Foster brave spaces for young voices. Teach.

Hourly Teaching Artist Job Description

Hourly Teaching Artist

About Performing Arts Workshop

Performing Arts Workshop is a nonprofit organization established in 1965 with a mission to help young people develop critical thinking, creative expression, and essential learning skills through the arts. The Workshop brings arts instruction to more than 5,000 students ages 3-18 each year through residencies in dance, music, spoken word, poetry, theater arts, visual arts, and media arts. 

We believe that access to sustained, sequential instruction in an art form should be part of every young person’s education and development. Because of ongoing disparities in such access, we advance equity by prioritizing partnerships which allow us to work with historically underrepresented groups including low-income communities, immigrant communities, and Black and Brown communities.

Performing Arts Workshop aspires to be a leading organization in arts education. We cannot achieve this without realizing our core values of both inclusion and excellence. This requires sustained focus on equity in all our efforts to recruit, hire, promote, and retain an exceptionally well-qualified staff. 

Hourly Teaching Artist Job Description

Position Overview:

Performing Arts Workshop seeks dance (Afro-Peruvian, Bomba, hip-hop, Hawaiian, Pan African, Bhangra, Mexican Folklorico, Son Jarocho, Tap, Contemporary, and others,) capoeira, spoken word, theater, hip-hop, visual and media arts teaching artists to teach semester-length and yearlong residencies at our partner sites in San Francisco, the East Bay, and Marin County. Our teaching artists are professional artists and experienced educators in their field. As representatives of the Workshop in the classroom and the communities they serve, teaching artists share a commitment to our mission and racial justice values. In addition to regular teaching duties, teaching artists receive extensive mentorship and support from our artistic and program management, including training in the Workshop’s teaching methodology, an 8-session internship, and monthly professional development.

Teaching artists can expect to teach 5-20 hours/week, depending on availability and experience, with starting compensation of $43 per hour for teaching, professional development, internship and all pre-approved administrative work.

Teaching artists are considered part-time employees—not independent contractors—and receive paid sick time, unemployment insurance, social security contributions, worker’s compensation, and other legally required withholdings.

Responsibilities:

• Create a culture of learning in the classroom that reflects the Workshop’s values and supports youth in their development as artists;
• Develop process-based, sequential curricula that reflect the Workshop’s pedagogy for each residency;
• For Visual Media Arts: Design a multi-lesson workshop using Performing Arts Workshop methodology grounded in Creative Youth Development. Workshops must weave first-person storytelling through art forms, including: creative writing, journaling, photography, animation, comic books, portraiture, etc;
• Mandatory and punctual attendance of monthly professional development meetings, in addition to one all-day PD;
• Connect students’ work to a broader audience through a culminating performance, publication, or open class demonstration for families and communities;
• Administer student and residency evaluations, collect student information and media release forms;
• Communication with site and Workshop staff in a timely and professional manner.

Required Qualifications:

• Commitment to youth development, building self-efficacy, racial justice, and cultural awareness;
• Knowledge of the main elements of composition in your art form and the ability to articulate and teach them to youth;
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal communication skills;
• Ability to work with diverse teaching and site partners in adapting to individual classroom needs and cultures;
• Passion and empathy when teaching high-need children and youth, such as English language-learners, students with special needs, incarcerated youth, or youth enrolled in court mandated schools;
• Ability to articulate and demonstrate critical thinking in the arts;
• Openness to receiving detailed feedback on teaching as it relates to the Workshop’s methodology;
• Availability to teach in at least two sites at a time (at least four residencies in either one full day, two mornings, two afternoons, or some combination thereof);
• Ability to provide own transportation or utilize public transportation to and from partner sites.

Exceptional Qualifications:

• Bilingual ability—Spanish and Mandarin;
• Experience working with special student populations, such as English language-learners and students with learning differences;
• BA and/or MA/MFA in art form or commensurate experience.

How to Apply:

Email resume, cover letter, sample lesson plan, and professional portfolio or work samples to, Performing Arts Workshop at info@performingartsworkshop.org. Only complete applications will be considered, please inquire if you have any questions about the requirements.

Performing Arts Workshop is an equal opportunity employer and seeks workforce diversity with respect to race, ethnicity, culture, gender, age, sexual orientation, and physical abilities.

Pre-K Core Artists

Performing Arts Workshop seeks a pre-k world dance, hip-hop dance, dance, music, or theatre Pre-K Core Artist to teach eleven session, semester-length, and yearlong residencies at our partner sites in San Francisco. Our teaching artists are professional artists and experienced educators in their field. As representatives of the Workshop in the classroom and the communities they serve, teaching artists share a commitment to our mission and social justice values.

Core Artists play a leadership role at the Workshop and therefore have a substantial set of job responsibilities beyond those of other Workshop artists. Core Artists perform these duties through a part-time, non-exempt position, reporting directly to the Program Manager. Job duties will vary, but for most Core Artists, the position will require twenty hours per week, to be divided between teaching (15 hours) and administrative responsibilities (5 hours), which may include but is not be limited to presentations, professional development day, retreats, and the annual student showcase. Core Artists are expected to be available to teach for a 43-week period each year, which begins on August 27, 2018, and ends Friday, June 21, 2019. Annual salary is $20,000, or prorated in accordance with start date.

Responsibilities

• Teaching: Teach scheduled classes, no more than 15 per week, in San Francisco preschools, grade schools, and community centers (in- and after school), implementing the Workshop’s teaching methodology. For each residency that is assigned to a Core Artist, that Core Artist will be responsible for teaching at least a specified minimum number of sessions scheduled by Workshop administrative staff. This number of sessions must be completed over the course of an agreed time frame (such as a semester or year), despite any class cancellations due to illness or other reasons;
• Curriculum Planning: Develop and maintain yearlong, standards-based curriculum that includes an understanding goal, weekly lesson objectives, and opportunities for student reflection, revision, and composition that includes elements of your art form. Regular review of plans by the Program Manager or Artist Mentors;
• Collaboration: Partner with teachers and site coordinators at select sites to co-design integrated curricula that are co-taught whenever possible;
• Partner Management: Engage in ongoing reflection with partner sites to anticipate and avoid issues that interfere with student learning; troubleshoot and problem-solve, initiate follow-up communication with Workshop program staff. Build relationships with administrators, teachers, coordinators, and other partner staff and serve as liaison between partners and Workshop office staff. Distribute and collect necessary paperwork including but not limited to evaluations and demographic information. Coordinate residency schedule adjustments as needed;
• Leadership Training: Work closely with one Student Artist-in-Residence per semester, or as needed, to develop a curriculum for a 15-week residency, offering guidance and support, and co-teaching opportunities, as desired; this will include but not be limited to monthly hour-long supervisory debriefs;
• Documentation: Document and compile strong evidence of students learning the elements of composition in your art form in at least one residency in medium to be determined or approved by your supervisor. Plan and present documentation to Workshop staff and board semi-annually. Assist with documentation and reporting for fellow core artists’ residencies when available;
• Data Collection: Administer and collect student and/or teacher evaluations and student demographic information for each residency. If multiple residencies occur at a single site or under the supervision of a single coordinator, unique evaluations shall be administered and collected for each residency;
• Professional Development: Actively engage in ongoing professional development workshops and meetings with fellow artists. Contribute to discussion, problem-solving, and planning activities, lead professional development on request. Take part in at least one external professional development opportunity per semester, to be approved in advance by supervisor or selected from events listed in the monthly artist newsletter;
• Organizational Planning: Attend select staff/program and board meetings to provide input on program design, strategic planning, etc.;
• Program Reporting: Assist with grant reporting as needed through development and writing of narrative reports and/or interviews with Workshop staff;
• Public Representation: Represent the Workshop at community, fundraising, and professional networking events by presenting on or discussing your experiences as a teaching artist, educating stakeholders about the organization, teaching a sample lesson, etc.

Schedule

Core Artists and the Program Manager will discuss schedule options prior to assignment of residencies. In order to perform residencies, Core Artists will need to be available for class scheduling during some combination of the following windows:

• 9:00 – 3:00 4 in-school blocks
• 3:00 – 6:00 2 after school blocks

Required Qualifications

• Adequate experience can include Bachelor’s degree in art form/education or commensurate teaching artist experience;
• Availability for required schedule blocks and meeting dates;
• At least two years previous teaching experience in your art form;
• Knowledge of and ability to articulate compositional elements of your art form;
• Demonstrated teaching expertise and ability to teach critical thinking as evidenced through previous Workshop observations or classroom audition;
• Willingness and interest to teach diverse populations in- and after school across grades pre-k-elementary or middle-high school;
• Willingness to teach at varied sites with limited room for negotiation;
• Demonstrated ability to plan sequential curricula as evidenced through submission of a detailed unit plan;
• Excellent communication skills and ability to navigate challenges, initiate, and reply to communication within 48 hours;
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to manage a complex calendar and timely communication with various staff and partners;
• Deep investment in self-reflection and desire to grow as a teaching artist;
• Commitment to social justice values and teaching at-risk populations through art;
• Ability to persist and problem-solve through challenges;
• Ability to articulate work and mission of Performing Arts Workshop;
• Willingness to travel to different Bay Area schools and community centers.

Exceptional Qualifications:

• Bilingual ability—Spanish and Mandarin;
• Experience working with special student populations, such as English language learners and students with special needs;
• Masters degree in education or a specific art form.

How to Apply

Email resume, cover letter, sample lesson plan, and professional portfolio or work samples to info@performingartsworkshop.org. Only complete applications will be considered, please inquire if you have any questions about the requirements.

Core Artists

Performing Arts Workshop seeks a world dance or hip-hop dance Core Artist to teach semester-length and yearlong residencies at our partner sites in San Francisco, the East Bay, and Marin County. Our teaching artists are professional artists and experienced educators in their field. As representatives of the Workshop in the classroom and the communities they serve, teaching artists share a commitment to our mission and social justice values.

Core Artists play a leadership role at the Workshop and therefore have a substantial set of job responsibilities beyond those of other Workshop artists. Core Artists perform these duties through a part-time, non-exempt position, reporting directly to the Program Manager. Job duties will vary, but for most Core Artists, the position will require twenty hours per week, to be divided between teaching (15 hours) and administrative responsibilities (5 hours), which may include but is not be limited to presentations, professional development day, retreats, and the annual student showcase. Core Artists are expected to be available to teach for a 43-week period each year, which begins on August 27, 2018, and ends Friday, June 21, 2019. Annual salary is $20,000, or prorated in accordance with start date.

Responsibilities

• Teaching: Teach scheduled classes, no more than 15 per week, in Bay Area schools and community centers (in- and after school), implementing the Workshop’s teaching methodology. For each residency that is assigned to a Core Artist, that Core Artist will be responsible for teaching at least a specified minimum number of sessions scheduled by Workshop administrative staff. This number of sessions must be completed over the course of an agreed time frame (such as a semester or year), despite any class cancellations due to illness or other reasons;
• Curriculum Planning: Develop and maintain yearlong, standards-based curriculum that includes an understanding goal, weekly lesson objectives, and opportunities for student reflection, revision, and composition that includes elements of your art form. Regular review of plans by the Program Manager or Artist Mentors;
• Collaboration: Partner with teachers and site coordinators at select sites to co-design integrated curricula that are co-taught whenever possible;
• Partner Management: Engage in ongoing reflection with partner sites to anticipate and avoid issues that interfere with student learning; troubleshoot and problem-solve, initiate follow-up communication with Workshop program staff. Build relationships with administrators, teachers, coordinators, and other partner staff and serve as liaison between partners and Workshop office staff. Distribute and collect necessary paperwork including but not limited to evaluations and demographic information. Coordinate residency schedule adjustments as needed;
• Leadership Training: Work closely with one Student Artist-in-Residence per semester, or as needed, to develop a curriculum for a 15-week residency, offering guidance and support, and co-teaching opportunities, as desired; this will include but not be limited to monthly hour-long supervisory debriefs;
• Documentation: Document and compile strong evidence of students learning the elements of composition in your art form in at least one residency in medium to be determined or approved by your supervisor. Plan and present documentation to Workshop staff and board semi-annually. Assist with documentation and reporting for fellow core artists’ residencies when available;
• Data Collection: Administer and collect student and/or teacher evaluations and student demographic information for each residency. If multiple residencies occur at a single site or under the supervision of a single coordinator, unique evaluations shall be administered and collected for each residency;
• Professional Development: Actively engage in ongoing professional development workshops and meetings with fellow artists. Contribute to discussion, problem-solving, and planning activities, lead professional development on request. Take part in at least one external professional development opportunity per semester, to be approved in advance by supervisor or selected from events listed in the monthly artist newsletter;
• Organizational Planning: Attend select staff/program and board meetings to provide input on program design, strategic planning, etc.;
• Program Reporting: Assist with grant reporting as needed through development and writing of narrative reports and/or interviews with Workshop staff;
• Public Representation: Represent the Workshop at community, fundraising, and professional networking events by presenting on or discussing your experiences as a teaching artist, educating stakeholders about the organization, teaching a sample lesson, etc.

Schedule

Core Artists and the Program Manager will discuss schedule options prior to assignment of residencies. In order to perform residencies, Core Artists will need to be available for class scheduling during some combination of the following windows:

• 9:00 – 3:00 3 in-school blocks
• 3:00 – 6:00 3 after school blocks

Required Qualifications

• Adequate experience can include Bachelor’s degree in art form/education or commensurate teaching artist experience;
• Availability for required schedule blocks and meeting dates;
• At least two years previous teaching experience in your art form;
• Knowledge of and ability to articulate compositional elements of your art form;
• Demonstrated teaching expertise and ability to teach critical thinking as evidenced through previous Workshop observations or classroom audition;
• Willingness and interest to teach diverse populations in- and after school across grades pre-k-elementary or middle-high school;
• Willingness to teach at varied sites with limited room for negotiation;
• Demonstrated ability to plan sequential curricula as evidenced through submission of a detailed unit plan;
• Excellent communication skills and ability to navigate challenges, initiate, and reply to communication within 48 hours;
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to manage a complex calendar and timely communication with various staff and partners;
• Deep investment in self-reflection and desire to grow as a teaching artist;
• Commitment to social justice values and teaching at-risk populations through art;
• Ability to persist and problem-solve through challenges;
• Ability to articulate work and mission of Performing Arts Workshop;
• Willingness to travel to different Bay Area schools and community centers.

Exceptional Qualifications:

• Bilingual ability—Spanish and Mandarin;
• Experience working with special student populations, such as English language learners and students with special needs;
• Masters degree in education or a specific art form.

How to Apply

Email resume, cover letter, sample lesson plan, and professional portfolio or work samples to info@performingartsworkshop.org. Only complete applications will be considered, please inquire if you have any questions about the requirements.