Art Faculty, Woodworking Teaching Assistant

The Girls' Middle School • Palo Alto, CA

50d • $25 • Onsite

About The Position

Imagine a school where each day is alive with learning, creativity, and a spirit of adventure. The Girls’ Middle School is committed to progressive education and innovative programming, meeting the needs of a wide range of middle school students. Our project-based curriculum encourages creativity, problem-solving, and independent thought. Attention to girls’ emotional and social growth develops self-knowledge and confidence as well as teamwork and leadership skills. Learn more about GMS: www.girlsms.org. GMS celebrates all perspectives coming together in community. We want great teachers with many differences, because we know diversity enriches us by bringing to GMS new experiences, views, and knowledge about the world. Working at GMS In the GMS Art Department, students have the opportunity to experience drawing, painting, ceramics, woodworking, metalworking, photography, and video production. In exploring wide-ranging media and techniques, they gain confidence in their ability to experiment and take creative risks. At the same time, they are exposed to powerful tools for expressing themselves as artists. GMS seeks a part-time Art Faculty member who can assist the head teacher in Woodworking class 3 days a week (Tue,Wed,Thurs) , as well as run the woodworking studio during Office Hours and after school the same 3 days a week. We expect this role will be an average of 18 hours per week at a rate of $25 per hour. The ideal candidate will have experience teaching art, woodworking, or a related field. They will have a passion for creating and be able to joyfully communicate and share that passion with their students. They will be friendly, enthusiastic, proactive, and forward-thinking. They will be detail-oriented, well-organized, able to support curriculum, meet GMS standards, and possess strong time-management skills.

Requirements

• Experience in teaching art, woodworking, or a related field.
• Commitment to experiential, project-based learning, and other progressive pedagogies.
• Demonstrated focus on supporting girls in discovering their strengths and finding their voice.
• Ability to positively engage partners and collaborate closely with fellow educators.
• Ability to be a self-starter who is organized, adaptable, and proactive in a dynamic classroom environment and work independently.
• Able to calmly step in when students are using tools unsafely — able to spot risky behavior (like holding wood the wrong way) and communicatively stop it.

Responsibilities

• Supervised by the head teacher, teach traditional woodworking methods and responsible tool usage to create functional and sculptural pieces of long-lasting artwork.
• Inspire students to experience art as a joyful process and an extension of themselves;
• Educate students by employing active creation, analytical skill-building, and supportive feedback;
• Ensure students gain confidence in their own artistic ability and self-expression through art;
• Model and communicate the importance of safety as a core part of learning in the woodshop. Helping students build awareness through demonstrations, reminders, and hands-on guidance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 51-100 employees