Join the Words Alive Team

Employment Opportunities - Detailed Description

POSITION:  Let’s Read (Family Literacy) Program Instructor

STATUS: Temporary, Part-Time, Non-Exempt. Qualified candidates will be added to a hiring pool and contacted as contracts arise. Now hiring for an in-person, bilingual (Spanish-English) instructor for Thursday mornings.

COMPENSATION: $18/hour. Eligible for sick leave. Not eligible for benefits.

HOURS:  Will fluctuate as needed to fulfill contracts. Program Instructors are most often needed before or after school hours and on weekends. Although it varies widely, most Instructors can expect a minimum of 3 hours/week, up to 12/week depending on contracts.

DURATION:  Now hiring for an in-person, bilingual (Spanish-English) instructor for Thursday mornings. Additional qualified candidates will be added to a hiring pool. Specific dates, times, and format (virtual, in-person) for program delivery is based on contracts with school and nonprofit partners. Instructors are hired to fulfill contracts, and specifics about the temporary assignments will be discussed. Workshops are generally 6-8 weeks in duration.

LOCATION: San Diego, CA - in person sites county-wide and virtual, as needed.

SUPERVISES:  Volunteers as required

REPORTS TO:  Family Program Manager

WHO WE ARE: Words Alive connects children, teens, and families to the power of reading.  We serve students of all ages and their families throughout San Diego County. During the 2021-2022 academic year, we served over 5,000 children, teens, and families facing extraordinary circumstances such as homelessness, poverty, foster care, abuse, juvenile justice system impact, and teen pregnancy.

ABOUT LET’S READ WITH WORDS ALIVE: Let’s Read with Words Alive is a fun, engaging family program for parents and young children (ages 0-8) together. Led by Program Instructors in Spanish and English, families participating in weekly sessions read and play together, adding a new children’s book to their home library each week and building skills for continued engagement with the story at home through easily replicable craft activities and games. Instructors guide families through 6-7 week-long series of workshops, offered in-person or virtually.

POSITION OVERVIEW: As part of our Program Team, a Words Alive Program Instructor delivers high-impact programming in a way that’s most accessible by the parents, families, and partners we serve. Program Instructors help families with young children learn why exploring books is important for child development and ways to make it a fun family habit. Each week Program Instructors welcome families, conduct/model a read aloud with children using power-phrases and enrichment techniques, and lead parent-child activities. Program Instructors also communicate via SMS/app-based platforms with families between sessions.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Delivery (60%)

  • Setting up room – in-person or virtual – and tested comfort for participants in advance.

  • Welcome families in the room at the host school or site, or the virtual Zoom room.

  • Coach parents through a short information session relaying early literacy technique and introducing the hands-on activities that help explain those ideas.

  • Lead a live, fun, engaging, researched-backed story time with parents and their children.

  • Engage and support families while they complete crafts or activities that relate to the lessons introduced and book shared during story time.

  • Supervise volunteers in each workshop session.

  • Pack up materials and traveling to the next school/site and/or launch next Zoom room for back-to-back programming.

  • Track attendance and submit after each session.

  • Protect the confidentiality of any students and families, as necessary, as outlined in contracted relationships and per parental request.

Preparation, Planning & Training (20%)

  • Review lesson plans in advance, appropriately preparing to deliver each session.

  • Provide thoughtful feedback to staff, and other teaching artists, on opportunities to improve curriculum.

  • Supervise and lead volunteers to best utilize their time and talents to support programming. This includes confirming volunteer availability, thoroughly preparing them for their roles supporting programming each week, answering questions, and cultivating a team approach to teaching.

  • Pick-up/drop off materials from the Words Alive office in Pacific Beach as necessary to ensure you have materials necessary to teach workshops.

  • Complete robust training prior to teaching, plus ongoing training throughout the term.

  • Regular, open communication with supervisor.

  • Regular, weekly check-ins with supervisor.

Communication with Partners & Participating Families (15%)

  • Coordinate, and/or, deliver key program messages to families outside of the session. This is primarily done through an online text platform or app.

  • Pick-up/drop off materials from the Words Alive office in Pacific Beach to partner schools/sites or even participant homes, as necessary.

  • Conduct qualitative and quantitative interviews with participating families, pre- and post-workshops to assess impact and efficacy of programming.

  • Coordinate, as necessary, with partner site leadership to coordinate necessary logistics, access, messaging, and amend schedules to meet any changes in programming.

  • As requested, create or curate content (written, video, audio) to share with families through digital or physical resources.

Other Duties as Assigned (5%)

  • This may include helping to lead/facilitate train-the-trainer sessions with partners.


QUALIFICATIONS

Program Instructors have:

  • Experience with preschool-age or early elementary children and/or an educational background in child development.

  • Strong and engaging verbal communication skills in both English and Spanish.

  • Experience talking in front of groups of children and families.

  • Experience working as part of a team and independently, both in-person and virtually.

  • Comfort with technology and learning new platforms.

  • Comfort working with a diverse group of children and families who may have similar, or different, life experiences from themselves.

  • A track record of being both reliable and on-time.

  • An unwavering commitment to Words Alive’s mission and population served.

  • Instructors must pass a background check prior to teaching. This may need to be updated during the duration of service.

A Program Instructor is:

  • Reliable and always on time, since consistency is key when helping families build new habits.

  • Responsive to communications from the Let’s Read Program Manager and able to manage tasks effectively.

  • Interested in learning new technologies to support deeper engagement with families

  • Familiar with attendance and other data tracking techniques

  • A positive, playful person who can command a room of adults and their children.

  • Easy to talk to and can explain just about anything to anyone in both English and Spanish.

  • Friendly, likes helping people and loves to learn. The ideal candidate delights in a child’s face lighting up during a well-told story, and they can also help get adults to those Ah-ha! moments that help them feel empowered as their child’s first teacher.

  • Well-organized and pays attention to the details. They can stay focused and think on their feet.

  • Committed to eyes-wide-open focus on inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.

  • Deeply motivated by the power of reading!

HIGHLY PREFERRED:

  • Language skills beyond English and Spanish. Highest demand languages include Arabic, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

  • Administrative skills including data management, written communication, and familiarity with virtual meeting platforms and processes 

Physical Demands, Travel & Availability:

  • A valid driver’s license, personal insurance, and use of personal vehicle, as required to fulfill role.

  • Able to lift and carry 30 pounds. This includes carrying supplies in/out of offices (Words Alive’s office is on the second floor of a building with no elevator) and sites that may or may not have elevators. Reasonable accommodations can be made as required.

  • Be able to move between standing and sitting on the floor for about 90 minutes at a time and/or be able to work in front of a computer for the time.

  • Use of personal computer and personal cell phone, as necessary, during remote and site-based work.

  • Flexibility in scheduling to meet contracted expectations of partner agencies.

WORDS ALIVE VALUES & CULTURE
At Words Alive, our programs and impact made in the community are driven by our core values, which represent the motivation, dedication, and focus of our Words Alive staff and volunteers. Our values include:

  • Commitment: by pledging to make reading matter for everyone

  • Equitability: by working to level the playing field

  • Empowerment: by investing in lifelong learners

  • Responsiveness: by listening to community needs and developing innovative solutions

  • Collaboration: by partnering with the community

  • Connectedness: by creating a familial environment that includes all Words Alive participants and support

TO APPLY: Carefully review this job posting, expectations, compensation, and criteria to ensure it is a good fit. Submit via email (only) at [email protected]:

1) a letter or introductory video sharing why you’d like to work with Words Alive, and

2) a resume or summary of experiences qualifying you for this position

Qualified candidates will be contacted for further screening and to determine eligibility to be added to the hiring pool. As opportunities arise, individuals in the hiring pool will be contacted to discuss specifics about the opportunity.

Posting Date: August 2022. Start Date: To be determined. Programming starts in October, February, and April.