Location: San Francisco, CA
Pay: $100–$120 per day, depending on experience
Job Type: Part-Time | In-School Enrichment
Schedule: Wednesday & Friday | Approximately 4 hours per day
Age Group: Transitional Kindergarten–1st Grade
Program Term: Fall 2026
Work Location: In person
About the Position
We are hiring an experienced, creative, and nurturing STEAM & Gardening Instructor to lead hands-on, in-school enrichment classes for Transitional Kindergarten through 1st Grade students in San Francisco.
This unique program combines gardening, nature-based learning, science, technology, engineering, art, math (STEAM), and unplugged computer science through playful, age-appropriate, hands-on learning.
Students will explore the natural world through planting, observing, experimenting, building, measuring, sorting, creating, storytelling, movement, and problem-solving.
This position is ideal for TK teachers, kindergarten teachers, 1st-grade teachers, preschool teachers, early childhood educators, elementary educators, child development professionals, environmental educators, gardening instructors, STEM/STEAM educators, and experienced youth enrichment instructors.
We are looking for an educator who can create a warm, structured, and joyful learning environment where young students feel confident asking questions, exploring materials, solving problems, and discovering how the world around them works.
What You’ll Teach
Classes may include hands-on learning experiences such as:
- Planting seeds and caring for plants
- Exploring soil, roots, leaves, flowers, fruits, and vegetables
- Learning about insects, pollinators, worms, and garden ecosystems
- Observing weather, seasons, and changes in nature
- Hands-on science experiments
- Early engineering and building challenges
- Nature-inspired art and creative projects
- Measuring, counting, sorting, comparing, and identifying patterns
- Sensory and observational activities
- Environmental and sustainability concepts
- Unplugged coding and computer science games
- Sequencing and pattern activities
- Problem-solving and design challenges
- Storytelling, movement, and collaborative STEAM activities
Activities are designed to be hands-on, inquiry-based, playful, and developmentally appropriate for TK–1st Grade students.
Responsibilities
- Lead engaging gardening, science, nature, and STEAM lessons for TK–1st Grade students
- Facilitate hands-on gardening and outdoor learning experiences
- Guide students through planting, watering, observing, and caring for plants
- Teach age-appropriate concepts related to plants, soil, insects, weather, seasons, and ecosystems
- Lead simple science experiments, STEM activities, and engineering challenges
- Integrate art, creativity, early math, and problem-solving into lessons
- Introduce unplugged computer science and computational thinking through games, storytelling, sequencing, patterns, sorting, and movement
- Encourage students to ask questions, make observations, experiment, build, create, and explore
- Support collaboration, communication, confidence, and curiosity
- Adapt lessons for different ages, developmental levels, learning styles, and student needs
- Create a nurturing, inclusive, safe, and engaging classroom environment
- Manage classroom routines, transitions, learning stations, and small-group activities
- Prepare and organize materials before each teaching day
- Maintain an organized indoor and outdoor learning environment
- Collaborate professionally with classroom teachers, school staff, and program coordinators
- Maintain clear and timely communication with the program team
- Submit a brief class update following each teaching day
Required Qualifications
Candidates should have:
- Experience working with TK, preschool, kindergarten, 1st-grade, or early elementary students
- Experience leading a classroom, enrichment program, camp, youth program, or similar group-learning environment
- Strong classroom management skills
- Ability to communicate clearly and positively with young children
- Ability to lead developmentally appropriate hands-on activities
- Patience, warmth, creativity, energy, and dependability
- Strong organizational and communication skills
- Comfort leading both indoor and outdoor learning activities
- Ability to prepare materials and learning stations before class
- Ability to communicate professionally and consistently with school and program staff
- Ability to commit to the full Fall 2026 program schedule
Preferred Qualifications
We especially encourage applicants with experience or training in:
- Transitional Kindergarten
- Kindergarten
- 1st Grade
- Preschool Education
- Early Childhood Education (ECE)
- Elementary Education
- Child Development
- Gardening Education
- School Garden Programs
- Environmental Education
- Outdoor Education
- Nature-Based Learning
- STEM or STEAM Education
- Science Education
- Horticulture
- Environmental Science
- Sustainability Education
- Inquiry-Based Learning
- Play-Based Learning
- Project-Based Learning
- Reggio Emilia or similar child-centered approaches
- Unplugged Computer Science
- Early Computational Thinking
A teaching credential, or comparable teaching qualification is highly preferred.
Great Fit For Candidates With Backgrounds In
- Early Childhood Education
- Elementary Education
- Child Development
- Liberal Studies
- Environmental Science
- Environmental Studies
- Horticulture
- Biology
- Ecology
- Sustainability
- STEM / STEAM Education
- Science Education
- Outdoor Education
- Nature Education
- Psychology
- Human Development
- Recreation
- Youth Development
Applicants from other educational or professional backgrounds who have significant experience teaching or working with young children are also encouraged to apply.
Why Join Us?
Teach During the School Day
Work with TK–1st Grade students in an established in-school enrichment environment.
Combine Gardening & STEAM
Bring science, nature, engineering, art, math, and creativity together through meaningful hands-on experiences.
Make Learning Active
Help children learn by planting, building, observing, experimenting, measuring, creating, and asking questions.
Support Early Learning & Development
Help students strengthen communication, fine motor skills, curiosity, collaboration, problem-solving, confidence, and independence.
Bring Nature Into Education
Help children develop an early appreciation for plants, animals, ecosystems, sustainability, and the environment.
Make an Impact
Create joyful learning experiences that help students develop a lasting interest in science, nature, creativity, and discovery.
Schedule
- Wednesday & Friday
- Approximately 4 hours per day
- Daytime / in-school hours
- Fall 2026 school semester
- In-person at a school site in San Francisco, CA
Candidates must be dependable and able to maintain consistent attendance throughout the program.
Compensation
$100–$120 per day, depending on experience.
How to Apply
If you have experience with TK, kindergarten, 1st grade, early childhood education, elementary education, gardening, environmental education, outdoor education, science, STEM/STEAM, or hands-on learning, we encourage you to apply.
Please submit your resume highlighting relevant experience in early childhood education, elementary education, classroom teaching, child development, gardening, environmental education, STEM/STEAM education, science education, outdoor learning, or youth enrichment.
Pay: $30.00 - $37.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
