Seasonal Garden/Kitchen Teaching Assistant

(Paid Opportunities) Return to Paid Opportunities

Start Date: End of January Compensation: $25/hour

Edible Schoolyard NYC (ESYNYC) is on a mission to make edible education accessible for every child in New York City. We believe edible education—where kids experience hands-on cooking and gardening—helps kids gain the skills to contribute to a healthy and sustainable food system for us all. We believe in a future where all children are empowered to make healthy choices for themselves, their communities, and their environments. Together with public school communities across the city, we’re building spaces for kids to flourish.

We partner with school communities to:

Lead hands-on programs where children and families can explore cooking and gardening
Support schools and educators so they can incorporate food education into their classrooms
Advocate for policies that create long-term, sustainable changes in New York City.

During the 2023-24 school year, we reached nearly 4,000 students and taught 2,145 classes across 23 schools. We also trained over 580 educators to incorporate edible education into their own classrooms.

Established in 2010, Edible Schoolyard NYC is a nonprofit organization committed to bringing Alice Waters’ vision to New York City public schools. As the first official “Founding Edible Schoolyard” in the Northeast, Edible Schoolyard NYC has adapted the Edible Schoolyard Project curriculum and vision to fit the unique needs of NYC public school children.

Now in our 15th year, Edible Schoolyard NYC is excited to continue deepening our impact at our Core School Partners as well as supporting schools and communities across New York City through

As an organization, the Values we live by include:

Community: We believe the greatest impact can only be realized by centering the community in our work.
Equity: We commit to cultivating and advancing a culture of diversity, inclusion, and belonging as we strive for equitable opportunities for all.
Stewardship: We know it is our duty to respect and care for all around us: our environment, our community, and ourselves.
Adaptability: We listen, learn, and act in response to the ever-changing needs of those around us.

Responsibilities/Duties

CLASSROOM SUPPORT

Assist in teaching engaging garden and kitchen lessons for elementary school students.
Support teachers with lesson preparation, setup, and cleanup, including food prep, dishwashing, and maintaining classroom and garden spaces.
Help small groups of students with hands-on activities, such as planting seeds, tending the garden, and preparing recipes using fresh ingredients.
Encourage students to explore connections between gardening, cooking, and topics like health, community, and sustainability.
Support the maintenance of functional, safe, and classroom teaching spaces, including proper handling and storing of equipment and ingredients.

GARDENING

Help maintain the school garden to support both lessons and produce for classroom use.
Assist with routine garden tasks, including planting, weeding, watering, composting, and ensuring tools and materials are stored properly.

COMMUNICATION AND SCHOOL OUTREACH

Participate in family events, after-school programs, and other outreach activities to engage students, families, and the school community in edible education.
Attend staff meetings, participate in professional development opportunities, and contribute ideas to strengthen program delivery.
Maintain open communication with the Garden and Kitchen Teacher, ESYNYC staff, and school partners.

Qualifications/Requirements

We’re seeking two part-time temporary Seasonal Teaching Assistants to join our team at school sites in Brooklyn. Teaching Assistants will work alongside our Garden and Kitchen Teachers to deliver fun, hands-on cooking and gardening lessons for elementary school students. This role involves supporting the planning and execution of classes, maintaining learning spaces, and helping to foster a love of learning and exploration among students.

This position is ideal for someone who enjoys working with children, has experience in gardening or cooking (or is eager to learn), and thrives in a collaborative, dynamic environment.
Each Teaching Assistant will primarily be assigned to one or more of the following school locations:

P.S. 216 Arturo Toscanini - 350 Avenue X, Brooklyn NY 11223
Brooklyn Gardens Elementary School - 574 Dumont Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11207
Brighter Choice Community School - 280 Hart Street, Brooklyn NY 11206

There may also be occasional assignments at other schools through New York City, as needed to support program operations.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1-2 years experience working with children (e.g. teaching, mentoring, youth programs, etc.). Experience working in NYC public schools is a plus.
Strong organization and communication skills.
A proactive problem solver who demonstrates flexibility, especially in a school setting
Interest or experience with gardening, cooking, or food education is a plus
Ability to speak Spanish fluently a plus

This role involves physical activity, including standing for extended periods, working outdoors in various weather conditions, and occasionally lifting objects up to 50 pounds.

Additional Information

TO APPLY:

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to jobs@esynyc.org with your name and “Seasonal Teaching Assistant” in the subject line. All applicants must submit a resume and cover letter to be considered for this position.

Edible Schoolyard NYC provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established by applicable law. We seek to build a diverse staff representative of the communities we serve. All qualified applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

Contact Information

Edible Schoolyard NYC
Contact Name: Daniel Feder
Email: jobs@esynyc.org