Lead Teaching Artist, Bridges to the Arts

Posted by Puentes de Salud on December 4, 2017

The Barnes Foundation and Puentes de Salud are Partners in the launch of Puentes a las Artes/Bridges to the Arts, a pilot project which will support Pre-­K ELL/ESL children, ages 3-­4 from South Philadelphia’s Latino immigrant community. The Project objective is to develop early cognitive, linguistic, and visual literacy skills through an art-­based curriculum and museum access. This project will include bi-­literacy afterschool instruction, museum and community-­based workshops, and programming to engage families/caregivers as children’s first and most important teachers.

Position Reports To: Barnes/Puentes Education Directors Exempt/Non: Part-­time hourly/non-­exempt

Primary Function: Part-­time Lead Teaching Artists will be responsible for the instructional stewardship of bi-lingual lessons for Pre-­K children ages 3-­4, enrolled in the Barnes/Puentes grant-­funded initiative, Bridges to the Arts / Puentes a las Artes. This includes training and supervising assistant teaching artists to deliver lessons at Southwark Elementary School, Puentes de Salud, and the Barnes Foundation. This position is part-­time hourly, and averages 8-­10 hrs/week

Education/Training/Experience:
• Bachelor’s degree or BFA;; MFA;; Art Education;; Early Childhood Education, or related degree preferred
• 2 years experience teaching Pre-­K-­aged children in public setting preferred
• Early literacy development training
• Bi-­lingual (Spanish/English)
• Strong written and oral communications

Physical Demand Analysis:
Physical Requirements: Lifting up to 40 lbs.
Visual Requirements: Computer use; must be able to use email
Hearing Requirements: Phone use
Working Conditions: Position operates in an environment that is generally free of noise, dust, temperature extremes or other hazards;; may work in environments without elevators

As a representative of a pilot partnership of The Barnes Foundation and Puentes de Salud, all comments, attitudes, actions, and behaviors have a direct effect on the Partnership’s image and perceptions of quality service. Interaction with participants, volunteers, co-­workers, supervisors, vendors, researchers, donors and other employees must be friendly, supportive, courteous, respectful, honest, cooperative and professional. This behavior will promote an atmosphere of teamwork congruent to our values, vision and strategic objectives.

Interested candidates: Send resume, cover letter, and 3 professional references to: alexandra.wolkoff@puentesdesalud.org

Job Specific Competencies:
• Develops and delivers bi-­lingual lessons that allow early learner students ages 3-­4 and their caregivers to learn and experience art concepts that align with Barnes/Puentes Bridges to the Arts educational philosophies and curriculum.
• Coordinates the development of these lessons with Project Team Leaders, using the project’s curriculum framework, so that they meet the requirements of this grant-­funded program.
• Delivers these lessons onsite at multiple locations including Southwark Elementary School, Puentes de Salud and The Barnes Foundation.
• Demonstrates and explains his/her abilities and decision-­making process as an artist within lesson.
• Schedules and trains assistant teaching artists to also deliver these lessons.
• Supervises the assistant teaching artists and evaluates and reviews their performance in coordination with the Project Team Leaders.
• Participates in planning, training, and evaluation sessions with Project Team Leaders so that lessons meet objectives for the programs.
• Communicates with and provides feedback to the Project Team Leaders regarding success levels of lessons;; through email, progress notes, verbal conversations, and by completing evaluation tools.
• Supports school classroom, museum and community agency norms.
• Maintains safe learning environments for students through assisting in classroom management.
• Performs other duties as requested.

Project-­Wide Competencies:
• Effective Resource Use: Develops strategies and makes decisions that use time and resources wisely, manages resources effectively.
• Customer Focus: Demonstrates desire to help or serve others;; identifies, anticipates and addresses internal and external needs;; does what is necessary to ensure satisfaction.
• Problem-­solving: Identifies problems and/or challenges. Weighs pros and cons of all possible solutions. Involves other in developing creative solutions to problems. Makes innovative use of computers and other information technology to contribute to problem solving. Produces practical solutions after carefully considering risks and alternatives. Willingly incorporates new and different information as it becomes available.
• Relationship building: Effectively builds and maintains harmonious, professional, respectful and productive relationships within the project partners, professional field and project community including families/caregivers. Effectively works in a team setting. Communicates honestly and directly; shows diplomacy and tact. Uses appropriate channels of communication.
• Professional Presentation: Complies with organization policy and procedure. Demonstrates self-­ awareness and understanding of others; listens well;; perceives emotions, concerns and interests accurately, and uses these skills to advance the Project mission; creates a healthy work environment; shows composure’ respects people of different cultures, ages and genders.
• Active Learning: Demonstrates curiosity and initiative to seek information; seeks to understand Barnes/Puentes Project scope of work and outside factors that impact it; learns from best practices and generates fresh approaches;; learns from experience and others;; acquires skills; seeks feedback and advice resulting in improvement.
• Initiative: Takes calculated risks and does things that are new, different, or out of the box when necessary to reach goals, speaks up, asserts oneself, makes tough decisions in a timely manner; takes responsibility for outcomes.
• Ethics: Demonstrates ethical business practices; demonstrates and conducts oneself in a manner consistent with the organization’s mission statement and core values.
• Promotes the continuous growth of the Barnes/Puentes Bridges to the Arts Project.