ABOUT CHAPTER 510
Chapter 510 is a made-in-Oakland youth writing, bookmaking & publishing center. Our teaching artists and volunteers work side by side with educators to provide a safe space and supportive community with a focus on Black, brown, and queer youth ages 8-19 to bravely write. Our vision is that every young person in Oakland writes with confidence and joy. We believe that writing is an act of liberation. When young people write and get published, they transform themselves and their communities, succeeding in school, work, and life. Through writing programs at our center and within Oakland public schools, we help young people improve their writing craft, confidence, and competency at every stage.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Chapter 510’s lead Teaching Artist at Westlake Middle School (Oakland) will offer a fiction writing course for up to 30 youth in a mixed class of 6–8 grade students during both semesters of the 2022-2023 school year. Students will learn about various forms of fiction writing and fiction writing techniques with the goal of writing their own flash fiction stories that will be published into a perfect bound and illustrated anthology of fiction by the end of the year.
Chapter 510 lead Teaching Artist will partner with the Westlake English Language Arts Coach Jen Joyce to co-create a Creative Writing & Reading Course for the Designated English Language Development Class (DELDC). The DELDC students are classified as long-term English language learners. Many of the students are US born, fluent in English, however may not speak English at home. All of the students are mainstream students. The scholars are working towards passing the ELPAC (English Language Proficiency Assessment of California) which consists of 4 parts (reading, writing, speaking, and listening).
This course will also get support from a bookmaking and book-arts professional to provide supplemental facilitation of hands-on bookmaking activities with the students throughout the course. We will additionally provide writing mentors who will work with students in the second semester to provide one-on-one writing mentorship for students at least once a week.
Culturally Responsive Teaching Approach:
This class will be grounded in a love-based Culturally Responsive Teaching Approach approach inspired by the work of Zarretta Hammond and our pedagogy thought partners Studio Pathways. The curriculum will center the works of writers of color and will adopt integrative arts frameworks in order to support inclusivity of different learning styles and ways of knowing.
Learning Outcomes:
Help students succeed in school and life through improved writing skills and increased self-confidence.
Engage students in their larger community by providing skilled and caring volunteer writing and editorial mentors to support their learning.
3. Provide culturally affirming and nurturing writing and publishing programs for Oakland’s young people to see their strengths and write their dreams into reality.
ABOUT YOU
Required Qualities, Skills, & Experience
● Kindness
● Integrity
● At least five years of experience teaching/facilitating youth
● Experience teaching writing to Middle School students
● Experience with fiction writing (experience with book arts a plus)
● Ability to develop innovative curriculum that is age appropriate and grounded in a praxis of liberatory education
● A passion for and commitment to Chapter 510’s mission and vision, including social and racial justice
● Ability to ask for and receive support when facing challenges or the unknown
● High level capacity in collaboration and communication
● Competency to work across lines of difference, including with communities of color, poor and low-income communities, immigrant communities, and other marginalized groups
Schedule & Commitment:
This creative writing & reading course will meet four days a week during 4th period at Westlake Middle School.
The exact schedule will be: - Monday - 11:30am–12:30pm - Wednesday - 10:00am–11:30am - Thursday - 11:30am–12:30pm - Friday - 11:30am–12:30pm
This course will go from August 8, 2022–May 25, 2023. In addition to teaching time, the lead teaching artist will allocate time for curriculum development, collaborative planning with Language Arts Coach, Westlake all staff PDs, as well as Chapter 510 staff meetings.
Chapter 510 lead Teaching Artist will commit to a minimum of 36 weeks, 4 times a week, 2 hours per day + meetings and trainings. Lead teaching artist will be able to co-develop the curriculum over the summer in anticipation for the start of school.
Lead Teaching Artist Hours: 162 total hours of Teaching time 162 total hours of Teaching prep time 20 hours Program planning 72 hours staff meetings Total = 416 hours = $20, 800
APPLY
Applications due by or before June 24th. Please send a cover letter and cv to [email protected].