Activity Specialist

Harlem Children's Zone•New York, NY

18h•Onsite

About The Position

Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) is seeking enthusiastic, dedicated, and mission-aligned Activity Specialists to guide students in after-school activities. This role involves facilitating weekly lesson plans, activities, and creative projects related to a chosen specialty, while also teaching decision-making, values identification, communication, and critical thinking skills. HCZ aims to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by providing comprehensive programming that empowers children and families to thrive. The Activity Specialist will prepare and develop age and skill-appropriate curriculum, lesson plans, activities, and special projects that integrate arts and academic competencies. Responsibilities include planning and facilitating project-based units, working with participants to develop their potential, engaging youth in critical thinking and hands-on learning, coordinating subject-related trips and events, and sharing knowledge of African, African-American, and Latino issues. The role also involves communicating student progress, acting as a role model, and performing other assigned duties.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED (degree preferred)
1+ years of teaching experience
A commitment to Youth Development and the mission and programs of HCZ
The ability to create lesson plans related to the class subject matter and implement project based learning in the curriculum
Must have at least one year of teaching experience
Passion and experience with arts education involving youth, along with Flexibility, creativity, and enthusiasm for young people
Excellent planning, organization, communication, and time management skills
Ability to provide consistent and positive instruction as well as receive constructive criticism
Experience working in youth development and teaching well-developed enrichment courses, social consciousness, self-identity, and efficacy
Energetic, motivated self-starter and a team player
Must be able to work independently as well as collaboratively on projects with staff and students and full curriculum

Nice To Haves

Conservatory training and/or university-level education and practical experience in the content area is preferred (college students currently pursuing degree-level work are also encouraged to apply)

Responsibilities

Facilitate weekly lesson plans, activities, and creative projects related to your specialty.
Teach, facilitate, and promote lifetime decision-making, identifying values, communication, and critical thinking.
Prepare and develop age, and skill-appropriate curriculum, lesson plans, activities, and special projects that fuse the arts and academic competencies.
Plan and facilitate a project-based unit, and attend weekly meetings.
Work with program participants to develop their artistic, educational, and leadership potential.
Engage youth in the following areas through the arts: critical thinking; evaluation; risk-taking; rehearsals; hands-on project-based learning; documentation of work; community-building, and activism.
Coordinate subject-related trips, guest speakers, special events, student exhibitions, and college trips.
Share knowledge of the history and current state of African, African-American, and Latino issues and be able to interpret that into diverse learning opportunities.
Communicate the progress of students and share insights discovered with team members on a regular basis.
Act as a role model for all students.
Perform other duties as assigned by management.