Lutz Buddies Instructor

After School Matters•Chicago, IL

6d•$20 - $27

About The Position

After School Matters is seeking a committed, part-time instructor to instruct 10-12 high school teens with disabilities who are between the ages of 14 to 21. This program runs simultaneously with Lutz Buddies, where teens with disabilities will be paired together with neurotypical peers who will help them to create art projects, learn life skills, and foster friendships. The instructor will co- facilitate various art based projects and ensure a supportive, engaging, and adaptive environment. The ideal candidate will demonstrate patience, creativity, and a passion for promoting inclusion and diversity through the arts. The instructor will recruit, teach, and mentor teens and will also manage operational pieces such as program planning and budget creation. After School Matters has four program branches: North/Northwest, South/Southwest, Downtown, and Program Supports (special initiatives) The typical schedule for program sessions are as follows: Summer: 7 weeks, daily Monday through Thursday, and four instructional hours per day. Additional hours are allotted for planning, recruitment, professional development and meetings.

Requirements

Demonstrated practical knowledge of working with teens with disabilities
Creative problem-solving skills, ability to adapt activities to meet teen needs
Customer service skills; ability to effectively communicate with a variety of stakeholders (teen participants, parents, ASM programs staff, vendors, etc.)
Cultural competence
Commitment to diversity and inclusion is required

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in relevant content area etc. is preferred.
Familiarity with specific Chicago neighborhoods is preferred.
Experience teaching, specifically teenagers with disabilities, is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Design and deliver engaging, hands-on art activities that cater to teens with disabilities while fostering a positive, safe, and collaborative atmosphere for all teen participants.
Create an inclusive and welcoming environment where all teens feel supported, valued, and encouraged to express themselves through art.
Prepare, organize, and supervise the weekly lessons that foster social awareness, communication, and collaboration among all participants.
Plan and implement high-quality related field trips and guest visits to enhance instruction and training.
Provide supervision during program field trips and other youth engagement opportunities.
Report all problems or concerns and program updates to After School Matters Program Specialist to maintain consistent lines of communication throughout the program session.
Attend all planning and program dates, including: Instructor orientation, professional development workshops, meetings and other required sessions.
Participate in the recruitment, interview, and selection process of teen program participants
Manage and track program activities such as attendance, interview outcomes, enrollment, evaluation surveys, and pertinent student records in an online data tracking system (Cityspan).
Other duties as assigned.