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WNC Core Instructor

M

Muddy Sneakers

WNC Core Instructor

Brevard, NC
Full Time
Paid
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  • Responsibilities

    JOB TITLE: WESTERN NC CORE INSTRUCTOR

    SUPERVISOR TITLE: WNC Program Manager

    LOCATION: Brevard, NC and surrounding counties 

    TERM OF POSITION: Multiple contracts available: Part-time 10 month, Full-time 12 month 

    COMPENSATION RANGE:  Dependent on experience and contract length, see Compensation Section below 

    Muddy Sneakers operates at the crossroads of outdoor science instruction, public education, and conservation to awaken in children a deeply felt connection to the natural world – one that inspires curiosity, stimulates learning, and brings new life to classroom performance. We envision a world where every child has the opportunity to form a connection to nature and benefit from the wellness it provides. We are committed to becoming a national model for closing the science literacy gap, ensuring diversity thrives in the outdoors, and instilling an understanding of one's role in the greater ecosystem. In doing so, we cultivate healthier generations committed to the stewardship of our natural resources. 

    Muddy Sneakers shares place-based, experiential science learning and nature discovery with 5th grade students in our public schools.  As part of a year-long school partnership, Field Instructor teams guide learning expeditions onto nearby, protected lands, with the goal of introducing students to the wonders of the natural world through teaching science hands-on, outdoors, in small-group settings. Merging the energy of young students with the energy of these outdoor places sets the stage for rich experiences that bring personal meaning to the classroom science curriculum.  Muddy Sneakers supports inquiry-based learning throughout the school year through other partnership elements, including a nature-based science curriculum for the schoolyard and virtual sessions with instructors.  Muddy Sneakers strives to develop in children a life-long love of nature by unlocking academic achievement, inspiring the joy of learning, and planting an understanding of the interconnectedness of all things.

    The Core Instructor is responsible for delivering high quality, science and nature programming in an outdoor setting while maintaining students' safety and implementing respectful and positive behavior management techniques when necessary, managing expedition logistics and team communication, developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with teachers, collaborating with the leadership team in administrative projects, and maintaining a healthy and purposeful work experience for all team members. Core Instructors will report directly to the Muddy Sneakers WNC Program Manager.

    ESSENTIAL ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

    Strong candidates will be committed to the Muddy Sneakers mission and possess relevant experience and key skills including:

    • Strong leadership capabilities
    • Strong written and verbal communication skills
    • Excellent interpersonal skills
    • Previous teaching experience 
    • Love of working with children and being outdoors
    • Demonstrated ability to communicate respectfully and effectively with external partners
    • Basic knowledge of, or ability to learn independently and rapidly about
      • local natural history of the Mountain region
      • science concepts represented in 5th grade curriculum
      • educational pedagogy
      • map/outdoor navigation skills
    • Skilled with Google Workspace, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), digital meeting spaces (Zoom, Google Meet), survey tools, and online learning platforms
    • Significant experience in child and youth education
    • Excellent facilitation skills, working with children, adults, and educators
    • Current Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder Certification, as well as Child and Adult CPR, completed before first day of work. This training may be available through Muddy Sneakers, but it is the responsibility of the Field Instructor to ensure certification.
    • Completion, current enrollment, or willingness to enroll and pursue the NC Environmental Education Certification
    • Ability to interpret results of feedback and evaluation and implement changes to maintain high quality programming

    CORE INSTRUCTOR ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

    • Effectively communicate in both verbal and written communications 
    • Be comfortable and work effectively in an outdoor or natural setting 
    • Work with and show patience with children for up to 8 hours a day 
    • Connect socially with students and adults, building rapport to facilitate safe learning outdoors
    • Navigate outdoor settings to ensure safety of children and adults 
    • Be prepared to make difficult decisions in stressful situations with full knowledge of organizational policy and procedure 
    • Recognize and respond positively to social cues of children and adults 
    • Use discretion when faced with sensitive issues that could impact individual parties involved in/with MS or the organization as a whole 
    • Respond in a timely manner to changes in logistics or information through phone call, email, or text message 
    • Act as mentor and role model to Field Instructors
    • Collaborate with PM and other Core Instructors to plan and facilitate training sessions for instructor team
    • Work individually, cooperatively in a team, and respectfully within the framework of the administration and organization to deliver instruction and contribute to administrative projects
    • Participate in supporting a strong and inclusive professional ecosystem, including: investing in a collaborative staff community with healthy and responsive communication, furtherance of an equitable workplace, willingness to work across differences, and commitment to a culture of mutual support and continued growth.

    SPECIFIC DUTIES

    Education, Evaluation, and Program Monitoring:

    • Regularly instruct in the field and model exemplary teaching practices in the field 
    • Regularly instruct live virtual lessons (Skype a Sneaker)
    • Collaborate with other regional admin and field instructor team to maintain safety and high quality of program delivery 
    • Collaborate with programming team to enact planned field and remote curriculum maintenance; support instructor teams in maintaining and developing curriculum content
    • Regularly report on School Programming delivery and field perspective to PM
    • Model and ensure exemplary safety practices in the field. 
    • Collaborate with Program Leadership team in planning and delivering staff trainings 
    • Collaborate with Program Leadership in mentoring new field instructors 
    • Maintain practices supporting a healthy professional ecosystem, investing in a collaborative staff community, healthy and responsive communication, and a culture of mutual support and continued growth.
    • With a focus on Muddy Sneakers' DEI objectives and strategies, the Core Instructor is expected to act in furtherance of those objectives for the purpose of recruiting and supporting a diverse group of interns, volunteer chaperones, and community partners

    Administrative:

    • Report regularly as scheduled to the Program Leadership team with programming updates including needs, successes, opportunities, etc.
    • Meet with the Program Leadership team formally twice a year for mid-year and end of year reviews. 
    • Assist in all other administrative tasks necessary for successful implementation of programming
    • Collaborate with Program Leadership in one or more of these administrative areas as assigned: 
      • Gear supplies and distribution, 
      • Program vehicle gas, transport,  maintenance, and repair
      • Routine communication with site partners
      • Annual site permit processes
      • Transitions between school year and summer programming
      • Community Programming
      • Fundraising & Development
      • Communications & Marketing

     

    Financial:

    • Support the PM as needed during periodic budget evaluations with inventory, price quotes, and other data

    School/Community Relations and Programming:

    • Act as Lead Instructor for 3-4 partner schools, developing close relationships with partner teachers and:

      • Schedule and lead school orientations at the beginning of the year
      • Process school-specific and student paperwork
      • Develop an effective communication channel with partner teachers
      • Communicate logistics of each lead school expedition to field instruction and teaching team in a timely and efficient manner
      • Lead the instructor team in successful delivery of programming on expedition day
      • Support supplemental science needs for each lead school including, but not limited to: attendance at STEM or science nights, parent 
      • Lead EOG reviews at the end of the year with partner schools

    • Represent Muddy Sneakers at community outreach events, school/district functions, and other events in furtherance or regional programming as needed

    • As needed, support implementation of Teacher Development training programs with school partners, collaborating with Program Leadership team to deliver Teacher Development outreach to non-partner schools

    • Support programming at long-distance partner schools by instructing on some expedition days with long carpool communtes

    • Occasionally work at expedition events on weekends

    Evaluation of Impact

    • Assist in collecting qualitative feedback from partners, parents, and students

    PHYSICAL DEMANDS, WORK ENVIRONMENT AND WORKING CONDITIONS

    • Environmental: Work is almost entirely in outdoor conditions in fall and spring, with some outdoor work in winter. Conditions include occasional, mildly inclement weather in all seasons
    • Seasonally, work is primarily indoors, requiring daily prolonged computer use.
    • Physical Demands: Requires frequent standing, walking, hiking, and carrying. Manual dexterity is required to use field equipment and teaching aids.  Hiking occurs on varying terrain up to three (3) miles per day.
    • Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral, and depth perception vision and the ability to focus.  Must be able to read and comprehend written documentation on paper and screen.
    • Hearing and Speaking Requirements: Requires ability to hear, listen, comprehend, and communicate verbally.
    • Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently lift or carry up to 25 lbs, using a backpack to carry field gear. 
    • This position must be able to work independently and collaborate with team members in-person and remotely.
    • Occasional remote work may be possible if Core Instructor has access to high-speed internet and computer equipment.  Access to a computer and internet are available in the Muddy Sneakers office.
    • Some necessary communications requiring internet access and a device occur in the evenings and on weekends.

    EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

    A sufficient mastery of science concepts, natural history, and educational pedagogy, with professional experience, volunteer experience, life experience, or significant training sufficient to qualify applicant to work with 10-12 year old students in a naturalist instructor capacity. 

    TERM AND COMPENSATION

    Term of Position: Core Instructor positions are offered under 10-month/4-day and 12-month/5-day contracts.  The 10-month contract runs for 42 calendar weeks from mid-August through late May or early June.  The 12-month contract runs August 1 through July 30.

    Compensation: Pay is commensurate with experience depending on the individual's level of education, advanced training, and years of teaching and leadership experience.  

    • 10-month/4-day Core Instructor salary ranges from $16,500 to $22,900, with a starting range of $16,500 to $19,000.
    • 12-month/5-day Core Instructor salary ranges from $25,600 to $35,600, with a starting range of $25,600 to $29,600.

    BENEFITS 

    • 3% 401k match
    • Eligible for $1,000 end of year contract bonus
    • $50 professional development reimbursement 
    • Eligible for cell phone stipend (up to $40/month)
    • Partial mileage reimbursement
    • Prescriptive time off for 3 weeks during Dec-Jan, 1 week in early Spring, and 1 week of sick days. These dates should be confirmed with the PM. 
    • 11 additional paid office holidays 
    • Respect for work-life harmony, including consideration of flexible schedules
    • Pro deals, which include deep discounts on outdoor gear providing 30 - 50% off retail prices with established brands
    • Opportunity to build a legacy through strengthening public education and connecting children to nature
    • FULL-TIME 12-MONTH CONTRACT INCLUDES THESE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS:
      • 10% of salary offered as healthcare stipend
      • Wellness program with associated annual stipend
      • Additional 1 week of prescriptive time off in June-July

    The requirements listed in this job description are guidelines, not firm rules.  If you have 75% of the qualifications listed we encourage you to apply.  Applying gives you the opportunity to be considered. HIRING STATEMENTS

    Muddy Sneakers is a NC-based 501(c)3 non-profit environmental education organization with programming offices in Brevard and Salisbury, North Carolina. We partner with public schools "to awaken in children a deeply felt connection with the natural world -- one that inspires curiosity, stimulates learning, and brings new life to classroom performance." The Core Values of Muddy Sneakers include:  Access, Belonging, Experiential Learning, Conservation, and Well-Being.

    We know that a rich diversity of perspectives and wisdom is imperative to our mission and can only come from a wide variety of life experiences. MS is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional people and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding, and responsive, enabling each of us to realize our potential. Our team is committed to a growth mindset and recognizes that healthy change requires intention, humility, and lifelong learning.  MS' work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting and valuing the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.

    The requirements listed in our job descriptions are guidelines, not hard and fast rules, and if you have 75% of the qualifications listed we encourage you to apply.  Your experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work, which helps build the competencies, knowledge, and skills that translate directly to our openings.  Applying gives you the opportunity to be considered.

    This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job. 

    MUDDY SNEAKERS: THE JOY OF LEARNING OUTSIDE

    P.O. Box 146

    Brevard, NC  28712

    828-862-5560

    www.muddysneakers.org