Summer Camp Lead Educator

Full Job Description

Job Overview:

The South Carolina State Museum is seeking exceptional Summer Camp Lead Educators to lead joyful, curiosity-driven learning experiences for children ages 5–13 years old.

At SCSM, summer camp is more than childcare or lesson delivery -it’s about cultivating curiosity, building confidence, and creating meaningful moments of discovery.

As a Summer Camp Lead Educator, you will serve as the lead teacher and learning facilitator for your classroom.

You’ll facilitate and adapt pre-designed camp activities, guide hands-on experiences, support creative problem-solving, and provide a steady, supportive presence for campers and staff in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Educators will also engage campers through games during social times and informal experiences during museum gallery exploration.

Our camp program is rooted in play-based, inquiry-driven, and developmentally informed practices, drawing inspiration from Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, the Curiosity Approach, Maker Learning, and informal science education.

Tinkering is a core teaching practice in this role - educators are expected to facilitate open-ended exploration, iterative design, and hands-on making where outcomes are not predetermined and learning emerges through trial, error, and discovery.

During morning classroom sessions, Summer Camp Lead Educators take full ownership of the learning environment, including curriculum delivery, materials management, and guiding assigned support staff.

Across camp themes in science, astronomy, history, art, tinkering, and natural history, your mission remains the same: to spark wonder, nurture curiosity, and inspire a lifelong love of learning.

Reports To:

Summer Camp Lead Educators will report to the Manager of Education & Experiences with secondary reporting to the Education Coordinator.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Serve as the lead educator and primary learning facilitator for a classroom of up to 25 campers (ages 5–13), taking full ownership of the learning environment during morning instructional sessions.
• Learn, adapt, and deliver curriculum through hands-on, inquiry-rich, and play-based experiences that emphasize tinkering, experimentation, creative problem-solving, and process over product.
• Facilitate open-ended exploration and iterative design, supporting campers through trial, error, and revision while encouraging multiple approaches and solutions.
• Prepare, organize, and manage classroom materials, tools, and learning spaces, including daily setup and cleanup, to ensure environments are welcoming, functional, and safe.
• Clearly communicate expectations, activity flow, and support strategies to assigned support staff, modeling inclusive teaching practices and ensuring cohesive classroom support.
• Foster emotionally safe, inclusive, and disability-aware environments, supporting campers with diverse learning styles, access needs, and abilities with empathy and flexibility.
• Ensure the physical safety and supervision of all campers in classrooms, galleries, and shared museum spaces, including smooth and safe transitions throughout the building.
• Guide behavior and peer conflict using developmentally appropriate approaches, supporting campers in problem-solving and self-regulation.
• Support camper medical, wellness, and sensory needs, including providing basic first aid and following Wellness Room and emergency procedures as trained.
• Follow all museum policies, schedules, and legal requirements, including FERPA and HIPAA, with professionalism and discretion.
• Collaborate with educators, coordinators, and museum staff to support daily operations, special events, and changing program needs.
• Assist with daily camper check-in and check-out and communicate respectfully with caregivers while maintaining confidentiality and positive guest experiences.
• Participate in Accessibility Mornings, special events, and all required trainings, representing the South Carolina State Museum’s educational values through wonder, professionalism, adaptability, and care.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Must be 18 years of age by June 1, 2026
• High school diploma required
• 2+ years of teaching or camp experience preferred
• Comfortable serving as a classroom lead and supervising support staff
• Strong communication, leadership, and conflict-management skills
• Ability to confidently speak in front of groups and engage students
• Experience or interest in STEAM education strongly preferred
• Comfortable working with children of varying abilities, including disabled students
• Ability to follow FERPA and HIPAA guidelines and maintain confidentiality
• Dependable, adaptable, and able to work in a fast-paced environment
• Availability for some evenings and weekends as required

ADA/Physical Requirements:

• Ability to lift and move 25-50lbs
• Prolonged standing and walking, including climbing stairs multiple times daily
• Work in small classrooms and large exhibition spaces
• Comfortable working in loud environments and around sudden noises
• Ability to navigate indoor and outdoor education spaces
• Comfortable under overhead and fluorescent lighting for extended periods
• Comfortable around bodily fluids and handling basic medical situations (e.g., vomit, cuts, runny noses)

Required Dates:

Mandatory Training:

• May 18-22, 2026 (9am-4pm)
• May 26-29, 2026 (9am-4pm)

Mandatory Open House:

• May 28, 2026 (4:30-6pm)

Mandatory Camp dates:

• June 1 – July 31, 2026
• No camp June 29 - July 3, 2026

Additional Required Dates:

• June 13 - Accessibility Morning (7:30am-12pm)
• June 27 - 250th American Revolution Celebration Day (8:30am-5pm)
• July 11 - Accessibility Morning (7:30am-12pm)