Lower and Middle School Curriculum Designer

Who are we?

Prisma is a new kind of education company driven by a mission to ignite a love of lifelong learning and prepare kids to thrive in the future. The world is changing faster than ever, yet our current education system is not designed for rapid change. At Prisma we have designed a new kind of K-12 school, which is built from the ground up to not only prepare kids in the core competencies they’ll need for the 21st century (things like applied curiosity, innovator’s mindset, communication & collaboration, and initiative & follow through to name a few) but to instill in them a desire to make a positive impact on the world. Prisma combines the flexibility of home-based learning, the socialization of a close-knit peer group that meets daily, the support of an inspiring learning coach, and the personalization of an interests-based, adaptable curriculum. We believe that every student deserves to love school, to be able to progress at their own pace, to pursue what interests them, to have a supportive peer group, and to reach their full potential. If you believe this too and dream of a job where you can truly impact the world, read on!

What the role is

We’re reinventing the traditional school experience—so this isn’t your typical curriculum development job. You’ll collaborate with our distributed team to create an engaging online curriculum for grades 4-5 (Lower School Designer Role) or 6-8 (Middle School Designer Role) that blends interest-based, flexible learning, project-baed and experiential activities, and best-in-class online tools and resources.

• Salary Range: $65k - $80k + Benefits (Based on Experience)

What you will do

• Collaborate with our Head of Curriculum and curriculum designers to brainstorm, plan, and refine content for synchronous and asynchronous learning activities for grades 4-5 or 6-8, with a strong focus on creating meaningful and engaging experiences.
• Work with the team to ideate, outline, and perfect interdisciplinary themes—our 6-week learning cycles are built around real-world topics that integrate multiple subject areas and allow kids to choose from a range of hands-on learning experiences. You’ll also refine and enhance themes we’ve run before, tailoring them to better meet the developmental needs and interests of school learners.
• Design interactive, dynamic live virtual workshops facilitated by our learning coaches via Zoom, with a focus on activities that resonate with upper elementary or middle schoolers. Past workshops have invited kids to do everything from participate in a Shark Tank-style simulation where they invested in businesses, to debate the Syrian refugee crisis, to re-home endangered species based on ecosystem analysis.
• Design assessment and feedback materials focused on the holistic development of each child (we don’t give traditional grades or scores), ensuring that content is engaging and developmentally appropriate for upper elementary or middle schoolers.
• Help us source, curate, and adapt the best online learning resources, games, and apps available, incorporating them into our curriculum to make learning fun and impactful.
• Incorporate feedback from the curriculum team and coaching staff to refine and improve content.
• Think outside the box and contribute to the curriculum team’s vision for creating an unparalleled learning experience that excites and inspires learners!

Who the ideal candidate is

• Experienced curriculum designer with a portfolio of creative, engaging, and challenging lessons and/or experiences for grades 4-5 or 6-8. Experience designing curricula for a virtual environment is preferred. You don’t need to have worked in traditional school settings—experience creating dynamic out-of-school experiences for kids works too. You’re eager to stay at the forefront of educational innovation, always striving to create the best curriculum in the world.
• Innovative educator with proven experience in areas such as project-based learning, interdisciplinary learning, game-based learning, or alternative schooling models. If you’ve worked in traditional schools, we want to see evidence of how you went above and beyond to make learning engaging. You’re constantly exploring new ideas and pushing boundaries to keep your work cutting-edge.
• Exceptional writer and communicator who explains concepts and procedures clearly in writing and through engaging visuals for kids at all levels. Since our kids are virtual, they rely on written and visual explanations for tasks much more than in regular school. You’re always open to feedback and willing to refine your work to ensure it’s as polished and effective as possible.
• Organized and efficient project manager who meets deadlines, communicates progress effectively, and thrives as part of a remote team. You’re equally comfortable working independently and taking the initiative to drive projects forward.
• Tech-savvy maker with a toolkit full of creative ways to engage kids in virtual learning experiences (familiarity with Google Suite is essential, and tools like Padlet, Jamboard, Loom, Flipgrid, TinkerCad, Canva, Minecraft, and Scratch are a plus). You’re always looking for innovative tools to enhance learning.
• Quality-driven creator who continually seeks out feedback, refines content, and takes pride in producing work that’s polished, cohesive, and highly effective.
• Creative thinker who loves dreaming up novel, interesting ways for kids to learn
• Lifelong learner who thrives on exploring new resources and going down “rabbit holes” to discover the best content and tools for kids.
• Team player with an entrepreneurial drive who thrives in a fast-paced, rapidly-changing startup environment. You’re adaptable, proactive, and excited to contribute to a mission-driven team that’s reimagining education.

Benefits

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Comprehensive health insurance coverage
• Flexible, remote work - work from anywhere in the world