ABOUT US
CHAPTER 510 is a made-in-Oakland youth writing, bookmaking and publishing center. Our teaching artists and volunteers work side-by-side with educators to provide a safe space and supportive community, with a focus on Black, brown, and queer youth ages 8–19, to bravely write. Our vision is that every young person in Oakland writes with confidence and joy.
We believe that writing is an act of liberation. When young people write and get published, they transform themselves and their communities, succeeding in school, work, and life. Through writing programs at our vibrant writing center and within Oakland public schools, we help young people improve their writing craft, confidence, and competency at every stage. For more about us, see chapter510.org.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The HIGH SCHOOL TEACHING ARTIST works as an educator for select creative writing workshops and program offerings. Working under the supervision of the Program Director, this person should have deep experience with creative writing, specifically poetry, and with curriculum development and teaching in the classroom. The ideal candidate is a seasoned teaching artist dedicated to liberatory education. In addition to the supervisor, this position also works closely with the Program & Community Manager.
JOB FUNCTIONS
Teaching
- Conducts in-person youth writing workshops or other program offerings on-site or at a partner school
- Meets with program managers, directors, and teaching assistants after each workshop, to discuss needs, examine pain points, and problem-solve
- Ensures that students complete their work and submit their final drafts for the class’s publication
- Prepares students for their final readings
- Participates in class evaluation process with students
Curriculum
- Designs curriculum aligned with Chapter 510 pedagogy
- Hands in teaching plan and lists of needed technology and supplies prior to teaching
- Documents each weekly lesson plan on our Google shared drive
- Attends all assigned meetings
Working with Mentors
- Works with Program & Community Manager to orient writing mentors to their role and goals in the class
- Provides the mentors with clear direction on what to work on with each student
- Designs class structure for mentoring sessions
Publication
- Writes the introduction for any book from the workshop going to publication
- Makes sure their student writers’ work is in final draft form for publisher, providing any developmental editing support needed
- Supports supervisor and other staff in curating the order of student pieces in an anthology
Together, we all:
- Help maintain the cleanliness and organization of our facility spaces
- Actively participate in weekly staff meetings and all-staff annual planning retreats
- Attend and help run all-staff events
- Help each other with various other projects if time allows
ABOUT YOU
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that people of color and other marginalized people are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every qualification. We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with each qualification listed, please go ahead and apply anyway! You might be just the right candidate for this role.
Specific to this Position
- At least 3 to 5 years’ experience in working as a teaching artist for youth
- Experience working Oakland-based arts or education-based organizations, preferred a plus
- Ability to hold confidentiality for need-to-know issues and to exercise good judgment
- You’re willing and able to juggle competing projects and deadlines within constantly changing priorities, and in good faith
- You’re highly organized and systematic, with excellent time and project management skills
All-Staff Qualifications
- You must be passionate about and committed to the values expressed in Chapter 510’s mission and vision, including racial and gender justice
- You have the competency to work across lines of difference, including with BIPOC communities, poor and low-income communities, immigrant communities, and other marginalized groups
- You’re kind and have integrity
- You have the patience and diligence to handle tasks with care and attention to detail
- You’re punctual, reliable, and accountable
- You’re versatile and flexible
- You’re able to work independently as well as collaborate with remote staff and in-person as part of a team
- You’re able to receive and directly communicate feedback when facing challenges or the unknown
- You view respectful disagreement as directness and transparency
- You’re computer-literate, with basic skills in word processing, spreadsheets, web/email applications, and other work-related applications; Macintosh knowledge preferred
- English-Spanish skills are a plus
Logistical and Legal
- You have a working cell phone with a data plan and a working home Internet connection with adequate speed
- Because of the job duties of this position, a criminal background check will be required as a condition of an employment offer (Chapter 510 keeps all background checks strictly confidential and only acts upon findings relevant to job functions; please ask for more info about this if you have any concerns whatsoever.)
WORK ENVIRONMENT
We are located in downtown Oakland, and staff are required to work on site much of the time.
PAY AND BENEFITS
- Hourly Rate: $50/hour DOE (non-exempt role)
- Accrued Sick Leave
TO APPLY
You may click/tap the Apply to Position button on this page, but if you use this website, you can only upload one PDF with your application—thus, you must make one PDF file which contains your resume, at least 2 professional references, and a poetry sample. You will also be prompted to paste the text of your cover letter into a form field.
>> OR <<
If you prefer to send us your materials as multiple files, simply email the above documents as separate attachments to jobs at chapter510.org.
Position is open until filled, but resumes received by July 11, 2023 preferred.
Chapter 510 is an equal opportunity employer.
We are committed to inclusion and value intersectionality. We strongly encourage BIPOC folks, LGBTQIA+ people, folks with disabilities, and individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds to apply.
Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state, or federal laws.