Cyrus Tang Foundation School Programs Instructor

The School Programs team provides opportunities to explore the worlds natural and cultural diversity through meaningful learning experiences for Pre-K-12th grade students educators and community organizations. The School Programs team prepares students and educators to learn through authentic investigations with museum collections through the development of learning resources workshops in classrooms and in communities professional development for teachers and field trips to the Museum.

As a member of the Learning Resources and Teacher Professional Development team the Cyrus Tang Foundation School Partnerships Instructor is responsible for developing facilitating and implementing engaging learning experiences focused on Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) content for Pre-K through 8th-grade students. These programs will be delivered both in-person at schools across Chicagoland and virtually to reach a national audience. Using a combination of existing and newly developed lessons the Instructor will design and lead school and virtual workshops for the Field Museums Connections: AANHPI Stories & the TEAACH Act program from initial concept through final evaluation. This includes creating culturally responsive standards-aligned content focused on AANHPI cultures particularly those highlighted in the Cyrus Tang Hall of China exhibit as well as other science and cultural topics represented at the Field Museum. This body of work will include developing creating and implementing content for Pre-K-8th grade students and educators on (AANHPI) cultures particularly focused on our Cyrus Tang Hall of China exhibit as well as other science-based and cultural content and exhibitions. This ongoing and multifaceted program includes connected program components for all members of the school community including students teachers and school leadership. These program components will take place onsite at the Field Museum in person at schools throughout the Chicago metropolitan area and in virtual spaces.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee from ideation to evaluation the suite of virtual in-person and off-site student workshop offerings for the Field Museum Connections: AANHPI Stories & the TEAACH Act program. This includes but is not limited to:

  • Developing teaching and implementing Pre-K-8th grade student learning experiences for workshops in-classroom at schools across Chicagoland

  • Developing teaching and implementing Pre-K-8th grade student learning experiences for workshops in virtual spaces for a national audience.

  • Developing teaching and implementing tailored in-person and virtual field trips to the museum including pre- and post field trip activities

  • Supporting all components of school partnerships and outreach programs

  • Developing and curating Pre-K-8th grade educational resources to support in-classroom and virtual instruction.

  • Working to support all aspects of the Field Museum Connections: AANHPI Stories & the TEAACH Act program

• Build and maintain relationships with teachers school leaders and partner organizations.

  • Build new relationships with target school communities and partner organizations.

  • Serve as liaison to schools partner organizations and universities.

  • Develop a system for efficiently and seamlessly scheduling programs

  • Cultivate strong relationships with and maintain regular correspondence with teachers schools and district administrators.

• Support evaluation plan and maintain program records

  • Record and keep track of participation data and teacher/school information

  • Support evaluation plan implementation through administering and assessing participant feedback data analysis and ongoing program refinement.

  • Contribute to program reporting efforts including grant reports and proposals as needed.

• Virtual Programming

  • Develop and implement virtual programming such as student workshops learning resources pre- and post field trip lessons and digital curricula.

  • Consider best practices in in person and virtual facilitation; not just taking an in person program and making it virtual but rather adjusting the design of the program utilizing best practices in virtual facilitation.

  • Maintain digital learning management systems sites such as google classroom for educators.

  • Provide technical support for virtual programming.

  • Develop educational resources and tech guides for educators to use in support of virtual programming.

  • Meet regularly with IT to ensure seamless facilitation of virtual programming.

  • Support existing virtual programs such as AANHPI and the Field Museum professional development Virtual Sue Dino DiNOT and other virtual programs.

• Market school partnership opportunities at the Museum through engagement with local and national education communities.

  • Build and then grow our virtual learning programming to reach thousands of students with a special focus on states that have mandates to teach AANHPI stories.

  • Promote school partnership opportunities through networking and tabling at local and national teacher conferences hosting science/cultural night tables partner school programs being a history fair judges etc. and other Education and Public Programs events.

• Foster ongoing internal collaborations across departments and external collaborations with schools and community partners in support of school partnerships.

  • Participate in internal committee meetings geared towards strengthening strategic plans creating editing and supporting learning frameworks.

  • Develop and maintain relationships and collaborate with scientists and collections staff to support school partnerships.

  • Programming connected to AANHPI content and exhibitions also requires building and maintaining relationships with people and organizations outside of the museum connected to that work.

• Assist with general Education and Public Programs needs as recognized and assigned.

  • Monitor care for maintain and safely store items specimens and materials related to the exhibition and Sue Gin Ling Center for Education and Public Programs

  • Research learn and adapt programming and resources as assigned

  • Staff or facilitate other Education programming and activities as assigned

  • Ongoing reading research and program development as assigned.

  • Support other Education programming including but not limited to other programs within the School Programs team the Public Programs team Family Experiences team Youth Initiatives team or other Education and Public Programs programming as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree in relevant fields of education social science or other related fields.

• 2-3 years of direct teaching experience/lesson planning required. Experience in Pre-K-8th grade education preferred.

• Experience teaching developing and facilitating lessons that are culturally relevant and responsive to learners needs including inquiry-based experiences for Pre-K-8th grade students.

• Experience working with and/or in AANHPI communities.

• Strong understanding of diversity equity accessibility and inclusion principles and their application in program development.

• This role requires regular off-site work at schools and community organizations throughout the Chicagoland area. Regular access to a reliable vehicle is required. Mileage reimbursement is provided.

• Familiarity with streaming and video recording tools multimedia presentation tools video conferencing tools digital tours and content platforms and general troubleshooting and tech support.

• The ideal candidate is self-motivated and solutions-oriented remaining flexible when navigating day-to-day challenges and proactive when identifying solutions.

• The ideal candidate will have strong organizational skills and the capacity to manage multiple projects at once.

• This candidate must be able to regularly move items and collection materials up to 50lbs

• Ability to read write speak and comprehend English and Spanish is highly desired

• Enjoys working on a team to collaboratively develop program ideas.

• Flexible mindset in response to the unique circumstances of each partner school and classroom.

• Familiarity with the Next Generation Science Standards C3 Framework for Social Studies Standards Common Core and Social Justice Standards required.

• This is a one-year term position.