Teaching Fellowships FAQs
Teaching fellows who are interested in receiving school credit need to arrange that through their college/university. Depending upon the college/university’s requirements, Prospect Park Zoo Education Department staff can assist with supporting documentation. This is reviewed on a case by case basis.
Prospect Park Zoo Education Department teaching fellows are currently paid $12 per hour.
Prospect Park Zoo Education Department offers 2 different teaching fellowship terms:
School Year Fellowship:
The school year fellowship begins mid-September and runs through mid-June. School year fellows are required to work three weekdays each week, from 9:00am – 2:30pm and one weekend from 10:30-3:30.. Additional weekends are also required during special event and birthday party seasons.
Summer Fellowship:
The summer fellowship begins mid-June and runs for eleven weeks. Summer fellows must be able to work Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm for all eleven weeks
Applicants need to submit a letter of interest, resume, and a completed
application form.
Applications must include phone number and e-mail. Applications can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed.
There are two positions available for the school year and two positions available for the summer.
We do not provide housing for teaching fellows. Any candidates needing to relocate to accept a fellowship position would be responsible for locating their own housing.
Teaching fellows are trained on how to handle and present a variety of animals from the Zoo’s tractable animal collection. Please note that these are education-focused fellowships, coordinated through the Prospect Park Zoo Education Department. They do not involve any animal care or maintenance.
The primary responsibilities of a school term fellow include teaching on-site school programs, assisting instructors in lesson plan and materials development, helping with special events, animal handling, hosting birthday parties, and general office work. The primary responsibilities of a summer fellow are teaching on-site summer programs and completing associated tasks that support daily logistics
Candidates should have a strong academic background in one or more of the following areas – zoology, ecology, conservation biology, and education. Experience working with children in either formal or informal settings preferred. The ability to confidently teach science content to a variety of audiences and an interest in wildlife conservation are essential.
School term applications need to be received by June 30th to be considered for positions starting in September of that calendar year. Summer applications need to be received by April 30th to be considered for that calendar year.
Prospect Park Zoo teaching fellows work most closely with and are supervised by the Education Department’s full-time instructional staff along with the Curator of Education.