EarthRights School Teaching Consultant

Position Title: EarthRights School Teaching Consultant

Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand (Domestic travel may be required)

Reports To: Head of Earth Rights School

Application Deadline: July 9, 2021

Summary Description

The EarthRights School (ERS) is a training program for civil society advocates and community leaders from the Mekong region who are working on environmental and human rights issues across the Mekong region. In 2021, the length of the school program will be 5.5 months starting from mid-September 2021 to mid-February 2022. The curriculum provides intensive training in human rights, environmental justice, community organizing, gender mainstreaming, campaigning, and legal advocacy in order to build tools and knowledge to address the abuses caused by large-scale development projects.

In preparation for the upcoming school program starting in September, we are looking to recruit a teaching consultant to work closely with the EarthRights Teacher/Facilitator in implementing the day-to-day activities of the school including: coordinating class content and lesson delivery, reviewing, updating and (re)designing lessons plans to meet current needs, and structuring the curriculum to allow for experiential education in practice. The teaching consultant will be responsible for developing and delivering lesson plans that align with the EarthRights School’s desired learning outcomes and ensuring that the curriculum flow is taught in a learner-centered and interactive manner. They will also have curriculum collection, review, publication, and organizing responsibilities.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead or support the ongoing curriculum development and updating which will include designing, managing and implementing ongoing revisions and new components of curricula for the EarthRights School program. **
• Collaborate with the Teacher/Facilitator to sequence and design each lesson plan so that it contributes to a cohesive delivery that reflects the curriculum framework.
• Prepare and teach EarthRights School courses using an experiential education model, including reviewing past lesson plans and designing/redesigning them to meet current needs.
• Ensure curriculum content, featured case studies, and examples are up-to-date and relevant each year; this includes liaising with other training programs in the region.
• Ensure integration of EarthRights’ values, including diversity, tolerance, social inclusion and gender mainstreaming are prominently featured throughout the curriculum, modeled in all interactions with students and staff, and promoted and encouraged among the student population.
• Plan and implement workflow for students around homework, writing assignments, readings and student presentations; ensure assignments are designed to demonstrate desired learning outcomes.
• Provide English language support through written and verbal feedback on writing assignments including: essays, research proposals and reports, written campaign tools (such as blogs, fact sheets, press releases, fundraising proposals and other relevant texts).
• Serve as an advisor for students during their studies and field work, including provision of support related to selecting a research topic, preparing proposals, mentoring during fieldwork, and analysis and writing of their reports or written advocacy tools.
• Support and accompany students on field trips to visit and help students process and reflect critically on these learning experiences.
• Be an advisor to students including selecting a research topic, preparing proposals, mentoring during fieldwork, and analysis and writing of reports or advocacy tools.
• Be accessible to students outside the classroom, providing ample periods of time for counseling and mentoring students in matters related to success, life goals, and personal development.
• Accompany students to occasional recreational, cultural and educational events in Chiang Mai. This responsibility is shared with other staff, interns and fellows.
• Support students outside of the classroom, providing ample periods of time for counselling and mentoring students in matters related to success, life goals and personal development.
• Other school-related responsibilities, including curriculum management, MEL tracking and reporting, guest speaker planning, and staff supervision as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field and/or at least 3 years of relevant experience related to teaching, training, mentoring, or capacity-building position with human rights, environmental rights organization preferred.
• Proven experiences in curricula development, lesson planning and high awareness of creative and impactful learning approaches for a diverse student body with adult learners.
• Demonstrated understanding and gender and social inclusion issues in the region and how to integrate them in development approaches.
• Demonstrated record of working in the development sector collaboratively with grassroots community movements, organizations, and international NGOs.
• Background in environment and human rights and/or Southeast Asian community work and context.
• Excellent cross-cultural communication skills, including experience working with diverse groups of people, especially students from across Southeast Asia.
• Professional-level English skills are required.
• Strong computer skills, and digital skills especially in Microsoft Office. Good understanding and attention to new technologies in learning initiatives including digital learning.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team, both in person and via distance to plan and manage multiple competing tasks simultaneously in order to meet tight deadlines. High attention to detail and quality of work.
• Commitment to learner-centered and participatory education.
• Virtual or online training or facilitation experience is helpful.