Seasonal Education Instructor, Children's Garden Fellow
3 days ago
New York
Job Description Position Title: Seasonal Education Instructor, Children’s Garden Fellow Department: Education Reports to: Children’s Garden Co-coordinators FLSA Status: Part-Time Seasonal, Non-exempt Compensation: $22.00 per hour Position Description: Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Children’s Education programs are renowned for teaching hands-on gardening and plant science to young people. Children’s Garden education fellows spend the growing season (spring–summer–fall) in BBG’s Children’s Garden, teaching children to grow, harvest, and cook their own food, care for the environment, and explore the natural world. Fellows teach age-appropriate gardening lessons to 12 children with the help of two to three teen apprentices from our Garden Apprentice Program. Prior to each teaching season, fellows participate in a comprehensive paid training program, covering seasonal content, pedagogy, and horticultural skills. This is a seasonal position from September 12 to November 1, 2025. Commitment is 10 hours per week on Friday afternoons and Saturdays. Responsibilities: • Lead an age-based group (ages 4–5) of 11 children in hands-on gardening instruction in a half-acre food garden., • Mentor two to three teen apprentices who assist instructors in facilitating their group., • Develop age- and seasonally appropriate lesson plans and lead supplementary enrichment activities, such as seasonal cooking, nature crafts, nature exploration, or science experiments., • Ensure that assigned garden plots are maintained according to weekly schedule (including planting, weeding, mulching, and watering)., • Lead activity stations for Family Gardening Hours, a program for children of all ages and an adult caregiver., • Assist in teaching other education programs as needed. Qualifications: • Formal or non-formal teaching experience, • Experience teaching children, ideally in a classroom or outdoor setting, • Gardening, horticulture, and/or botany experience preferred; but willing to train so long as the individual is eager to learn, • Flexibility and willingness to take on a variety of tasks along with ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment, • Experience and comfort working with youth and staff from diverse backgrounds, • High level of responsibility, reliability, and motivation, • Ability to perform physical labor and work outdoors in various weather conditions, • Passion for education, gardening, and fun Children’s Garden Fellows Schedule: Fall, Friday and Saturday: • 8 Fridays, September 12–October 31 | 2–6 p.m., • 8 Saturdays, September 13–November 1 | 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Benefits: • BBG offers certain benefits to part-time employees including:, • Up to 56 hours of sick leave, • Short-term disability/New York Paid Family Leave, • As a 501(c)3, BBG is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Eligible Employer., • Museum Pass which provides employees the opportunity to enter many museums in New York City for free, • Free Garden admission for employee plus one guest, • Employee discount at BBG’s retail shop and food venues To be considered for this position, please submit an application by clicking Apply below. Applications submitted without a résumé and cover letter will not be considered. No telephone calls for position inquiries, please. Applicants with disabilities who need assistance with the online system, or who may require a reasonable accommodation during the application process, should contact Human Resources at . Brooklyn Botanic Garden is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.