School Garden Educator

Climate Corps Education Outside (CCEO) is an 11.5 month, full-time program that offers emerging environmental educators experience, professional development, and training as they advance outdoor science education in Bay Area public schools. The position will start on August 21, 2023 and end early August, 2024.

As a Garden Educator, you will be placed at an elementary school in the San Francisco Bay Area and will be responsible for planning and teaching garden lessons to students in grades K-5 in the on-campus outdoor garden classroom. You will also maintain the garden and work to engage the school community in the space. As part of a cohort of approximately 30 CCEO Fellows, you will participate in a year-long training and professional development program designed to support you in your role.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Prepare for and teach multiple lessons per day to various grade levels by adapting and implementing the provided CCEO curriculum for your school site
• Create a safe and positive outdoor classroom culture
• Apply a lens of cultural humility to all teaching and learning with students
• Collaborate with teachers to integrate indoor and outdoor learning experiences
• Coordinate harvesting, cooking, and eating in the garden with students as part of your lessons
• Collaborate with your school community to plant, maintain, and improve the school garden in all aspects
• Develop garden infrastructure to support learning outcomes
• Purchase garden supplies and instructional materials using provided site budget
• Build strong relationships with community members to serve the needs of the school and students
• Spread awareness of the program through conversations, presentations, photos, blogging, newsletters, bulletin board displays, etc.
• Engage parent and community volunteers in the garden
• Seek out grants and donations to support the garden space
• Attend and actively participate in training sessions focused on supporting building your teaching, gardening, and community engagement skills
• Engage in quarterly lesson observations with your Regional Supervisor to discuss and implement feedback
• Track and input data related to program implementation at the school site
• Collect and input data related to volunteer engagement and grantseeking
• Administer student assessments at the beginning and end of the school year

QUALIFICATIONS

• Be eligible to work in the US without employer sponsorship
• Be 17 years old or older
• Reside in the Bay Area by mid-August, 2023
• Be able and willing to commit to the 11.5-month service term
• A commitment to social justice and anti-racism
• College degree (and/or 2-3 years work experience) in education, gardening, or a related field
• Experience teaching youth in an outdoor setting
• Experience working with children and adults from diverse backgrounds
• Experience with gardening or farming
• Experience prioritizing and managing projects
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• Experience and comfort with public speaking to groups of children and adults
• Competency in Spanish or Chinese is a plus, but not required

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION
We seek candidates that share SEI’s commitment to equity and environmental justice, who share a commitment to work and learn within an anti-oppression framework. Persons of color, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community are strongly encouraged to apply. SEI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity. We believe that a wide array of perspectives contributes to creative climate solutions where all communities thrive. We strive to reflect diverse communities, especially those most impacted by climate change and other kinds of environmental, social, and economic injustices.