Call for Club Facilitators: Growing Great Writers After School Program
Growing Great Writers is hiring! Growing Great Writers, a program of the Rutgers-Camden Writers House, partners with Camden schools and community centers to provide an after-school creative writing club and curriculum to 3rd through 8th graders. The program focuses on fostering joy, confidence, and agency in literacy through the acts of reading for pleasure and writing imaginatively. By reading short stories, poems, comics, plays, songs, and other works of creative writing together, and creating their own imaginative work inspired by published pieces, students support their growing literacy skills while experiencing joy and confidence around reading, writing, listening, speaking, and performing. This year, we are partnering with the after-school programs at LEAP Academy University Charter School and The Neighborhood Center.
The role: We are seeking four part-time Club Facilitators for the 2024 fall semester to deliver once-weekly club programming at LEAP Academy and The Neighborhood Center. Three Club Facilitators will be responsible for leading programming for students in grades 6-8, and one will be responsible for leading programming for students in grades 3-5. Each Club Facilitator will develop curriculum and lead sessions in pairs, with the support of partner site staff. Club Facilitators are required to attend an orientation in early September, regular check-in meetings with the program director, and a mid-term retreat. Club Facilitators will be responsible for developing a curriculum outline, developing an end-of-year celebration of student work (usually a print anthology or performance), and delivering 12 sessions of club programming together with a co-teacher. Club Facilitators must be currently enrolled graduate students at Rutgers University-Camden.
Time commitment: once per week on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons for about 2 hours (~3:15-5:15), plus travel and prep time. Orientation will be held the week of September 3, with weekly commitments (except for Thanksgiving break) through December 11. Club Facilitators who satisfactorily meet expectations in the fall will be invited to continue on in the spring, and we will negotiate shared availability so that you may continue with the same site.
Qualifications:
- Experience teaching art or writing at any level, in a classroom or in a more informal environment, strongly desired.
- Strong background in contemporary literature, especially poetry, and interest in/experience in other arts.
- Experience working with elementary- or middle-school age youth preferred, especially in an urban environment.
- Experience working in or with after-school, summer, or supplementary programs.
- Flexible and adaptable; adept at meeting people where they are; interested in teaching methods that engage a wide range of learning abilities and interests; willing to learn from co-teachers, partner site administrators and staff, and students.
- Possessed of a strong sense of humor, humility, and ability to self-reflect.
- Experience developing culturally relevant/resonant, antiracist educational materials a plus.
- Knowledge of Spanish a plus.
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive community and strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply. Candidates from Camden are strongly encouraged to apply.
Compensation: $950 per semester
To apply: Complete this form by the end of the day July 31, 2024. Questions? Email Sienna Zeilinger sjz42@camden.rutgers.edu