CAP Assistant Instructor - CalArts CAP School Programs

Job Description

A CAP Assistant Instructor (CAI) assists the CAP Lead Instructor to teach a 6-10 week in-school residency of a specific artform assigned to a specific grade level for youth participants (Grades TK – 12) at CAP partner sites around LA County. This position is highly collaborative and requires working closely with lead instructors, students, teachers, and staff at our partner sites, CalArts staff, and other CAP instructors. CAP Assistant Instructors report to the CAP Program Manager, James Waterman.

CAIs are assigned to assist with teaching multiple grade level-specific classes per day at our public school partner sites, for up to 5 hours of teaching per day. CAIs may be assigned to teach multiple days a week, and/or at multiple CAP partner school sites, depending on their availability and grade level and artform assignment. Additional hours will be logged each week during the residency including trainings, prep time, administrative time, and meetings. CAP residencies take place in three programming blocks throughout the academic year, Block A (September/October – December), Block B (January – March/April), and Block C (April – June) Classes do not meet on Holidays, Winter Break, or Spring Break (determined by our partner districts’ school calendars). For most residencies, a family engagement or culminating event may be scheduled during or outside of the residency dates. The CAP Assistant Instructor is responsible for attending and assisting with planning these culminating activities.

OPEN POSITIONS

Grade 1 Visual Art
Fridays 7:50AM – 11:40AM
The CAP Visual Art Residency consists of engaging lessons designed to foster creativity, self-expression, and an understanding of artistic principles. Students explore key elements of art such as line, shape, and color, while creating works inspired by renowned artists like Alma Thomas, Yayoi Kusama, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Pablo Picasso. Each lesson introduces new techniques and vocabulary, emphasizing mindfulness, storytelling, and cultural representation through art. Activities include Zentangle drawings, Kusama-inspired patterns, vibrant landscapes, sgraffito painting, and abstract portraits. These lessons culminate in collaborative projects, reflections, and gallery walks, celebrating students' growth and utilization of artistic literacy.

Grade 5 Beat-making
Mondays 11:25AM – 2:20PM, Thursdays 9:20AM – 2:20PM
The CAP Beatmaking Residency empowers fifth-grade students to become music producers, composers, and storytellers using iPads and GarageBand. Through a progressive sequence of lessons, students explore the building blocks of music—including rhythm, basslines, chords, melody, and lyrics—while learning how to arrange and mix their own original songs. Lessons emphasize creative decision-making, emotional expression, and technical skills such as digital sequencing, loop editing, sound mixing, and audio recording. Students draw inspiration from popular music, explore genres that resonate with their identities, and collaborate with peers to develop their artistic voice. As they gain fluency in music technology and vocabulary, students craft unique tracks that reflect their individuality. The residency culminates in a class showcase, where students present their finished songs and share reflections on the artistic choices that shaped their work.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (include but are not limited to) 

• Assisting in teaching CAP art classes under the guidance of Lead Instructors by reviewing the lesson plan at least one week in advance to clearly understand your role in each lesson.
• Creating a safe learning environment that invites critical and constructive dialogue and an exchange of opinions.
• Setting up and breaking down equipment and supplies before and after each class.
• Keeping class supplies well stocked and organized.
• Attending all pre-scheduled training sessions and meetings with Lead Instructors and/or CAP staff.
• Attend two biannual Professional Development full-day trainings (5-6 hours) on two Saturdays (one in Fall, one in Winter) each year employed by CAP.
• Assisting with preparation for exhibitions or culminating presentations of student work, including installation of student artwork, editing or organizing video or digital media, and other related support as needed.
• Attending a required site visit prior to the start of the program to become familiar with the school site, classroom spaces, procedures, and program logistics.
• Circulating in the classroom during lessons and providing one-on-one support to students, as well as monitoring the general well-being of all participants during classes.
• Logging hours worked in PayCom promptly in compliance with accounting policies & deadlines.
• Responding to emails and phone calls from the lead instructors and CAP staff in a prompt and courteous manner.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Demonstrated interest in teaching K-12 students
• Excellent verbal, written, and visual communication skills
• Skills with knowledge of various art-making tools and software, depending on artform
• Exceptional ability to work well with and effectively relate to diverse communities of students, faculty and staff
• Ability to assess students’ progress and skill levels objectively
• Bilingual in Spanish a plus

EDUCATION

• High school diploma, GED or equivalent
• Some college coursework
• BA or BFA degree a plus

WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL CONDITIONS (include but are not limited to)

• Exposure to toner, white out, cleaning fluids, office equipment, noise, talking, air conditioning and heating. Exposure to art materials such as paint, ink, charcoal, clay, etc.
• Prolonged periods of sitting 
• Prolonged periods of standing and walking
• Reaching above or below shoulder level for equipment, files, or materials
• Using computers
• Pushing/pulling open and closed doors, cabinets and drawers
• Kneeling, stooping and/or crouching to reach files or materials

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by employees assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. The actual essential duties, responsibilities and qualifications may vary by department, reporting structure or other business needs. No inference should be drawn that a specific job duty, responsibility or qualification is non-essential by its absence from this description.  This does not constitute a contract for employment CalArts management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.