Guild School Partnerships use opera to provide arts learning opportunities for K-12 students. We offer a variety of programming centered in opera-based learning, an integrated and cross-curricular approach that uses the components of opera (source material analysis, libretto writing, music composition, staging, acting, singing, movement, visual design and critical response). Opera-based learning may involve the examination of specific opera repertoire, or the artistic exploration of stories, poems, or historical events from classroom curriculum. Opera-based learning can also be focused in a choral music context, providing opportunities for text analysis, music reading, music composition, ensemble building, and performance.

The Metropolitan Opera Guild Believes:

• Comprehensive and quality opera-based learning occurs when thoughtfully connected to other classroom learning and instruction.
• Opera-based learning must include opportunities for both students and teachers to create, present, and attend opera.
• Opera-based learning empowers teachers to facilitate artistic and creative processes with students in overall instructional practices.
• Collaboration with classroom teachers is integral to designing, coordinating, and delivering integrated instruction.
• The most powerful learning occurs when students are guided toward self-discovery and self-assessment.
• Ongoing data collection and analysis enable us to reflect, revise, and share our discoveries with others.

Our Approach is:

• Based on national, state and local learning goals.
• Customized to meet the needs of classroom teachers and their students.

A Guild Teaching Artist is a practicing, professional artist who partners with K-6 classroom teachers to incorporate, facilitate, and regularly apply artistic processes into all aspects of student instruction.

Primary Responsibilities of a Guild Artist:

• Serve as an instructional partner who contributes to ongoing classroom instruction.
• Design and adapt integrated arts curriculum that supports the partner teacher and their work with students.
• Deliver discrete integrated student instruction by facilitating/modeling/co-leading artistic processes with teachers.
• Apply research-based practices (inquiry, assessment, and documentation methodology) in a K-6 classroom setting.
• Guild Artists have the opportunity to work in school-based classroom partnerships (weekly instruction ranging from 20 – 30 sessions and professional development sessions for teachers).

An Ideal candidate for this position:

• is interested in and willing to take on long-term residency work, September through June during in-school hours (9am – 2:30 pm) in the greater NYC area and New Jersey – primarily in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Paterson, NJ.
• has facility and 5+ years of experience leading group vocal/choral or musical theater instruction in an urban public school or similar professional setting
• has facility and experience with or exhibits a willingness to integrate key Socio-Emotional Learning skill building into your arts teaching
• is comfortable working with students in grades K-6 and understands the unique vocal development and cognitive needs of this age group
• has facility and experience with creating long-range curricula based on an end goal of sharing students’ work with the school community
• has facility and experience with creating long-range assessment strategies to observe/measure student growth and progress toward an established goal or set of goals
• values the day-to-day teacher/student learning experience more than a “perfect performance”
• is well equipped to provide inclusive and culturally responsive lessons that address the diversity of students in the New York City public school system.

Additional Preferred Qualities:

• dual instructional language fluency (highest current needs are Spanish and French)
• high fluency with technology and using technology seamlessly in instruction
• has specified training and/or teaching experience with any group of special learners
• long-term commitment to establishing and growing your MOG + school partnership(s) via ongoing support
• knowledge of or interest in learning more about operatic repertoire (both “established” and new/current)

The Metropolitan Opera Guild is currently accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year for the 20 – 30 week Students Compose Opera and Urban Voices in-school residency programs. Applications will be due May 1st, 2023. Interested candidates must complete the online application in order to be considered for an interview. No phone calls.

Pre-screened applicants will receive an in-person interview on either May 8 or May 10, and then final candidates will be asked to complete a teaching audition on May 30 or May 31. Unfortunately, we will not be able to accommodate candidates who are unavailable during these windows of time.

Candidates who are selected to be Guild Artists are required to:

• Submit to the NYC-DOE Employee Background Screening process at your own expense (currently $135, can come from payroll deduction after hiring. NOTE if you have participated in this process before at 65 Court Street in Brooklyn then you are already “in the system” and do not need to repeat the background check).
• Participate in Guild Artist Pre-Service Training (August 7-11 & September 11-14)
• Attend three additional training dates during the school year, plus potential new artist support trainings. All Guild Artists are paid $25/hr for training events based on time attended. In order to remain on our roster, you must complete the majority of scheduled training events each year.

New Guild Artists are paid based on assigned projects. Each project fee is based on total instruction time (@ $57/hr)* and total documentation/communication time (@ $37/hr)* assigned to the project per daily lesson prep, plus set fees for meetings with Guild staff members and school staff members during the course of the project. The anticipated range per project is $4,000-$6,500. Assignments are subject to availability.
*Does not matter if you have previously worked for another organization as a Teaching Artist, your first year with us is a probationary period with fixed rates.

Paid Staff Development = 6 Events, 30 hours total = $750; possible additional time scheduled based on need and availability.