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 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 22, 2016, and ends Friday, June 16, 2017. 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

• Bachelor’s degree in art form/education or commensurate teaching artist experience;

• Availability for required schedule blocks and meeting dates;

• At least five 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.

Preferred 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 Adam Levy, Program Manager, at adam@performingartsworkshop.org