Recruit

Summer Program Dates: June 22 - July 10
Summer Course: Art: The Painting and Drawing Studio

Description
Geffen Academy Educators approach teaching as an intellectual profession of the highest order, one in which knowledge is not only transmitted but created. Geffen Academy Educators possess a sophisticated and reflective understanding of their discipline and a record of achievement which demonstrates their ability to utilize and contribute to the robust connections we have with UCLA, a world-class research institution. Educators’ innovation is guided by our school’s mission to prioritize proven educational practices while also recognizing that teaching is a complex intellectual endeavor that defies rigid codification. We are committed to a humane working environment and also recognize that teaching goes beyond the life of the mind. Geffen Academy Educators seek to create trusting and caring relationships with their students and with their larger community.

Summary
The Painting and Drawing Studio summer course introduces middle and upper school students to painting as both a technical discipline and a form of personal and cultural expression. Students learn foundational painting skills while also exploring how artists across time and cultures have used painting to communicate ideas, identities, and social perspectives.

Through demonstrations, hands-on studio work, guided exercises, and discussion, students develop familiarity with painting materials and techniques, including color theory, value, composition, paint handling, and working with light and form. Projects progress from observational painting toward more expressive and experimental work, allowing students to explore personal ideas and visual interests. Students also engage with historical and contemporary painters to understand how technique, materials, and content work together to create meaning.

Under the direction of the Summer Program Director at Geffen Academy at UCLA, the Educator will design and deliver high-quality, in-person summer instruction. The primary teaching responsibility will be The Painting and Drawing Studio in the 6th Grade Foundations program; depending on program enrollment and scheduling needs, the Educator may also have the opportunity to teach additional, thematically related summer courses. The course will be 50 minutes long and meet daily over a three week period. All courses will be taught in-person on Geffen Academy’s campus.

Final teaching assignments and instructional responsibilities will be determined based on enrollment and overall programmatic considerations. The courses are taught in -person on Geffen Academy’s Campus.

Job Duties

• Design and deliver a three-week introductory painting course for students in grades 6–12.
• Teach foundational painting techniques, including color mixing, value, composition, brushwork, and paint handling.
• Introduce students to working methods such as direct painting and layered approaches in an age-appropriate manner.
• Guide students in painting from observation while encouraging personal interpretation and expression.
• Support students in experimenting with materials, techniques, and visual ideas.
• Facilitate discussions and presentations that expose students to diverse historical and contemporary painters.
• Encourage students to think critically about how painting communicates meaning, identity, and social context.
• Provide individualized feedback to support skill development and creative growth.
• Foster an inclusive studio environment that values curiosity, experimentation, and respectful critique.
• Collaborate with Summer Program leadership and fellow educators to ensure a cohesive program experience.
• Establish clear success criteria and critique routines (e.g., technique, composition, intentionality, and revision) to support student growth and constructive peer feedback.
• Establish and reinforce studio routines and safety procedures (e.g., material handling, brush/paint water use, cleanup, and appropriate use of shared supplies) in alignment with program guidelines.
• Support students in documenting their process and curating finished work for presentation or a brief portfolio (e.g., process photos, short reflections, or artist statements).
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• This list of duties is not exhaustive.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment