STEAM Lead Teacher
SparkMakers delivers hands-on STEAM and robotics enrichment programs to students at schools and recreation centers across California. Our classes span robotics, coding, drones, 3D printing, and LEGO engineering, giving students the chance to build real skills, solve real problems, and discover a love of making. We believe every child deserves the spark of curiosity that STEAM learning provides, and our Lead Teachers are the people who deliver it, session after session.
Role OverviewThe Lead Teacher manages and runs the classroom. You deliver the SparkMakers curriculum, manage each session from setup through cleanup, and guide the Support Teachers working alongside you. This is a hands-on instructional role for someone who genuinely enjoys working with elementary and middle school students and has the confidence to hold a room of curious young makers. We provide the curriculum, the materials, the training, and on-site support from your Area Coordinator. You bring the energy, the judgment, and the spark.
Key ResponsibilitiesInstruction & Curriculum Delivery- Prepare, deliver, and wrap up STEAM enrichment sessions using the SparkMakers curriculum, materials, and session plans
- Lead hands-on activities across robotics, coding, drones, 3D design, LEGO engineering, and applied problem-solving
- Pace each session so students have time to build, test, fail, and iterate, and close every class with a clear sense of what they accomplished
- Adapt delivery in the moment for the group in front of you, stretching advanced students while making sure no one is left behind
- Assess how students are progressing and share what you are seeing with your Area Coordinator so we can keep improving the program
- Create and maintain a safe, welcoming, and inclusive classroom where every student feels supported and excited to participate
- Own positive behavior management, setting clear expectations and redirecting with warmth and consistency
- Model curiosity, patience, enthusiasm, and a growth mindset, showing students that making mistakes is part of engineering
- Build relationships with students that foster confidence and a genuine, lasting interest in STEAM
- Direct and support the one to two Support Teachers assigned to your session, giving them clear roles before class and feedback after it
- Brief your team on the session plan, safety expectations, and which students may need extra attention
- Coach newer Support Teachers as they build classroom skills, and flag those ready to grow into Lead Teacher roles
- Maintain required student-to-staff ratios at all times and escalate immediately if coverage is at risk
- Set up and organize classroom materials, robotics kits, tablets, drones, 3D printers, and other equipment before each session
- Own kit inventory for your site: confirm kits are complete, flag low or missing supplies in advance, and keep equipment clean and in working order
- Manage smooth transitions between activities and efficient cleanup and pack-down at the end of each session
- Log your hours accurately in Gusto and QuickBooks Time, and confirm your schedule and any substitutions with your Area Coordinator in advance
- Maintain a professional, respectful, and positive presence with students, families, school staff, and the SparkMakers team at all times
- Follow all site and SparkMakers policies, including child-protection guidelines, sign-in and sign-out procedures, and safety protocols
- Serve as the on-site point of contact during your session, communicating promptly with your Area Coordinator about scheduling, student needs, incidents, or concerns
- Report any safety or child-welfare concern immediately and in line with mandated reporter obligations
- Teaching or classroom experience preferred, whether in a school, after-school, camp, tutoring, or youth program setting
- Comfort and confidence leading a full group of elementary or middle school students independently
- Passion for STEAM and the ability to spark it in students who have never tried it before
- Reliability, warmth, and a growth mindset, with the judgment to make good calls in a hands-on, sometimes fast-paced classroom
- Strong communication skills with students, families, site staff, and your team
- Bilingual English and Spanish is a strong plus
- Excited to be part of a growing company and to help build STEAM education in your community
- Reliable transportation to serve sites across the region
Sessions run on weekdays during after-school and in-school hours, scheduled around each partner site's program calendar. Specific days, times, and locations are coordinated based on your availability, program placement, and site needs. We do our best to build a consistent weekly schedule so that teachers and students can build strong, lasting relationships.
Requirements & OnboardingBecause Lead Teachers work directly with minors, placement is contingent on completion of a Live Scan and mandated reporter training, all completed before any student contact. SparkMakers provides program-specific onboarding, curriculum training, and ongoing on-site support from your Area Coordinator so that every Lead Teacher feels prepared and confident from day one.