Description:
Specific Duties & Responsibilities:
- Facilitate naturalist Garden curriculum for preschool through eighth grade school groups (all ability levels, including children with learning differences) that utilizes inquiry- and phenomena-based teaching practices
- Participate in a professional learning community of informal science educators to build hands-on, effective teaching practices that support students to:
o Explore real world phenomena
o Think like scientists
o Learn through discussions
o Connect to lived experiences
• Efficiently manage set-up of teaching supplies each morning, followed by the clean- up, inventory and preparation of materials each afternoon.
- Assist in ongoing assessment, experimenting and improvement of programs and Children’s Education curricula that enhances student experience.
- Solicit teacher evaluation of education programs
Qualifications:
- Must have degree in education, science, horticulture or other relevant field with background in current museum education practices that emphasize student-driven experiences, knowledge of ecosystems such as Native Plant communities, Deserts and/or Rainforests and teaching experience in informal or outdoor settings preferred. Experience and comfort facilitating programs using a variety of informal outdoor science education techniques.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills and responsive decision-making skills are required.
- Ability to be flexible incorporating unique garden resources and natural phenomena in a fast-paced, dynamic and complex environment with changing schedules and teaching spaces depending on weather and time constraints.
- Outgoing and welcoming personality; responsible, punctual, professional and motivated. Prior experience and enthusiasm for working with school children. Must demonstrate a love of plants.