Position: Humanities Teacher: 7th/8th Grade Adventure in the City (AIC)
Pay rate: $40 -$50 per hour
Liberty LEADS is a NYC-based college access program that has served over 200 underrepresented children between 5th and 12th grade each year since 1989. Liberty LEADS was founded to empower youth by helping them attain higher education, embrace leadership engagement, and create a positive future for themselves and others. Liberty LEADS provides an alternative learning environment in which young people can experience success as learners and increase their ability and motivation to graduate from high school and seek entry into postsecondary education and/or meaningful employment. The program is guided by the principle that all children have gifts, talents, and great potential and can contribute to one another's social and academic growth.
We are looking for energetic and creative educators who enjoy working with youth during the summer and are available for in person programming.
Adventure in the City (AIC) is a summer program for rising 7th and 8th grade students that uses New York City as a classroom to help students build confidence navigating their city while strengthening the academic skills they will need in the upcoming school year. Through hands-on learning in math and humanities, students explore neighborhoods, landmarks, and community spaces while practicing critical thinking, problem solving, reading, and writing. In addition to reinforcing academic skills, AIC supports students as they prepare for the transition to high school by helping them develop independence, curiosity, and a stronger sense of connection to their city and community
The humanities component of Adventure in the City helps students strengthen the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills they will need in the upcoming academic year while exploring the rich history and culture of New York City. Using the city as a classroom, students engage with local neighborhoods, landmarks, museums, and public spaces to investigate the stories that shape their communities. Through guided discussions, reflective writing, reading historical and contemporary texts, and documenting their experiences, students develop important literacy skills such as analyzing texts, forming evidence-based opinions, and communicating ideas clearly. Students also explore themes such as community, identity, migration, and change, helping them better understand both the city around them and their role within it. By connecting academic skills with real-world exploration, the humanities course builds students’ confidence as readers, writers, and thinkers while preparing them for the expectations of the next school year
Selected applicants will be responsible for developing and implementing a 16-day, project-based curriculum. For the interview, we ask that applicants present ideas for the purpose and theme of their ideal summer experience. Programming begins June 29th 2026 and meets Mondays through Thursday for four weeks culminating with a final presentation on July 23rd. All applicants must be available for all 16 days of programming from 9 am to 330 pm. Lunch is provided and spent with the students.
Responsibilities
- Co-create differentiated project-based humanities and math curriculum for 7/8th grade that can be implemented in person or virtually.
- Co-teach Humanities curriculum for 7/8th graders.
- Include outdoor programming in curriculum planning.
- Manage classroom using positive behavior management strategies
- Meet regularly with the Liberty LEADS Middle School Advisor/Program Coordinator for supervision and debriefing
- Accompany students up and down stairs, on field trips (that may include but not limited to walks,
hikes, parks)
Qualifications
- Must possess a Bachelor or Master degree in education, preferably with a concentration in English/Writing or Social Studies
- NYS Teacher Certification or professional proficiency in content area preferred
- Experience working with students with learning differences preferred
- Experience teaching middle or high school youth using project-based learning
- Co-teaching experience
- Knowledge and understanding of the NYCDOE academic standards (Common Core/New Generation
Standards) - Experience teaching classes using Zoom platform preferred
Requirements
- Attend mandatory curriculum planning session with co teachers and advisors (dates tbd)
- Attend mandatory Saturday June 2026 Orientation (date TBD)
- Reliable WIFI and computer access
Physical Requirements
- Walking up and down stairs up to and including the nine flights to the gym
- Supervising and participating in outdoor activities such as walking up to 20 city blocks, hiking or other activities as named.
Company
Bank Street is a leader in education, a pioneer in improving the quality of classroom practice, and a national advocate for children and their families.
Since its beginnings in 1916, Bank Street has been at the forefront of understanding how children learn and grow. From early childhood centers and schools to hospitals and museums, Bank Street has built a national reputation on the simple fact that our graduates know how to do the work that is right for children.
At Bank Street’s Graduate School of Education, students are trained in a model that combines the study of human development, learning theory, and sustained clinical placement to promote significant development as a teacher prior to graduation. Our children’s programs—Bank Street School for Children, Family Center, Bank Street Head Start, and Liberty LEADS—foster children’s development in the broadest sense by providing diverse opportunities for social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth. The Bank Street Education Center disrupts inequity through system-level change to help design better educational experiences for both children and adults. The College further supports and influences positive outcomes for children every day through professional development programs, research projects, and other key efforts engaging educators, intermediary organizations, and government officials at the district, state, and federal levels.