Come work with us!
Like to get messy? Ready to smile and laugh even when it’s pouring rain? Love bugs and forts? Apply today!
We’re hiring a teacher for our Royal Oak Classes!
Firefly Forest School is an entirely outdoors enrichment program serving children ages 3-6 in Metro Detroit. Our programs provide meaningful and transformative nature-based learning experiences for students in local parks and natural areas through student-led play and exploration.
We are hiring a teacher for our Royal Oak classes, which are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Tenhave Woods in Royal Oak. Our Foxes class is held from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, and our Chickadees class is held from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
Desired Availability
The ideal applicant would be available to work a full day shift (8:30 am to 3:30 pm) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, early September through early June (with paid holiday breaks).
We are open to hiring two teachers to cover the full shift and splitting the job into a morning teacher (8:30 am to 12:30 pm, Tu/Th) and an afternoon teacher (12:45 pm to 3:30 pm, Tu/Th).
Additional Monday/Wednesday substitute teaching work will be occasionally available if desired
Paid monthly staff meetings (generally the 1st Friday of each month)
Core Responsibilities
Ensure the safety of students during class while climbing, exploring trails, using tools, and playing games
Facilitate games and activities based on the interests of the students in the class
Communicate with parents and families about day-to-day goings-on, issues, and concerns
Support students who are navigating social-emotional conflict, physical challenges, or behavioral issues
Help students with using the bathroom, putting on the correct outdoor gear, etc
Work collaboratively with other teachers to plan activities for future classes
Assist in the set up and tear down of our mobile classroom site
Qualifications
Prior experience working with children, either in a formal or informal setting (summer camp, before/after school, preschool classroom teaching, etc)
Either experience working in, or significant personal experience in, the outdoors preferred (leading hiking trips, scouts, overnight camp, camping, etc)
Strong interpersonal skills, especially around conflict resolution, creative problem solving, and working in a collaborative team
Strong communication skills, including communicating challenging or sensitive information with families
A flexible, go-with-the-flow personality and a willingness to problem solve on the fly
Positive, solutions-oriented attitude in the face of inclement weather, challenging behavior, or unforeseen hiccups
Compensation
$20-22/hour (dependent on experience) with paid holidays, paid sick leave, and a $150 gear stipend