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Classes
There are several training classes available for each level and department of the Volunteer Program. Some classes require Class Teachers while others do not.
Eligibility
You must have taken the required prerequisite classes and be the appropriate volunteer level for a class to be counted towards your training. Teachers
All Coordinators are Class Teachers and additional Class Teachers are listed on the Teachers tab of the Class Completion List located in the left hand side bar of the BigCatRescue.me site under the heading Volunteers>Class Completion. You may contact the teachers and request a specific class to be given. Class Teachers will also announce on site if they are going to give a class. If you are volunteering and need the announced class, you may ask your Coordinator if you can attend.
How to Take a Class
When a class is given the teacher must pull up the class web page on the BigCatRescue.me site under the heading Training and Docs>Classes and Maps. If there is a video provided for the class the student must first watch the video, then read the page, and finally complete the quiz. (The student must be logged into the BigCatRescue.me site with their own account so the quiz results are counted towards their record.)
The Partner Trainee and Keeper Trainee classes listed below are in the order they must be taken.
Trainee Classes – Red Level Tour Back-up, Gate Operation and Guest Sign InAnimal Emergency Partner Classes & Certifications – Yellow Level
Small Cat Cleaning
Small Cat Enrichment and Certification Small Cat Feeding Small Cat Operant Training Tour Guide and Certification
Senior Partner Classes & Certifications – Green Level
Big Cat Cleaning
Big Cat Enrichment and Certification Big Cat Feeding Big Cat Operant Med Administration Feeding Tour Guide Speaker and Certification Keeper Tour Guide Speaker and Certification Small Cat Cleaning and Certification
Small Cat Enrichment and Certification Small Cat Feeding and Certification Small Cat Operant Training and Certification Government 101 Issues and Actions Tour Guide and Certification Feeding Tour Guide and Certification Senior Keeper Classes & Certifications – Green LevelBig Cat Cleaning and Certification Coordinator Classes & Certifications
Coordinator Training and Certification
CLASSES Classes for New Volunteers Who Do Not have BigCat.me Access: New volunteers are not given .me access until after their first three classes. If you are giving a new volunteer a class before they have .me access please log in under the following; Log in name: new.volunteer@bigcatrescue.org, Password: bcr12802. Find the class page for the volunteer and give them instructions on reading the materials, watching the video, and taking the quiz. The test will ask for the volunteers name and email. Here they can use their personal email so that they get a copy of the completion certificate.
Video Classes: Some class pages have videos on them. These videos may not be completely up to date, so both the video should be watched and the documentation read. Choose a location to play the video for the student where there are minimal interruptions. The Class Teacher may watch the video with the student or may leave the student to watch the video on their own. The Class Teacher must return after the student has watched the video and has read the documentation to discuss the class and address any questions the student may have. Following this the student must complete and pass the quiz at the bottom of the class page. Non-Video Classes: Not all of the BCR training classes are yet available in video form. If a class does not have an associated video the student must read the documentation and then discuss with the teacher any questions that may arise. Following this the student must complete and pass the quiz at the bottom of the class page.
Quizzes: Orientation and all of the classes have quizzes at the bottom of the class page. After watching the class videos and reading the documentation the student must complete the quiz. The student must receive a minimum of 80% on the quiz in order to pass the class. The teacher must address any incorrect answers with the student and give examples of the correct answer. If the student does not receive an 80% they must re-watch and re-read the materials and re-take the quiz.
Certifications: Certification forms have two parts; one check list form that gets printed out and and online form where feedback regarding the performance is recorded. Any certification sheets associated with a class should be printed out by clicking the link at the bottom of the class page. Certification sheets should be put into the appropriate binder by the teacher. Tour Guide, Feeding Tour Guide and Keeper Tour Guide observation sheets go in a binder located in the gift shop. Cleaning, Feeding, Operant, Enrichment, Feeding Tour Guide, Keeper Tour Guide and Meds observation sheets go in binders located in Food Prep. Notify the student where the certification sheets are kept and encourage them to take an active role in getting their sign-offs. It is the volunteer’s responsibility to follow up with their trainer to obtain a sign off on their certification sheet.The trainer should print their name and date on the printed check list form as well as log into the online form to provide their feedback regarding the training session. To get to these forms go to the BigCat.me site > Classes & Maps > Certifications Folder. This feedback is confidential and the student does not have access to this online form. Only the Volunteer Committee and the Coordinators can see the feedback that is logged.If a trainer has an issue with the performance of the student, the trainer should address these concerns directly with the student and offer counseling on how to improve.
All Certifications have a designated time frame within which the certification process must be completed.
If the certifications are not completed within this time frame the volunteer must start the certification process over again.
Promotions within the Volunteer Program are dependent upon having been completely observed and signed off on in each activity where required.
The student’s performance must be verified by a Coordinator as well as the Operations Manager and receive the approval of both prior to being considered certified. TEACHERS Classes Taught by Certified Teachers Only: All classes are to be taught by Certified Teachers listed on the Teachers tab of the Class Completion Chart.
Coordinators: All Keeper Coordinators are approved to teach all classes. All Partner Coordinators are approved to teach non-animal related classes.
Request to be a Teacher: If a volunteer desires to become a class teacher they must submit the request in writing to the Volunteer Committee. The Volunteer Committee will then consult with the Coordinators to determine if the volunteer has sufficient training in the selected areas. Once the determination has been made as to which of the selected classes the volunteer may be permitted to teach the Volunteer Committee will update the Teachers tab and will email a list of approved classes and teacher instructions to the volunteer.
Keeper Teachers: Approved Keepers may teach any of the classes. Partner Teachers: Approved Partners may teach the following classes; Tour Back Up & Gate, First Aid (if CPR and First Aid certified), Tour Guide, Events, and Kitten Playtime. Scheduling & Offering Classes: Once approved to teach a class the teacher should submit the days of the week they are usually available to teach so that these days can be added to the Teachers tab of the Class Completion List. Teachers are free to schedule their own classes and the Volunteer Committee may request that a teacher offer a certain class. Prior to teaching a class the class teacher will make an announcement over the radio as to the time and location of the class. Every effort will be made to accommodate volunteers on property who wish to attend. Volunteers taking a class that is above their shirt level or who have not taken the prerequisite classes should be notified that the class will not count towards their training and they will have to repeat the class. Resigning as a Teacher: If you rarely or no longer teach a class that you have previously been approved to teach, please email Committee@BigCatRescue.org so that your name can be removed from the Teachers List to make room for new teacher applicants. Teacher Qualifications: A volunteer must be the type and level listed next to each class in order to apply to teach the class. Tour Back-up, Gate Operation and Guest Relations – No teacher, materials read and signed by student, golf cart lesson by Coordinator or Green Level Volunteer after class completion
Feeding Tour Speaker – No teacher, materials read and signed by student
Big Cat Cleaning – Green Level Keeper if Partner taking class, no teacher, materials read and signed by student Big Cat Feeding – Green Level Keeper if Partner taking class, no teacher, materials read and signed by student Keeper Tour Guide – Green Level Keeper
Keeper Tour Speaker – No teacher, materials read and signed by student
Med Administration- Green Level Keeper Animal Grooming – Jamie Veronica Dispensing Meds – Jamie Veronica, Gale Ingham, or Becky Gagliardo Volunteer Orientation – Green Level Keeper Kitten Playtime – No teacher, materials read and signed by student |
08. Classes & Teachers
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