Visual Arts Instructor

Schedule 10-20 hrs/wk; Part-Time and Temporary; Spans OUSD School Year

Hourly Pay Rate $25-$30, commensurate with experience

Grade Level K-12

Location Oakland, CA (in-person)

AHC promotes a culture of unity and creativity, merging the arts with social justice to manifest a better society. Every member of the AHC community is driven by our mission: 

AHC empowers individuals to be self-aware and inspired through art, creativity and education to make positive choices to break the cycle of violence for themselves and their communities. 

AHC seeks to hire a teaching artist—a trained, practicing artist and teacher—with a passion for education and building healthy, safe communities. An excellent candidate loves working collaboratively, is trained and experienced to teach in-person, is familiar with best practices in classroom settings, and is committed to racial, economic, and environmental justice.

They must be able and willing to work with students to develop wellness, creativity, community engagement, and ecological sensibilities while engaging in art activities embedded with cultural and situational relevance. 

The qualities that AHC Oakland is looking for in the Teaching Artists are: Integrity, sensitivity, courage and vision; leadership capacity; competency as collaborator, organizer, strategist and communicator. 

Requirements:

• Proof of vaccination required to maintain client contract compliance
• 2+ years of experience working with elementary, middle, and/or high school students
• Ability to teach students visual art fundamentals, color theory, painting, drawing and/or sculpture skills
• Knowledge of Common Core and Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) standards
• Ability to create lesson plans, and teach lesson plans provided by AHC
• Have strong classroom management skills
• Well organized, able to balance multiple priorities, and able to meet deadlines 
• Be available to be placed in a variety of school sites during the hours of 8am-6pm Monday-Friday
• Passion for working with students of diverse backgrounds in urban environments
• Ability to collaborate with other teachers and school staff on curriculum

Desirable, but not required:

• Background in environmental justice and organizing

Teaching artists are responsible for the following:

• Organizing and maintaining classrooms that are engaging, creative, positive and supportive of students
• Preparing supplies & materials
• Generating new and implementing existing curriculum 
• Emphasizing Common Core standards and/or STEAM project-based learning in lessons 
• Communication with AHC staff to provide media samples in the form of photos and videos of student art work and work-in-progress 
• Effectively able to collaborate and be team oriented with environmental specialists and other teaching artists as well as school staff
• Submission of timesheets, class attendance and classroom reflection forms to AHC administrative staff as required or requested
• Engage students in producing high quality and meaningful artwork that demonstrates their environmental learning and/ or other related self esteem and social justice themes for school based showcases and the Annual ArtEsteem Exhibition
• Incorporating AHC’s 12 Principles into lessons and classroom culture
• Attending professional development or all-staff meetings periodically
• Supporting AHC fundraising events such as the Annual ArtEsteem Exhibition
• Engaging with families where appropriate

To apply, please prepare and send the following materials to [email protected]. 

• Resume 
• Cover Letter (1-2 paragraphs)
• Link to portfolio (if available)
• Three references