About Living Classrooms

Founded in Baltimore in 1985, Living Classrooms Foundation is a Baltimore – Washington, DC nonprofit that disrupts the cycle of poverty and helps our community become safer, stronger, and healthier by building skills for life. Living Classrooms inspires children, youth, and adults to achieve their potential through hands-on education, workforce development, health and wellness, and violence prevention programming. Living Classrooms has developed a distinctive competency in experiential learning – learning by direct experience – or what we call “learning by doing.” We utilize our environmental campuses, athletic fields, community centers, and historic ships as “living classrooms.” We work with one child, one teen, one adult, and one family at a time to identify existing barriers towards success and provide resources and opportunities to help each person reach their full potential, thus supporting stronger family units and more resilient communities.

While each of our program areas is distinct, in combination they create a powerful synergy. Our maritime heritage sites create opportunities for employment training. Our education programs use our environmental and maritime resources as living learning laboratories. Our employability programs create stronger communities that are better prepared to exercise environmental stewardship.

BUGS Program

 The Baltimore Urban Gardening with Students (BUGS) program is an after-school environmental education enrichment program serving students in 6th-8th grades. This program is designed to help get Baltimore youth outside for educational and recreational programming and strengthen environmental literacy. BUGS is looking for enthusiastic individuals who can be a role model for urban youth, and who care about the environment. This position will require occasional weekend work. This position reports to the BUGS Program Director.

 

The Watershed Educator will teach about local land and water environments and human interactions with them; practices on land that affect the health of the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding habitats; best gardening practices for watershed health; the health of local waterways; work with students to determine stormwater problems and develop plans to deal with stormwater on campus; and help students implement action projects that benefit the health and well-being of people, plants and animals, and the surrounding environment.

 

 General responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

·        Create engaging and meaningful hands-on outdoor instruction, activities, and lesson plans that provide opportunities for skill mastery, social and academic enrichment, and follow the approved lesson plan format.

·        Support increased environmental literacy and connection to the outdoors for students.

·        Lead students through the program day. Provide good classroom management by holding students accountable for their behavior and using positive behavior management techniques.

·        Assist the program and its participants in meeting all program goals including academic and social skills improvement, and family partnership.

·        Create and maintain a positive, friendly environment for all students that is accessible, prepared, and conducive to hands-on learning.

·        Communicate with parents on a regular basis regarding student achievement, behavior, program activities, and upcoming events.

·        Partner with other educators to create collaborative lesson plans.

·        Work to ensure that educational activities and events are accessible and relevant for low-income and minority community members.

·        Assist with upkeep of databases and administrative duties.

·        Other duties deemed necessary by the Program Director.

Preferred Skills:

·        Must enjoy working with students.

·        Must effectively work and communicate with a diverse population of students.

·        Familiarity with the environmental history of the Chesapeake Bay and other bodies of water around Baltimore; basic knowledge of watersheds, stormwater and other environmental issues; familiarity with plants, animals, ecology, habitats, and natural history of the area.

·        Ability to help with middle school homework topics like pre-algebra/algebra.

·        Good public speaking skills and oral and written communication skills.

·        Must be willing to work outdoors year-round and in all weather conditions.

Qualifications:

·        Must pass a background check

·        Must be at least 18 years of age

·        Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. National, or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien

https://easyapply.co/a/6a0928ce-11f5-419a-93d3-b3e10d0872cc