereescia Sandoval Graduate Faculty
Cereescia is a bi-racial Indigenous American educator who sees her identity as directly connected to her purpose. She is devoted to re-imaging education for all learners while centering liberation for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian American students. Cereescia has been teaching for 14 years and received her Masters in Ed. at the University of Oregon as part of the Sapsik’ʷałá Indigenous Teacher Education Program. She has a dedication to Deeper Learning that was nurtured as an educator, facilitator, and coach within the High Tech High organization, a celebrated group of Project Based Learning schools in San Diego, CA. Her experience as a Leading for Equity Fellow with the National Equity Project prompted her to pursue a path outside the elementary classroom focused on disrupting educational inequity through designing and coaching learning experiences for adults that center land, culture, and communities.
Amy Lorenz Professional Learning Coach
Amy first attended a summer program at TSS at age 12, and the experience stuck with her. She taught experiential science in southern California and spent summers studying and teaching marine mammal ecology in the Canadian Maritimes before attending the TSS Graduate Program. Her masters research focused on the influence of citizen science on student attitudes, understanding of science practices, and sense of place. Before returning to the Tetons, she spent three years in Cambridge, MA with the Encyclopedia of Life project where she developed a place-based biodiversity curriculum, led schoolyard bio-blitzes, and coordinated community science projects. Amy is fond of collecting rocks, observing wildlife, having outdoor adventures with her husband and dog, and learning to play accordion.
Dylan Klinesteker Faculty
Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI

Favorite animal in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: Bison

Dylan’s passion for the natural world started as a young person road tripping across the country to National Parks. They moved to Bellingham Washington for college and got a degree from Western Washington University in Environmental Education and not only grew their love of the outdoors, but the skills to share them with others. Working for Death Valley National Park, Redwoods National and State Parks, and North Cascades National Park were all great opportunities to see some very different and amazing landscapes. Dylan came to Teton Science Schools in 2016 and has loved sharing his backyard with visitors from around the world. In their free time, Dylan likes to take pictures with his vintage Leica lenses, ride bicycles, and spend time with their wife traveling in their 1988 VW Vanagon Westfalia.
Monica Bun Program Administrator of Professional Learning
Monica has an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. During her time at UMass Amherst, she worked for the International Programs Office assisting students interested in studying abroad as well as international students from across the globe. It was while working with International Programs in which she learned how integral place is in relation to community. Prior to TSS, she lived on a small homestead care-taking goats and chickens practicing intentional community-based values. Some of her personal interests lie in equitable food systems, mycology, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable livestock management. With her current position as Graduate Program Administrator and Enrollment Coordinator, she looks forward to working with current and prospective students in building a community that promotes a strong sense of belonging, empowerment, and connection to place.