About the Workshop:
Founded in 1965, Performing Arts Workshop helps young people develop critical thinking, creative expression, and essential learning skills through the arts. We are committed to creating more equitable access to dance, theater, spoken word, and music education. With a pioneering artists-in-residency model based on long-term, sequential instruction, the Workshop partners with Bay Area public schools (K-12), preschools, community centers, transitional housing facilities, and juvenile halls to reach more than 4,000 young people each year.

Position Overview:
Performing Arts Workshop seeks creative writing, poetry, spoken word, theater, world dance, and hip-hop artists to teach semester-length and yearlong residencies at our partner sites in San Francisco, the East Bay, and Marin County. Our teaching artists are professional artists and experienced educators in their field. As representatives of the Workshop in the classroom and the communities they serve, teaching artists share a commitment to our mission and social justice values. In addition to regular teaching duties, teaching artists receive extensive mentorship and support from our artistic and program management, including training in the Workshop’s teaching methodology, an 8-week internship, and monthly professional development.

Teaching artists can expect to teach 5-15 hours/week, depending on availability and experience, with starting compensation of $32-38 per hour for teaching, professional development, internship and all pre-approved administrative work.

Teaching artists are considered part-time employees—not independent contractors—and receive paid sick time, unemployment insurance, social security contributions, worker’s compensation, and other legally required withholdings.

Responsibilities:
Create a culture of learning in the classroom that reflects the Workshop’s values and supports youth in their development as artists;
Develop process-based, sequential curricula that reflect the Workshop’s pedagogy for each residency;
Mandatory and punctual attendance of monthly professional development meetings, in addition to one all-day PD;
Connect students’ work to a broader audience through a culminating performance, publication, or open class demonstration for families and communities;
Administer student and residency evaluations, collect student information and media release forms;
Communication with site and Workshop staff in a timely and professional manner.

Required Qualifications:
Minimum three years of experience teaching process-based art instruction to young people;
Commitment to youth development, building self-efficacy, social justice, and cultural awareness;
Knowledge of the main elements of composition in your art form and the ability to articulate and teach them to youth;
Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal communication skills;
Ability to work with diverse teaching and site partners in adapting to individual classroom needs and cultures;
Passion and empathy when teaching high-need children and youth, such as English-language-learners, students with special needs, incarcerated youth or youth enrolled in court mandated schools;
Ability to articulate and demonstrate critical thinking in the arts;
Openness to receiving detailed feedback on teaching as it relates to the Workshop’s methodology;
Availability to teach in at least two sites at a time (at least four residencies in either one full day, two mornings, two afternoons, or some combination thereof);
Ability to provide own transportation or utilize public transportation to and from partner sites.

Preferred Qualifications:
Bilingual ability—Spanish and Mandarin;
Experience working with special student populations, such as English-language-learners and students with learning differences;
BA and/or MA/MFA in art form or commensurate experience.

How to Apply:
Email resume, cover letter, sample lesson plan, and professional portfolio or work samples to Adam Levy, Program Manager, at adam@performingartsworkshop.org.

Performing Arts Workshop is an equal opportunity employer and seeks workforce diversity with respect to race, ethnicity, culture, gender, age, sexual orientation, and physical abilities.