Usdan opens a world for children to joyfully express their creativity and develop their artistic skills. Each summer, Usdan brings professional teachers and artists — actors, directors, playwrights, painters, sculptors, musicians, composers, dancers, poets, and novelists — to teach and collaborate with our campers, ages 5 to 18. Set on 140 acres of natural beauty in Wheatley Heights, Long Island, NY. Usdan is a safe, welcoming place within which campers have the freedom to build new friendships, explore nature, develop personal independence, and have fun, alongside their art making

Over a 4 or 8- week course of study, Lead Teachers bring expertise in their subject area and in teaching young people. Lead Teachers are responsible for:

• Creating a subject-specific curriculum;
• Carrying out class instruction and formatively assessing students;
• Preparing and organizing the setup of any needed materials in the studio;
• Supervising students throughout the camp day (including at daily assemblies and when traveling between studios);
• Participating in staff and department meetings
• Attending training sessions;
• Preparing for exhibitions and performances, when relevant; and
• Possibly overseeing Assistant Teachers and modeling strong teaching practices.

Lead Teachers work with a camp full of arts and education professionals to support a diverse body of students. Passionate artists and educators make the best Usdan Teachers. Successful candidates seek rigorous exploration of ideas, have a willingness to try new things, and welcome feedback. They are adaptable, both in and out of the classroom. They are interested in collaboration with other faculty members within and across disciplines. Perhaps most importantly, successful candidates consistently demonstrate empathy and respect for children and colleagues.

To perform this job successfully, you must be able to work in an outdoor camp environment and communicate with students and other staff effectively. Usdan provides staff with protocols at the beginning of the season that they are expected to read and follow. At the same time, Usdan staff understand that new challenges may arise during the camp season and often work together to problem solve and determine solutions as we go. The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Lead Teachers will be expected to follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in your art form, education, or equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Prior successful teaching experience.
• An active artistic practice.
• Must complete New York State required trainings, including but not limited to a Sexual Harassment Prevention training and a Child Abuse and Neglect/Maltreatment Identification. Links to required trainings will be provided after hiring.
• Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and if eligible as defined by the CDC, have received a COVID-19 booster shot, before the first day of the camp season.

2022 SUMMER SEASON DATES AND TIMES:

• Monday – Friday, June 27 – August 19, 2022, 9:15 AM – 3:15 PM, closed July 4.
• Required pre-season commitments include:
  • Staff Orientation: scheduled to begin at 9:30AM on Saturday, June 4
  • Family Orientation: 5-7:30pm on Tues, June 21
  • Studio preparation, if needed.
• End of season commitments: studio pack up, if needed.

Please apply through our online application: https://www.usdan.org/employment − PDF files are preferred attachments. No phone calls please.