About Us: Roots y Ramas Forest School

We are a small woman-founded and run coop forest school* that seeks to foster a culture that honors and embodies the value of interdependence so we can live in harmonious relationship with one another and Nature, respecting and embracing differences and acting against bias and injustice. We believe that Nature is the primary teacher (along with parents), thus we use the term ‘facilitator’ instead of ‘teacher’ to describe the role we play in the children’s education. One of our values as a school is to build community that shares the values of nature connection and anti-racism. To that end, part of our mission is to train others, ideally people of the global majority** that are traditionally underrepresented in outdoor education and forest schools, in a nature-connection teaching modality. We encourage ECE students and BIPOC communities to apply. 

Somos una pequeña escuela forestal cooperativa fundada y dirigida por mujeres* que busca fomentar una cultura que honre y encarne el valor de la interdependencia para que podamos vivir en una relación armoniosa entre nosotros y con la naturaleza, respetando y aceptando las diferencias y actuando contra los prejuicios y la injusticia. . Creemos que la naturaleza es la maestra principal (junto con los padres), por lo que usamos el término "facilitador" en lugar de "maestro" para describir el papel que desempeñamos en la educación de los niños. Uno de nuestros valores como escuela es construir una comunidad que comparta los valores de conexión con la naturaleza y antirracismo. Con ese fin, parte de nuestra misión es capacitar a otros, idealmente personas de la mayoría global** que tradicionalmente están subrepresentadas en la educación al aire libre y las escuelas forestales, en una modalidad de enseñanza de conexión con la naturaleza. Alentamos a los estudiantes de ECE y las comunidades BIPOC a postularse.

Part-Time Assistant Facilitator (Teacher) 2023-2024 School Year

Part Time Assistant Nature Connection Facilitator

We are seeking a child-loving human with experience and or interest in our two core values: Nature connection and anti-racism, in addition to the below qualifications: 

Teaching / Facilitation Experience

• Experience with children ages 2-6 

• Experience Interest in nature connection, anti-racist, and social-emotional learning curriculum facilitation and development;

• Clear and demonstrable attention to the health and safety of all children, including supporting children with toilet learning and evaluating a natural environment for hazards and risks

• Ability to observe children’s interests and challenges and adapt behavior and  curriculum accordingly;

• Creative problem solving, collaboration, adaptability, and interpersonal skills; 

• Interest in learning how to hold circle time for a mixed age group, including songs, poems, games and other engagement strategies;

• Comfort with reading in Spanish and English in front of class

• Speaking and reading proficiency in Spanish, native Spanish speakers encouraged 

Education and Training

• At least one of the following educational requirements:

• 8 units completed in Early Childhood Education (ECE) or equivalent field courses 

• Comparable recognized teacher training: Non Traditional/Non Institutional Learning backgrounds are welcome and encouraged.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of training and experience in Child Development, Environmental Education, Environmental Humanities, Geography, Biology, or related field.  

• Current First Aid and CPR certification required

• Cross Cultural Sensitivity and Relational skills to work in diverse groups with mixture of  intergenerational, inter-class background, gender expansive, racial and ethnic heritages present as well as with dedicated identity and affinity groups.

• Experience with Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion work 

• Any artistic skill, such as playing an instrument, drawing and painting, basket weaving, working with clay, etc. will be highly appreciated.

Other

• Ability to carry 15 lbs and walk 2+ miles over uneven terrain

• Access to car / ability to get to and from local parks

• Adaptability - being willing and able to shift location on short notice depending on weather, being without cell service. 

• Dependable and responsible - demonstrable experience following through on commitments

• Willingness and ability to make time for learning outside the classroom

• Background check and fingerprinting required

Logistics and Compensation

• 8-15 hours / week, including meeting time

• Starting August 2023

• We are committed to paying our teachers competitive wages. Salary will be determined by education, experience, and position.

To apply

Please email rootsyramas@gmail.com with resume and cover letter that includes why you want to work for Roots y Ramas, and what you could contribute.

*Forest school - a forest school is “... a fully outdoor child-centered inspirational learning process, that offers opportunities for holistic growth through regular sessions. It is a long-term program that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences in a natural setting.”

• https://forestschoolassociation.org/what-is-forest-school/

**People of the Global majority - We use this term coined by Dr. Barbara J. Love that we learned about in Britt Hawthorne’s book Raising Anti-Racist Children: A Practical Parenting Guide  which refers to “Black people, Indigenous people, brown people, Latine/x peoples - particularly Indigenous and Afro-Latine/x peoples - Pacific Islanders, Native Hawaiians, the Inuit communities, / Alaska natives, Native Americans, Arabs, Western Asians / Miffle Easterners with dark skin, North Africans, Southeast Asians, South Asians, East Asians, Agricans with dark skin, and bi-racial and multi-racial people who are mixed with one or ,or more of the above and people and groups who can’t access white privilege are people of the global majority.”