Academic Instructor - Learn & Earn Program

Summary of Position:  After School Matters is seeking instructors to begin working in Summer 2026.  The pay rate is $35/hour for certified teachers. 

After School Matters is seeking committed, temporary part-time instructors to teach academic programs for 15-20 high school participants (10:1, instructor: teen ratio) between the ages of 13 to 15 for Summer 2025.  This program will be offered at 6 locations across the city: 1 Far South, 2 South, 1 Southwest, 1 West, 1 North/West 

Learn and Earn Career Connections allows teens the opportunity to explore a variety of career fields through hands on projects and real-world experiences AND make meaningful connections between subjects like English, math and science and their career interests. Participants will review academic skills, connect with mentors and peers and earn money while getting a head start on learning about their career choices after graduation. 

The Academic Teacher (AT) is the primary leader in the classroom to ensure the academic growth of their assigned scholars by leading lessons and creating engaging activities for scholars which will support academic skill development, polish current skills, and provide small group instruction while encouraging and inspiring academic growth.  Successful applicants would be current licensed teachers that would like to expand their experience in an out of school time program and have a strong desire to assure students learn over the summer months 

Program Session and Schedule: 

The schedule for the program sessions are as follows: 

• Summer: 6 weeks, daily Monday through Thursday, four and a half instructional hours per day. Additional hours are allotted for planning, professional development and meetings.  
  • Tentative Training Dates: June 16th 2026- June 18th 2026 
    • Time: 10am-2pm 
  • Program Dates: June 22, 2026– July 31, 2026 
    • Time: 9:45 am – 2:30 pm 
    • Days: Monday - Thursday 

Major Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Expose a diverse group of teen participants to high-quality instruction while fostering a positive, safe, and collaborative atmosphere for all teen participants. 

• Maintain knowledge of current industry trends, technology and concepts 

• Prepare, organize, and supervise interactive, teen-led activities 

• Provide supervision during teen lunch, program field trips and other youth engagement opportunities 

• Report all problems or concerns and program updates to After School Matters Program Specialist to maintain consistent lines of communication throughout the program session 

• Attend all planning and program dates, including: Instructor orientation, professional development workshops, meetings and other required sessions 

• Manage and track program activities such as attendance, test results, evaluation surveys, and pertinent student records in an online data tracking system (CitySpan). 

• Other duties as assigned.  

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

• Supervise teens at an average of 10:1, instructor: teen ratio 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Creative problem-solving skills 

• Customer service skills; ability to effectively communicate with a variety of stakeholders (teen participants, parents, ASM programs staff, vendors, etc.) 

• Cultural competence 

Qualifications: 

• Passion to improve the minds and lives of teens. 

• Evidence of self-motivation and willingness to be a team player. 

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of two years teaching experience is required. 

• Valid State of Illinois Certification is preferred. 

• Experience teaching, specifically teenagers, is highly preferred. 

• Commitment to diversity and inclusion is required.