Employment Opportunities

 

Job Opening
Position: Part Time After School Garden Instructors and Substitutes. Hours: average 5-10 hours weekly; after school time. School sites in Greater Houston Area, to be determined.

Position start date: ASAP

Compensation: Hourly rate based on experience. Independent Contractor Position.

Youth Garden Instructor and/or Substitute Instructor

Position Description

I. TEACHING

  • Primary age group: Elementary School Students from PreK-5th Grade.
  • Class size 15-20 students.
  • Lead students through propagation, planting, cultivation, and maintenance activities in the school outdoor classroom; which may include vegetable beds, habitat gardens, orchard, compost area and/or pond.
  • Lead students in ecology based activities in school gardens.
  • Teach a variety of subjects, including: nutrition, math, science, language arts, and art, in the school outdoor classroom.
  • Lead nutrition based cooking lessons incorporating produce students have grown.
  • Be a positive role model and mentor students in the outdoor classroom.
  • The Junior Master Gardener's Curriculum and the Health and Nutrition Curriculum are used as well as other materials. Students need hands on experiences with nature!

 

II. GARDEN SITE SUPPORT

  • Manages and maintains outdoor classroom program facilities and equipment- School Tool Shed, rakes, shovels, hand tools, and all materials that belong to the garden program.
  • Manage and maintain the appearance of the school gardens with students and during planning and preparation time.

 

III. COMMUNICATION, LEADERSHIP, AND OUTREACH

  • MANDATORY: Attend monthly Instructor planning meetings for training and collaboration. At the meetings, instructors receive activities, lessons, and materials.
  • Substitutes are expected to volunteer at one or two schools to become familiar with the programs.
  • Communicate via email (preferred) or phone on a regular basis.
  • When needed, participate in community workdays for the after-school gardening programs.
  • As a member of educational and sustainable environmental communities, represent Urban Harvest positively and support our mission.

 

SUPERVISION AND REPORTING

  • The After-School Garden Instructors and Substitutes reports the Director of Youth Gardening.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

 

EDUCATION and Requirements

  • 2 years college education
  • Experience working with youth
  • Ability to manage 15-20 youth in the garden and classroom setting.
  • Teaching experience and/or credential a plus
  • Extensive experience with organic gardening and a desire to keep learning.
  • Bilingual a plus.

 


LICENSE
Possession of a valid Texas Drivers Liscence


PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

  • Ability to work with frequent interruption and to simultaneously supervise a variety of tasks.
  • Ability to stand, stoop, reach and bend. Mobility of arms to reach, dexterity of hands to grasp and manipulate large and small objects.
  • Ability to read small print.
  • Ability to stand for long periods.
  • Ability to lift, push and/or pull objects, which may weigh approximate 50 pounds.
  • Ability to work outdoors in a physically demanding environment.
  • Upon acceptance of position, complete background check screening required by the State.

 

Applicant Procedures
1. Carefully read the job description above.
2. Copy each of the headings A to D below into an email and answer the questions posed about your experience (education, work, other). These correspond to details in the job description. Feel free to use portions of your resume to answer these questions.
3. Send your answers to the questions to:
SchoolandYouth@urbanharvest.org
and attach a resume with references.
4. We will acknowledge receipt of your application and notify you if we wish to talk with you further about the position.


Questions
A. What experience do you have teaching and working with students K-12th?
B. What experience do you have in gardening and environmental education?
C. In no more than five sentences, how would you develop hands-on gardening activities for youth?
D. Of the job description skills listed above (I to III), which do you have and how did you gain that experience (work, education, volunteering)?