Outward Bound Costa Rica's Educational Model

“It was like a lifetime of experiences/lessons compressed into two weeks. I used every sense, every skill, every limb, every milligram of energy in the shortest space of time possible. I know that this was more than an educational experience because when I try to explain the activities/learning to others, I often can’t find the words.” – Isabel M., 2016 Summer Alum

OBCR EDUCATIONAL MODEL

Our OBCR Educational Model is based on years of teaching through experiential learning.

LEADERSHIP WHEEL

Throughout each course, Outward Bound Costa Rica uses a situational leadership model based on the “Leadership Wheel” written by Clinton Sidle. This framework illustrates the five leadership styles using a wheel with each of the four cardinal directions representing a leadership role: the Sage (center), Warrior (north), Nurturer (south), Teacher (east), and Visionary (west).

Our professional field staff and instructors guide each participant in developing their own leadership style and adapting it to co-exist with other leadership styles on course. This also guides us in structuring our programs to ensure that there is ample time for reflection and connecting the physical adventures with character development.

The Leadership Wheel also creates a daily structure so that we dedicate time and energy to translating each course activity into a learned life skill, lesson, and moment for leadership development. The objectives of an Outward Bound Costa Rica course are to facilitate personal growth and success in the following areas:

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

• Increasing self-confidence and independence
• Demonstrating compassion toward others and living a healthy and balanced life

LEADERSHIP

• Collaborating, communicating, and resolving conflicts effectively
• Demonstrating the ability to set goals, inspire and guide others to achieve their goals

SERVICE

• Actively engaging in service to others
• Demonstrating social and environmental responsibility in the communities we visit

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

• Connecting concepts learned in the classroom with real-life experiences
• Achieving success against traditional measures of school achievement

LEADERSHIP ROLES

“This was the first time I had ever been in charge of other people, and it was empowering to be the one encouraging and motivating the other students. It made me want to try to take on a leadership role in something back at home.” -Katie, 15

For many young participants, an Outward Bound Costa Rica course is the first time ever cleaning, cooking, or leading a group.

Throughout course, participants will have at least one role per day with roles rotating to different participants each day. In some cases, with smaller groups, a participant can take on more than one role. In taking these roles, participants improve their leadership skills, personal development, and enhance the group dynamic.

On the first day at orientation, instructors will describe each of these daily responsibilities. Here are just a few:

CACIQUE /kah-SEE-kay/
Translation: chief
Responsibility: This is the group leader. A cacique is responsible for motivating the other students, leading them, and encouraging responsibility in fellow students’ roles.

HANASHITA /hah-nah-SHE-tah/
Translation: a guide book
Responsibility: This is the journal writer. A hanashita is responsible for writing the daily journal entry and reading it at the nightly meeting.

PROFESOR /pro-face-OR/
Translation: teacher
Responsibility: This is the cultural teacher. The profesor/a teaches a cultural lesson to the group at the nightly meeting.

NATURALISTA /nah-too-rah-LEE-stah/
Translation: naturalist
Responsibility: This is the nature teacher. The naturalista is responsible for remembering one thing learned about nature throughout the day, then teaching it to the other students at the nightly meeting.

NIGHTLY MEETINGS

Nightly meetings normally take place after dinner and consist of a review of the day’s events and a time for “open space” to discuss group dynamics and individual thoughts and emotions. Individual “highs” and “lows” of the day are identified, a cultural lesson is given, and a journal reading about the day’s activities is read aloud. During this time, leadership roles will be reassigned and announced for the following day.

CHOW CIRCLE

The chow circle takes place right before dinner. Participants gather in a circle to say something they appreciated that day and to hear a quote from the daily cacique.

THE ‘SOLO’

The “Solo” is a challenge that takes place on the hiking phase of our course and can last from a few hours to a few days depending on the length and focus of the course. It’s an opportunity to camp alone and disconnect from the group in a controlled environment with food, water, and shelter. This is NOT a survival exercise, but rather a meditative experience to reflect on a participant’s past and future. In the event that a participant would need assistance, they can easily blow their whistle to summon their instructor who stays within earshot of all participants.

During the Solo, participants journal, do yoga, cook, make up games to play, sleep, exercise, and, of course, they think. Thinking for that amount of time with no distractions in a natural environment is so foreign to some participants that it scares them at first.

The result of a Solo for every participant can be astounding, unpredictable, and leave a lasting impression. For some, it is the highlight of the course, and for others it one of the toughest. But, what everyone gets out of this experience is a new outlook on life.

One student said, “If you think about it, never in your life do you get the chance to be completely removed from everything you own, every possession, all technology…. You don’t realize how challenging it is to be out of your comfort zone.” -Sean D.

COURSE OUTCOMES

Each element of our educational model combined with the challenging and thrilling adventure activities set in the rivers, reefs, and rainforests of Costa Rica create a unique learning environment for our participants.

The development of leadership skills, service experience, self-esteem and self-confidence that participants experience on course is paramount for students and adults to thrive—in the classroom, in the workplace, in their family and in the world.

Each course encourages participants to value each other’s strengths and differences and to live, work, and learn as a team. It provides opportunities to challenge themselves, to succeed, and to translate learned skills and values into their daily lives back home.

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