Company description The mission of Slide Ranch is to connect children to nature.  We cultivate healthy bodies and minds and foster future generations of environmental stewards. By farming, cooking, caring for animals and exploring wilderness and the coast, we teach people of all ages to see the connection between their own health, a healthy food system and a healthy environment. Job description

Annual Teacher-in-Residence Job Description (10.5 months)

Residential "live-on-the-ranch" paid position including cabin housing and food provided.

 

Interested in helping children connect with nature? 

Slide Ranch is a non-profit farm-based environmental education organization located within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, on coastal wildlands just 25 minutes north of San Francisco. The mission of Slide Ranch is to connect children to nature. 

 

Position Summary

Slide Ranch’s Teacher-in-Residence (TIR) program fosters and inspires the next generation of leaders in education, sustainable farming and environmental stewardship. Apply for a 10-1/2 month position that supports your growth as an educator and steward, as you pursue a meaningful career.

 

The annual Teacher-in-Residence program trains seven emerging environmental leaders through a residential, hands-on teaching position that includes daily teaching as well as ongoing training in organic gardening, animal husbandry, sustainable organic farming, facilities maintenance, wildlands stewardship and nonprofit management. Our teaching philosophy fosters an experiential, student-centered and nature-centered approach, applying scientific practices, and the values of diversity, equity, inclusion. TIRs are also students in daily afternoon sessions focused on professional development and group reflection. 

 

As a Teacher-in-Residence, you will grow as a leader while living and working with a dynamic group of about 20 community members on a rural, coastal farm within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Teachers-in-Residence customize and lead programs for Bay Area school and community groups from a wide range of backgrounds, with special emphasis on Title I schools and underserved communities, as well as weekend family programs and summer day camps. Experiential education programs include both day and overnight visits, exploring the farm (pasture with sheep and goats, chickens, ducks, beehives and an organic garden), trails and tide pools and cooking from the garden.

 

Position Components

The central focus of this position is on teaching. Programs serve preschool through adult visitors, with the majority being elementary school-aged children. The work week typically involves 5 teaching days. Most programs are 1 day visits (10am- 2pm) and we also offer overnight programs in which teachers work with the group for two or more days and lead an evening campfire. Overnight programs do not require TIRs to camp or supervise the group at night. 

In addition to teaching, you will receive training in environmental education, maintaining a small farm and stewarding national park land. A rotating teaching schedule means periodically supporting garden and ranch projects, including full days when you will cover all the farm chores and milk the goats at night. 

 

Training

The position begins with a 3-week orientation and training period, including introductions to the bioregion, farm chores, and foundations of environmental education practice at Slide Ranch led by Slide Ranch staff as well as outside experts. Our trainings and teaching practices are influenced by BEETLES, a program of the Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley. A typical work day includes morning farm chores and preparation for program, teaching a program from 10am-2pm, followed by an afternoon training session from 3:30-5pm. Afternoon sessions, led by permanent staff, blend ongoing training with hands-on opportunities to learn through work projects. Professional development days provide opportunities for teachers to visit related environmental education, farm, or urban agriculture or food systems organizations in the Bay Area. Additionally, each Teacher-in-Residence has the opportunity to design and implement a week-long independent project that contributes to Slide Ranch and allows for deeper skill building.

 

Farm and Community Life

Teachers are responsible for a daily, ~30 minute ranch chore and night-time goat-milking on a rotating basis. In addition, teachers will have residential community responsibilities outside of the work day, including a weekly residential chore, cooking dinner for fellow residents with a partner twice each month, and monthly resident meetings.  

 

Desired Qualifications

This position requires a collaborative and positive spirit to work with a team of teaching peers, organization staff, and residents. The successful candidate will possess a great attitude and strong motivation to experience all facets of the job as important to one’s learning and development. A successful candidate will also possess a growth mindset, with a desire to set goals, reflect, and provide feedback to the rest of the team.  Applicants must be comfortable living in rustic accommodations.

Physical Requirements

Duties are performed in a hilly and rural outdoor setting and can be physically demanding, including outdoor teaching in all weather, manual labor such as shoveling, lifting up to 40 lbs, and farm chores outside of an 8-hour day. 

 

Compensation

In addition to paid compensation, we provide cabin housing, local, organic food, paid vacation and sick time.

 

 

Compensation this position is : salaried Application instructions DeadlineSeptember 30, 2019