Environmental Educator
Summary
Christodora: Nature, Learning, Leadership is seeking seasonal Environmental Educators to join our environmental education team to teach in New York City middle school classrooms in traditionally under-resourced neighborhoods from November to April. Our educators provide hands-on ecology lessons and nature-based learning to inspire New York City youth to explore nature outdoors and to spark an interest in scientific inquiry. The Winter Ecology Program provides an on-ramp for many students to attend our camp and weekend programs for many years to come. Strong preference will be given to applicants who choose to stay on with Christodora at our Manice Education Center located in Western Massachusetts for the spring/summer season as an Outdoor Educator. This is a great opportunity to share your passion for environmental science and nature with NYC youth.
Qualifications
Education/Experience:
● Bachelor's degree in environmental science, biology, education, or related field (or equivalent experience)
● Prior experience teaching or working with middle/elementary school youth, ideally in informal or experiential settings
● Background in ecology, natural sciences, or outdoor education
Skills:
● Strong classroom/group management skills
● Comfort with hands-on, inquiry-based teaching methods rather than lecture-style
● Ability to adapt lessons for diverse learners, including ELL students
● Strong communication and collaboration skills
● Basic organizational skills for materials/inventory management
Logistics:
● Reliable transportation or ability to travel to multiple school sites across NYC boroughs daily
● Full weekday availability during school hours for the full Nov-April commitment, weekly meetings, and prep time outside program hours
Duties
● Teach ecology and biology-based lessons from Christodora’s curriculum tracks using an experiential and inquiry based approach
● Work with fellow co-educators to prepare for lessons by writing Discovery Activity Plans ahead of scheduled program hours
● Participate in weekly meetings for planning, goal-setting, lesson preparation and weekly debriefs
● Maintain a good standard and quality of educational materials and create new materials as needed.
● Keep materials organized and cataloged to maintain inventory
● Acquisition and purchase of program materials as needed.
● Supplement outreach and coordination with partner schools as directed by the Director of City Programs as needed
● Implementation of program surveys to classes for program evaluation.
● Assist in the active recruitment of students for the Manice Education Center and CoRE Saturday Program
How to Apply
Send cover letter & resume to the Director of City Programs at employment@christodora.org with Subject line “WEP-[Your name.]"
Please include your cover letter in the body of your email, rather than as an attachment. Feel free to include wilderness, leadership, and/or education portfolios. Christodora is committed to making a difference within a culturally diverse, educational environment. Applicants are requested to include in their cover letter information about how they will further this goal. Three professional references will be required.
Christodora is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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