THANKS FOR PROPOSING A CLASS AT HUGO HOUSE 

Please fill out the course information as completely as possible. Submit by October 25, 2023 for priority consideration for the SPRING 2024 catalog. Questions? Contact the Education team: education@hugohouse.org.  

If you haven't yet taught at Hugo House, PLEASE be sure to attach your resume/CV and teaching philosophy, as well as responding to the two prompts in the application. We also recommend familiarizing yourself with our previous course offerings before submitting. See extra notes & tips below! 

Note that we are still processing many new instructors’ applications, so we may not be able to program your class in the immediate quarter. Thanks for your patience! 

SELECTION CRITERIA & LOGISTICAL INFORMATION  When selecting courses, we are looking for a fit with our current curricular needs, including a balance of genre, skill-level required of the students, and platform (such as workshop, generative, reading). When hiring teachers, we consider a combination of prior teaching experience, publication history, and the strength of teaching evaluations from Hugo House or other institutions. We're equally committed to hiring a teaching corps that's representative of different and diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to diversity of ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, age, religion, ability and culture.  An education committee of Hugo House staff members and rotating instructors reviews all class proposals. The committee members represent a range of ages, ethnicities, genders, religions and backgrounds.   

The basics:   
 

• A two-hour, multi-week class may be scheduled

1. Mondays at 5 pm or 7:10 pm
2. Tuesdays at 5 pm or 7:10 pm
3. Wednesdays at 5 pm or 7:10 pm
4. Thursdays at 5 pm or 7:10 pm
5. Saturdays at 10am or 1:10 pm
6. Morning 10 am or afternoon 1:10 pm slots may be available on Wednesdays or Thursdays.
    

• A one-day class generally meets for three hours, either from 10 am - 1 pm or from 1:10-4:10 pm on Saturdays. We occasionally run longer one-day classes or two-day classes, depending on space availability.
• Alternate schedules may be possible. Please ask. 
• We are beginning to schedule more classes in our Capitol Hill location, so please indicate if you are willing to teach in-person using the class location selection.
• Generally, class enrollment is set at a maximum of fifteen and a minimum of five. If fewer than five students register for a class, it will be cancelled. Please indicate if you require a higher maximum number of students than five.
• Pay rate for classes is $10.50 per teaching hour times the number of registered students in your class, and $11.00 per teaching hour after teaching at Hugo House for 30 course hours, over at least 4 classes. In other words, a 3-hour class with 15 students at the $10.50 rate will be $10.50 x 15 x 3 = $472.50. If you are teaching a class with another instructor, the pay will be split between the two instructors.

TIPS & SAMPLE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS 

When submitting a course description, please consider it your job application. It should be clear, concise, and free of typos. If you're including writers you'll be reading, their names should be spelled correctly. When a student reads your class description, they should think, "I like the way this person writes! I bet I could learn something from them!" Not: "I'm not sure how this person got a job as a writing teacher!" Our team may edit your course description for clarity and/or length, but we strongly prefer when course descriptions come in the door having been thoroughly thought through and proofread.   

Here are some tips for a great course description: The description should tell us what the class is about, why the topic is worth investigating, what's going to happen (generative writing? workshopping? discussion?), and what students can expect to come away with (a new story? three new poems? a better understanding of metaphysics?). 

Here are a couple of great examples:  

Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning Each week we will discuss an essay from Cathy Park Hong’s provocative new book of essays, Minor Feelings, and freewrite about our own personal experiences as Asian Americans, interrogating themes such as: coming of  age, the model minority myth, class, the white gaze, microaggressions, shame, family, language, and community. Let’s get personal and political as we examine what connects us or holds us apart in a candid and safe  space for exploration.    

Intro to the Short Story “Where does one begin?” asks Amy Hempel in an essay on short stories. Her answer: “With obsession and nerve and ground worth reporting on.” This two-day introduction lays down a few simple but fundamental craft concepts related to writing short stories. Students will generate and share new work in class while we look at the bold and felicitous work of pros like Hempel, Denis Johnson, Amy Tan, Jamaica Kincaid, Donald Barthelme, and Sandra Cisneros. Students should be willing to risk vulnerability and intimacy. They can expect to come away with two beginnings to new short stories.  

Finally, we're often asked about what gaps need to be filled in our catalog. We can't know this until class proposals come in each quarter, but one good way to answer this question for yourself is to look at the current quarter's catalog. What gaps do you see? What unique knowledge or viewpoint can you offer? What have you been reading that's really wound you up? What's happening in the world or around town that you'd like to interrogate? We love fresh, weird ideas and classes that aren't the same old, same old. World literature, translation, and multilingual courses are encouraged. Courses for beginning writers, or folks who don't even think of themselves as writers are encouraged. Courses in partnership with or inspired by other groups or organizations in town are encouraged (such as a writing or reading class based on an exhibition at the Wing Luke or NW African American museum, a writing class in conjunction with the launch of a book like Recipes for Refuge, or the like); we're happy to help arrange a collaboration if applicable.  

THANKS FOR PROPOSING A CLASS AT HUGO HOUSE 

Please fill out the course information as completely as possible. Submit by January 23, 2024 for priority consideration for the SUMMER 2024 catalog. Questions? Contact the Education team: education@hugohouse.org.  

If you haven't yet taught at Hugo House, PLEASE be sure to attach your resume/CV and teaching philosophy, as well as responding to the two prompts in the application. We also recommend familiarizing yourself with our previous course offerings before submitting. See extra notes & tips below! 

Note that we are still processing many new instructors’ applications, so we may not be able to program your class in the immediate quarter. Thanks for your patience! 

SELECTION CRITERIA & LOGISTICAL INFORMATION  When selecting courses, we are looking for a fit with our current curricular needs, including a balance of genre, skill-level required of the students, and platform (such as workshop, generative, reading). When hiring teachers, we consider a combination of prior teaching experience, publication history, and the strength of teaching evaluations from Hugo House or other institutions. We're equally committed to hiring a teaching corps that's representative of different and diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to diversity of ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, age, religion, ability and culture.  An education committee of Hugo House staff members and rotating instructors reviews all class proposals. The committee members represent a range of ages, ethnicities, genders, religions and backgrounds.   

The basics:   
 

• A two-hour, multi-week class may be scheduled

1. Tuesdays at 5 pm or 7:10 pm
2. Wednesdays at 5 pm or 7:10 pm
3. Thursdays at 5 pm or 7:10 pm
4. Saturdays at 10am or 1:10 pm
5. Morning 10 am or afternoon 1:10 pm slots may be available on Wednesdays or Thursdays.
    

• A one-day class generally meets for three hours, either from 10 am - 1 pm or from 1:10-4:10 pm on Saturdays. We occasionally run longer one-day classes or two-day classes, depending on space availability.
• Alternate schedules may be possible. Please ask. 
• We are beginning to schedule more classes in our Capitol Hill location, so please indicate if you are willing to teach in-person using the class location selection.
• Generally, class enrollment is set at a maximum of fifteen and a minimum of five. If fewer than five students register for a class, it will be cancelled. Please indicate if you require a higher maximum number of students than five.
• Pay rate for classes is $10.50 per teaching hour times the number of registered students in your class, and $11.00 per teaching hour after teaching at Hugo House for 30 course hours, over at least 4 classes. In other words, a 3-hour class with 15 students at the $10.50 rate will be $10.50 x 15 x 3 = $472.50. If you are teaching a class with another instructor, the pay will be split between the two instructors.

TIPS & SAMPLE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS 

When submitting a course description, please consider it your job application. It should be clear, concise, and free of typos. If you're including writers you'll be reading, their names should be spelled correctly. When a student reads your class description, they should think, "I like the way this person writes! I bet I could learn something from them!" Not: "I'm not sure how this person got a job as a writing teacher!" Our team may edit your course description for clarity and/or length, but we strongly prefer when course descriptions come in the door having been thoroughly thought through and proofread.   

Here are some tips for a great course description: The description should tell us what the class is about, why the topic is worth investigating, what's going to happen (generative writing? workshopping? discussion?), and what students can expect to come away with (a new story? three new poems? a better understanding of metaphysics?). 

Here are a couple of great examples:  

Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning Each week we will discuss an essay from Cathy Park Hong’s provocative new book of essays, Minor Feelings, and freewrite about our own personal experiences as Asian Americans, interrogating themes such as: coming of  age, the model minority myth, class, the white gaze, microaggressions, shame, family, language, and community. Let’s get personal and political as we examine what connects us or holds us apart in a candid and safe  space for exploration.    

Intro to the Short Story “Where does one begin?” asks Amy Hempel in an essay on short stories. Her answer: “With obsession and nerve and ground worth reporting on.” This two-day introduction lays down a few simple but fundamental craft concepts related to writing short stories. Students will generate and share new work in class while we look at the bold and felicitous work of pros like Hempel, Denis Johnson, Amy Tan, Jamaica Kincaid, Donald Barthelme, and Sandra Cisneros. Students should be willing to risk vulnerability and intimacy. They can expect to come away with two beginnings to new short stories.  

Finally, we're often asked about what gaps need to be filled in our catalog. We can't know this until class proposals come in each quarter, but one good way to answer this question for yourself is to look at the current quarter's catalog. What gaps do you see? What unique knowledge or viewpoint can you offer? What have you been reading that's really wound you up? What's happening in the world or around town that you'd like to interrogate? We love fresh, weird ideas and classes that aren't the same old, same old. World literature, translation, and multilingual courses are encouraged. Courses for beginning writers, or folks who don't even think of themselves as writers are encouraged. Courses in partnership with or inspired by other groups or organizations in town are encouraged (such as a writing or reading class based on an exhibition at the Wing Luke or NW African American museum, a writing class in conjunction with the launch of a book like Recipes for Refuge, or the like); we're happy to help arrange a collaboration if applicable.  

Job Title: Education and Community Programs Director 

Reports to: Executive Director 

Salary & Benefits: $60,000–$65,000 salary, generous holiday and vacation, plus medical, dental, and vision benefits, 403(b) match, and discounts on Hugo House classes. 

Schedule: Full-time, Tuesday–Saturday, some weekends and evening work

Start Date: As soon as possible. 

Hugo House Mission:
Hugo House is a nonprofit literary arts organization located in Seattle with a history as the city's hub for writers since 1997. In the fall of 2018, Hugo House moved into a newly developed facility on the site of their long-time home in the heart of the city, which has enabled dramatic growth in classes and event programming. One of the nation's leading community-based centers for the literary arts, Hugo House has a vision to open the literary world to anyone who loves books or has a drive to write. Hugo House offers year-round creative writing programming, including everything from single-day classes to year-long workshops, readings and events, and open mic nights. 

Position Overview:
The Education and Community Programs Director at Hugo House holds a key role as a leader among a small managerial team. They are responsible for planning, overseeing, and ensuring the successful execution of our education and community programming while meeting revenue benchmarks. Additionally, they focus on maintaining quality and ensuring participant satisfaction by creatively programming a diverse array of courses and expanding our outreach. This position involves coordination with other Hugo House programs for events, development, and marketing. Managing staff within a unionized environment is also part of their responsibilities.  

Job Summary:

• Curate and manage a large number of in-person and online classes on a quarterly basis
• Lead class selection process in collaboration with staff and external stakeholders, ensuring programming aligns with Hugo House's mission, values, and strategy. 
• Lead and supervise a small team within the Education department, providing weekly guidance and support. 
• Recruit, hire, and train teachers to meet Hugo House standards and expectations. 
• Manage extensive teacher communications and ensure their preparedness for teaching.  
• Communicate Hugo House policies clearly, ensuring instructors adhere to the community agreement. 
• Supervise support staff in addressing classroom issues, providing necessary assistance in-person and online. 
• Collaborate with Finance and Executive Director to establish annual budgets, forecasts, and monitor term-by-term revenue. 
• Optimize scheduling and usage of Zoom classrooms, onsite spaces, and available offsite locations for classes. 
• Evaluate program success with a data-driven approach, using participant feedback and responses for each teacher and class, implementing necessary changes. 
• Develop and manage class calendars, particularly those of year-long classes, effectively aligning schedules with marketing, events, and development initiatives. 
• Oversee registration processes on the Hugo House website, managing refunds, cancellations, scholarships, and all class-related administration. 
• Create monthly departmental updates to inform decision-making on class enrollment, revenue, and development areas. 
• Collaborate with the Development team to establish sustainable opportunities for underserved audiences. 
• Supervise related Hugo House education programming, such as Writers-in-Residence, Hugo House Fellows, Write with Hugo House, and others.  
• Other assigned duties as needed. 

Qualifications: 

• Proven record of effective management experience, particularly in supervising teams within an educational or similar setting. 
• Experience with strategic alignment of a department's vision for online and in-person programming, providing clear direction and leadership guidance.  
• Demonstrate alignment with Hugo House's commitment to fostering an antiracist organizational culture. 
• Demonstrated ability for strategic decision-making, evidenced by programmatic initiatives directly aligned with revenue expectations. 
• Over two years of experience successfully managing diverse projects, programs, and activities within specified timelines. 
• Proficiency in managing a dynamic workload while seeking opportunities to optimize, refine, and implement new processes. 
• Exhibit strategic and analytical thinking, fostering collaboration, energy, creativity, resourcefulness, and a strong commitment to the organization's mission. 
• Display strong interpersonal skills, adept at engaging with teachers and students, and effectively contributing as part of the leadership team. 
• Ability to effectively steer and manage a team on an organization's objectives. 

We encourage applications from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) and other people underrepresented in literary arts administration. Hugo House is committed to becoming an antiracist organization and strives to remove barriers that might discourage any person from working here. It is Hugo House's intent to maintain a diverse work force that represents our community. Our approach to diversity is intended to provide not only equal employment opportunities to minorities, women, and persons with disabilities, but also to recognize and value people with ethnic, cultural, and other differences, such as religion, ancestry, language, national origin, culture, age, gender, sexual orientation, and marital status.