The Queens Museum’s Education Department offers a range of free and low-cost award-winning learning experiences that connect people across the lifespan with the Museum’s acclaimed exhibitions, collections, artist projects, and public programs. They take place at the Museum and also at various community partner sites across the borough of Queens, a county of 2.4 million people and one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse places in the world. This community work includes long-term partnerships with over 30 Queens public schools, various Queens Library branches, hospitals, social service agencies, adult rehabilitation centers, and much more. In all this work, the education department is committed to promoting the agency and imagination of all people, regardless of their backgrounds.

Queens Museum teaching artists are part of a diverse team of highly motivated, creative, responsive, and reflective educators. Teaching artists promote the interpretation of visual art and material culture using a variety of strategies in Queens Museum galleries, public school classrooms, and community centers across Queens. In addition, teaching artists develop and lead hands-on projects that promote learning in and through the arts.

Essential Functions

• Lead art classes, workshops, and educational programs aimed at older adults in Spanish and/or Mandarin Adapt teaching methods to accommodate a diverse range of abilities and learning styles
• Design and deliver art-based curricula that cater to the needs and interests of diverse audiences, from children to adults. Foster creativity and self-expression through engagement with art
• Incorporate thematic curriculum and supporting lesson plans that integrate the museum’s permanent and changing exhibitions with relevant content in school curriculums
• Communicate in Spanish, and/or Mandarin and English to engage with students, parents, and community members, in order to encourage full participation and effective instruction with multilingual participants
• Lead programming for school groups onsite at Queens Museum, at Community partner sites, and in public settings (e.g. public libraries)
• Facilitate guided museum experiences, tours, and art-making workshops for visiting school groups, focused on exhibitions at the Museum
• Identify and address challenges that may arise during classes, offering creative solutions to ensure a positive learning experience for students
• Leading a program that allows students to investigate source objects or materials, promotes guided discussions and hands-on art activities, and meets the goal of supporting teachers in their classroom teaching. QM art instruction is expected to address all appropriate standards of Visual Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Math, when applicable
• Participating in staff professional development workshops, seminars, and other activities with education staff, curators, and other specialists
• Maintain and organize art materials for art-making sessions
• Compiling lists of necessary art-making materials and generating a digital lesson plan that can be referenced by collaborating teachers

This list represents the essential functions of the role, this list does not constitute an exhaustive list of job functions

Competencies

• Enthusiastic, Punctual, and reliable
• Ability to facilitate artmaking workshops across a broad range of art materials and practices
• Kindness, understanding, and patience when working with individuals of all ages, recognizing that each person has a unique learning style
• Thrives in culturally diverse settings
• Approach obstacles with a positive and solution-oriented mindset, continually seeking ways to improve, grow, and adapt as a teaching artist

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to work with learners of all ages, including older adults (persons aged 65+) and K-12 schoolchildren
• Prior experience teaching arts education in a range of settings including museums, public schools, and community centers
• Adept at lesson planning, and implementing curriculum for learners of all ages
• Excellent writing skills with the ability to create original lesson plans (Spanish and/or Mandarin and English)
• Demonstrable art practice with a strong individual portfolio working across a range of materials and media
• Proven capacity to build and maintain positive and professional relationships between multiple organizations including school administrators, teachers, and community partners

Requirements

• 2+ years of Teaching Artist experience
• Education background in Studio Art, Museum Education, Art Therapy, Art History, a related field and/or its work experience equivalent
• Professional proficiency in Spanish and/or Mandarin and English must be comfortable teaching and lesson planning in both Spanish and/or Mandarin English
• Flexible availability including evenings and weekends
• Ability to travel and teach at multiple sites including Queens Museum, Public Schools, and Community Centers across Queens

Submit the following materials through our online careers portal:

1. A resume outlining your work experience
2. A cover letter describing your interest in this position
3. Professional portfolio and/or work samples: a minimum of 5 examples of student work and/or classroom documentation images

Please note that due to the high volume of applications, only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that an applicant meets 100% of the qualifications for a given role. Therefore, if much of this job description describes you, then you are highly encouraged to apply for this role

Requests for Accommodations
If you require additional support at any stage of the application process due to disability, please contact us by phone at (718) 592-9700 Ext. 145, or via e-mail at hr@queensmuseum.org to request and arrange for reasonable accommodations.