Deadline: June 30, 2015
Environmental Education Teaching Fellow Announcement
The Environmental Education Teaching Fellowship program is designed for emerging
professionals with an interest in environmental education. The program runs from September
until May and provides a series of trainings and opportunities to gain teaching experience in
outdoor environmental education. This will develop a community of skilled and exemplary
environmental educators in the Pittsburgh region. Those selected for the program will be
members of the Education Department of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and will have the
opportunity to work with the staff in a dynamic team setting to teach, engage, and inspire
children in the organization’s school programs as well as at community events and outreach
programs. In addition, Teaching Fellows will play a significant role in program development by
completing a project to enhance the educational experience of participants in the Pittsburgh
Parks Conservancy’s programs. Teaching Fellows will also help design and deliver staff training.
Projects will have some flexibility to be tailored to personal interests and will serve as a core
piece in each Teaching Fellow’s professional portfolio.
Requirements:
Applicants to the Environmental Education Teaching Fellowship program must have:
 A Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience
 A passion for nature
 Previous experience working with children of a variety of ages
 Strong communication skills – both written and spoken
 Ability to work in a collaborative environment
 Ability to be flexible and adapt to the unknown or unexpected
 A strong interest in shaping connections between children and nature
 The physical ability to carry tents, hike on uneven terrain, carry loads up to 30 lbs, and
work in challenging weather conditions.
 Act 33/34 clearance after acceptance into the program.
 FBI clearance after acceptance into the program
 Ability to pass a background check
Time Commitment:
The Environmental Education Teaching Fellow program is a school year length program. Our
programs can run between 8am and 4pm Tuesday through Friday with occasional evening and
weekend hours for outreach and events. Applicants must commit to a year of service at 15–20
hours per week during school program months (September through mid-November and midJanuary through May). Hours will fluctuate depending on the number of school programs
scheduled.
Benefits and Compensation:
Teaching Fellows will be paid a stipend of $4,500 for the 9-month program. Equal payments will
be distributed on the 15th and last days of each month. In addition, Teaching Fellows will
develop skills through training and hands on experience in: outdoor learning and interpretation,
guiding observation and exploration, best practices in using parks as classrooms, child-centered
Deadline: June 30, 2015
teaching techniques, plant and animal identification, ecology of forest, stream, and meadow
environments, leading restoration and stewardship projects, and many other skills relevant to
environmental education. Throughout the program, many opportunities for evaluation,
reflection, and feedback will be given to help improve these skills. Teaching Fellows will also be
given the opportunity to complete a project tailored to their interests that will have a lasting
impact on the programs offered by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and will serve as a
demonstration of learned skills. Teaching Fellows will leave this position with a start to their
professional portfolio in the field of environmental education, the beginning steps to their PAEE
certification as an Environmental Educator, and professional connections to environmental
organizations in the Pittsburgh region.
To apply:
Please submit a resume and a letter of interest answering the following questions:
Questions:
1. Why are you interested in being an Environmental Education Teaching Fellow?
2. What are your career goals? How do you think your participation in this program will
help you reach those goals?
3. By participating in this program, what contributions do you hope to make to our
education programs?
4. How would you describe your relationship to nature?
5. In your college and professional life, what experiences have you gained that make you
feel capable of provide quality educational programs?
Applications are due no later than June 30th. Applications that are late, incomplete or contain
errors in grammar/spelling may not be considered. Please submit your application and/or any
questions regarding the position via email to:
Patricia Himes: [email protected]
412-682-7275
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
1 English Lane
Pittsburgh, PA 15217