Teaching Artist

Department

AI Court Education Programs

About the Department

Court Theatre is the professional theatre of the University of Chicago, dedicated to innovation, inquiry, intellectual engagement, and community service. Serving as the Center for Classic Theatre, Court is a leading theater in Chicago and nationally, unique in that it engages deeply with lovers of theatre and classic texts, UChicago faculty and students, and South Side residents. A LORT-D company now in its 65th year of operation, Court produces 5-6 main stage shows per year on an intimate, 250-seat thrust stage.

Court Theatre is committed to engaging, with equity and intention, the communities of which we are a part of, the South Side of Chicago, the University of Chicago, and the local and national theatre community, including Court’s own staff, freelance technicians, and guest artists. Court is dedicated to being an anti-racist organization and creating an environment where people of marginalized identities can feel safe and flourish. For more information about the theater, visit www.courttheatre.org.

Job Summary

The Court Education Initiative’s (CEI) Artists in the Schools (AIS) residency program provides Chicago high school teens with high quality, in-class theatre arts education and enrichment opportunities. The program supports youth in developing skills in text analysis and interpretation; modes of creative expression; writing, storytelling, and performance skills; exploring their own creative voice; and collaborative practices with their peers. Teaching Artists are instrumental in implementing this program by working directly with the students, co-planning and co-teaching a bespoke curriculum with the partner teacher. The work is part-time and year round, teaching and engaging in on-going professional development, with additional opportunities for participation in community education and engagement activities.

Please be aware that programs take place at locations throughout Chicago’s South Side in Chicago high schools, at Court Theatre on UChicago’s campus, at Court Theatre’s Production Center, as well as virtually in alignment with social distance restrictions in accordance with UChicago and the regulatory requirements of public-school partners.

Responsibilities

• Ensures that CEI mission, values, guidelines, policies and procedures are implemented and maintained when working with peers, partner school teachers, and students.
• Develops original curriculum, including unit plans, as well as weekly lesson planning in support of prescribed learning objectives in partnership and collaboration with partner teachers.
• Supports students in learning and engaging in activities specific to the content area, exposing teens to a wide range of activities and concepts to meet measurable programmatic outcomes.
• Expresses a concerted interest and enthusiasm in teaching, offering mentorship or guidance to teens. Works with the program coordinator to support operational pieces such as team planning meetings and the residency schedule for the sites at which they teach.
• Attends all planning and team meetings including weekly all-staff meetings, professional development workshops, regular planning meetings with partner teachers, and other meetings required by the organization. Additional paid hours are allotted for these activities. Program meeting days/times are flexible, with some restrictions, as long as instructional hours are met.
• Manages and tracks program activities such as class attendance, lesson plan and teaching efficacy and outcomes, student assessment surveys, and pertinent student demographics in collaboration with the program coordinator.
• Maintains knowledge of current industry trends, technology and concepts.
• Supports the management of the classroom.
• Participates in staff meetings, individual planning meetings, and parent-student staffings.
• May help staff to plan and execute events.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• BA or BFA in arts education, arts administration, or a related field.

Experience:

• Background teaching within the arts education field for programs at the high school and/or middle school level with extensive experience working directly with students and teachers.
• Familiarity with Chicago’s South Side neighborhoods is highly desirable.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite.
• Knowledge of student and teacher assessment tools.
• Considerable competence to understand, create and develop curriculum and associated lesson plans for arts teaching and learning.

Preferred Competencies

• Considerable interest in working with youth and supporting their interest in the arts as well as their overall development.
• Work well both independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and animate curriculum through the creation of unit and lesson plans using a standards-based approach. Familiarity with Illinois Arts Learning Standards is a plus.
• Manage multiple projects and navigate shifting and competing priorities with patience and diplomacy both within and outside of the classroom.
• Enthusiasm for working in a collaborative artistic environment with artists, educators, and youth.
• Gainful communication skills, including to effectively communicate with a variety of stakeholders, such as teen participants, parents, teachers and peers, etc.
• Cultural competence; celebrate diversity and inclusion.

Working Conditions

• Instruct for prolonged periods of time for programs that take place in a traditional classroom space.
• Instruct for programs that take place outside of a conventional classroom space.
• Engage in team meetings that occur both virtually and in-person.
• This is a part-time position of approximately 20 hours per week.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (preferred)
• References Contact Information (3) (preferred)
• One-page Sample of a curriculum or lesson plan used in a previous teaching role (required)

Job Family

Academic Affairs

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

20

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

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FLSA Status

Non-Exempt

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Pay Range

$16.60 - $21.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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