Description:
The School Programs team provides opportunities to explore the world’s natural and cultural diversity through meaningful learning experiences for Pre-K-12th grade students, educators, and community organizations through educational resources, workshops in classrooms, professional development for teachers, field trips to the museum, and hosting students and families in our early childhood center, the Crown Family PlayLab.
As a member of the School Programs team, the Bilingual School Programs Instructor’s primary role is to develop, facilitate, and implement learning experiences for Pre-K-8th grade students and educators through partnerships and outreach programs with schools and community organizations. These ongoing and multi-faceted partnerships and outreach programs include workshops for students in classrooms and community organizations around Chicago, science nights at schools and community organizations, pre-field trip experiences, professional development for educators, and school family events. The program components take place in-person at schools and community organizations throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, onsite at the Field Museum, and in virtual spaces.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Develop and implement Pre-K-8th grade student learning experiences in both English and Spanish for workshops both in-classroom at schools and community organizations across Chicagoland, tailored field trips to the museum, science night programs at schools, educational outreach programs, pre-field trip activities, and professional development for teachers.
- Support all components of school partnerships and outreach programs in English and Spanish including planning and teaching in-classroom workshops, translating resources for students, coordinating with individual schools and community organizations, teachers, and administrators, supporting professional development for teachers, and hosting science nights at partner schools.
- Develop and curate Pre-K-8th grade educational resources in both English and Spanish to support classroom instruction.
- Oversee staff supporting School Partnership events such as science nights, outreach events, and community organization events.
- Support School Programs team through outreach to schools via hosting science night tables, activity tables, general facilitation, science fair judge, etc.
- This position will require occasional weekend and/or evening work (typically 1-2 evening/weekend events per month).
- Work collaboratively on bilingual Spanish initiatives by providing feedback, creating tools, and creating and translating written materials between English and Spanish.
Other duties:
- Monitor, care for, maintain, and safely store items, specimens, and materials related to the exhibition and Sue Gin Ling Center for Education and Public Programs.
- Research, learn, and adapt programming and resources as assigned.
- Staff or facilitate other Education programming and activities as assigned.
- Ongoing reading, research, and program development as assigned.
- Support other Education programming, including but not limited to other programs within the School Programs team, the Public Programs team, the Family Experiences team, the Youth Initiatives team, or other Education and Public Programs programming as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Experience teaching, developing, and facilitating workshops and lessons that are culturally relevant and responsive to learners’ needs, including inquiry-based experiences for Pre-K-12th grade students.
- Proven experience in developing and executing community engagement programs, preferably in a museum or educational setting.
- Strong understanding of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion principles and their application in program development.
- This role requires regular off-site work at schools and community organizations throughout the Chicagoland area. Regular access to a reliable vehicle is required. Mileage reimbursement is provided.
- This candidate must be able to regularly move items and collection materials up to 50lbs.
- Ability to read, write, speak, and comprehend English and Spanish is required.
- Enjoys working on a team to collaboratively develop program ideas.
- Flexible mindset in response to the unique circumstances of each partner school and classroom.
- Familiarity with the Next Generation Science Standards, C3 Framework for Social Studies Standards, Common Core, and Social Justice Standards required.
- Bachelor's Degree in relevant fields of education, science, social science, or other related fields; master’s preferred.
- 2-3 years of teaching experience/lesson planning (either formal or informal) required.