Teaching Artist - Court Theatre

Court Theatre, a department of the University of Chicago in Hyde Park, is seeking candidates for multiple Teaching Artist positions.

Department: AI Court Education
Position: Teaching Artist
Classification: Part Time, Benefits-Eligible

Summary:

The Court Education Initiative’s (CEI) Artists in the Schools (AIS) residency program provides Chicago high school teens with high quality, in-class and after-school theatre arts education and enrichment opportunities that support teens in exploring and developing their storytelling abilities as they gain critical skills in understanding and interpreting performative texts and modes of performative expression to develop their own creative voice. Teaching Artists are an instrumental part of implementing this program and its curriculum by working directly with the students. The work is part-time teaching the AIS programs for high school and middle school participants for the 2021-2022 school year. Teaching Artists will offer theatre and performing arts curriculum and instruction in partnership with high school partner teachers.

Please be aware that programs take place at locations throughout Chicago’s South Side in Chicago high schools, at Court Theatre on UChicago’s campus, as well as virtually in alignment with social distance restrictions in accordance with UChicago and the regulatory requirements of public-school partners. UChicago is closely monitoring the COVID-19 public health situation. As a result, timelines referenced as well as the location of work (e.g. virtual or in person) may be subject to change based on local health recommendations and requirements and feedback from the university as well as school partners.

Primary Responsibilities:

Ensures that CEI mission, values, guidelines, policies and procedures are implemented and maintained when working with peers, partner schoolteachers and students.
Develops original curriculum, including unit plans, as well as weekly lesson planning in support of prescribed learning objectives.
Supports students in learning and engaging in activities specific to the content area, exposing teens to a wide range of activities and concepts to meet measurable programmatic outcomes.
Expresses a concerted interest and enthusiasm in teaching, offering mentorship or guidance to teens and works with the program coordinator to support operational pieces such as team planning meetings and the residency schedule for the sites at which they teach.
Attends all planning and team meetings including weekly all-staff meetings, professional development workshops, regular planning meetings with partner teachers and other meetings required by the organization.
Additional paid hours are allotted for all the responsibilities above. Program meeting days/times are flexible, with some restrictions, so long as instructional hours are met.
Manages and tracks program activities such as class attendance, lesson plan and teaching efficacy and outcomes, student assessment surveys, and pertinent student demographics in collaboration with the program coordinator.
Maintains knowledge of current industry trends, technology and concepts.
Participates in staff meetings, individual planning meetings, and parent-student staffings.
May help staff to plan and execute events.
Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Preferred Qualifications:

BA or BFA in arts education, arts administration or a related field.
Experience in teaching within the arts education field for programs at the high school and/or middle school level as an educator with extensive experience working directly with students and teachers.
Familiarity with Chicago’s South Side neighborhoods is highly desirable.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite.
Knowledge of student and teacher assessment tools.
Considerable competence in the ability to understand, create and develop curriculum and associated lesson plans for arts teaching and learning.

Preferred Competencies:

Considerable interest in working with youth and supporting their interest in the arts as well as their overall development.
Work well both independently and as part of a team.
Demonstrated ability to develop and animate curriculum through the creation of unit and lesson plans.
Manage multiple projects and navigate shifting and competing priorities with patience and diplomacy both within and outside of the classroom.
Enthusiasm for working in a collaborative artistic environment with artists, educators, and youth.
Gainful communication skills, including the ability to effectively communicate with a variety of stakeholders (teen participants, parents, teachers and peers, etc.).
Cultural competence; celebrate diversity and inclusion.

Working Conditions:

Instruct for prolonged periods of time for programs that take place in a traditional classroom space.
Instruct for prolonged periods of time for programs that take place outside of a conventional classroom space.

Application Documents:

Resume/CV (required)
Cover Letter (required)
Three References Contact Information (preferred)
One-page sample of a curriculum or lesson plan used in a previous teaching role (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

To Apply:
External candidates must apply online through the UChicago employment portal at:
https://www.uchicago.edu/jobs/

Search University Staff Opportunities, Posting #JR18327

Internal candidates (including temporary or student employees), should apply through their personal Workday site, and not through the External Job Site.

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward.

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago’s Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

About Court Theatre:

Court Theatre is the professional theatre of the University of Chicago, dedicated to innovation, inquiry, intellectual engagement, and community service. Functioning as the University’s Center for Classic Theatre, Court and its artists mount theatrical productions and audience enrichment programs in collaboration with faculty. These collaborations enable a re-examination of classic texts that pose the enduring and provocative questions that define the human experience. Court Theatre is committed to engaging, with equity and intention, the communities of which we are a part: the South Side of Chicago, the University of Chicago, and the local and national theatre community, including Court’s own staff, freelance technicians, and guest artists. Court is dedicated to being an anti-racist organization and creating an environment where people of marginalized identities can feel safe and flourish. For more information about the theater, visit www.courttheatre.org.

Court Education Initiative (CEI) expands upon the theatre’s mission through its learning and engagement efforts, which includes youth development and teaching, as well as enrichment opportunities for teens. In addition, CEI endeavors to develop new opportunities for inquiry and practicum for early and mid-career professionals in the arts education field through convening, special projects and internship opportunities.