Are you passionate about teaching and using school gardens as a learning laboratory for elementary science education and environmental literacy? SEI is seeking emerging education professionals to join our Climate Corps Education Outside AmeriCorps cohort in the 2022-23 school year to do just that!  This is a full-time, 11.5-month fellowship based out of our Bay Area public school partner sites. Typical working hours are Monday-Friday, during the school day. The position will start on August 22nd, 2022, and end on August 2nd, 2023. While this is a one-year commitment, we strive to maintain consistency for our school sites and prioritize applicants who can make a two-year commitment to their schools. 

WHAT IS A GARDEN EDUCATOR?

Climate Corps Education Outside (CCEO) is a full-time AmeriCorps Fellowship program that offers emerging environmental educators extensive professional development and training as they advance outdoor science education in Bay Area public schools. We work with schools in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, and throughout San Mateo County.

In this fellowship you will be placed at an elementary school and serve as the garden educator for your site, teaching 10-16 garden lessons per week to students in grades K-5.  You will manage the on-campus garden and work to engage your school community. As part of a cohort of 32 CCEO Fellows, you will also participate in an ongoing training and professional development program designed to support you in your role. 

You will provide garden-based lessons that help students practice science and connect to the natural world by maintaining inviting, educational, and productive garden classrooms.  You will work to build strong relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders, communicate about their work, and identify and support needs in the school community.  CCEO serves a high percentage of low-income children and many English-language learners, so Fellows must be committed to social justice and willing to continually expand their cultural competence and humility. 

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

You will receive a living allowance stipend of $2,782.60 per month, will receive an AmeriCorps Education Award (estimated amount of $10,000) upon successful program completion, and will also be eligible to enroll in SEI’s Kaiser Premium healthcare plan at no cost.

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.  

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Authorized to work in the US

• Have a high school diploma or GED

• Be 17 years old or older

• Pass state criminal and FBI background checks

• Be negative for tuberculosis

• Be able and willing to commit to the 11.5-month service term

• Committed to Climate Corps Education Outside’s mission and vision

• A commitment to social justice and anti-racism

• The ability to thrive in an environment characterized by significant growth, ambiguity, and constant change

• The ability to self-direct and juggle many tasks at once, fluidly shifting from one situation or task to another 

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail

• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills

• Comfort speaking in front of students and working with groups

• Be responsive to email, phone calls, and other means of communication

ADDITIONAL PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• College degree OR equivalent experience

• Be able and willing to commit to 2 consecutive service years at a school site

• Experience teaching and working with groups of students (especially ages 5-12) outdoors

• Experience working with children and adults from diverse backgrounds

• Experience with gardening or farming

• Experience prioritizing and managing projects

• Fluency in Spanish or Chinese is a plus, but not required

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Learning & Teaching Outdoors (70% of time)

• Prepare for and teach multiple lessons per day to various grade levels

• Create a safe and positive outdoor classroom culture

• Apply equity and anti-racist lenses to all teaching and learning with students

• Adapt and implement the CCEO curriculum for your school site

• Collaborate with teachers to integrate indoor and outdoor learning experiences

• Coordinate harvesting, cooking, and eating in the garden with students

• Support organizational data collection by accurately collecting and tracking student attendance data

• Administer student assessments at the beginning and end of the school year

Community Engagement (15% of time)

• Build strong relationships with community members in order 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 donations and grants to support the garden space

• Support organizational data tracking by accurately collecting and inputting data related to volunteer engagement and grant seeking

Outdoor Classroom Design (15% of time)

• Collaborate with your school community to maintain and improve the school garden

• Plant and maintain the school garden throughout the school year and summer

• Develop site infrastructure to support learning outcomes

• Purchase garden supplies and instructional materials using provided site budget

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

SEI requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with exceptions made for health and/or religious reasons upon discussion with our People Resources Department. This position requires prolonged activity with some bending, stooping, and stretching; eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity sufficient to operate garden tools, a keyboard, telephone, photocopier, calculator, and other office equipment. Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to communicate with students as well as maintain data records. Also requires flexibility to readily adapt to a changing environment.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with a 2nd round priority deadline of Monday, May 2nd. Interested candidates should apply online here: Climate Corps Education Outside Garden Educator 2022 

ABOUT SEI

We are proud to provide a collaborative work environment filled with people who are driven to make a difference in our communities!  SEI is a teams-based, non-profit organization based in the Bay Area, CA dedicated to building leaders to drive sustainability solutions. For over 24 years, SEI has partnered with schools, communities, and businesses to develop a sustainability leadership pathway from elementary school to early career. Our flagship programs educate and empower students, workers, and emerging professionals to create thriving, resilient communities.