Job description
School of Education
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Description:
The School of Education (SOE) at American University (AU) invites applications for a term (non-tenure track) full-time position of Instructor/Professorial Lecturer (Clinical Faculty) with a focus on special education, supporting our partnership with the Urban Teachers program, faculty appointment for academic year 2023-2024, with potential for subsequent annual reappointment. The position will be based in Philadelphia, PA. Rank will be dependent on experience and stature in the field.
The appointment is a 12-month faculty position and will commence on June 1, 2023, providing services in Philadelphia, PA. The position has two primary responsibilities – coursework instruction and instructional coaching support. American University’s School of Education is located in Washington D.C., a city with committed and innovative urban educators and access to some of the nation’s largest and most diverse school districts. The SOE, with commitments to antiracism and increasing equitable educational outcomes for students in all learning environments, is a growing school with programs in teacher education, special education, international education, and educational policy and leadership. American University is a private research institution within easy reach of the many centers of government, business, research, and the arts. For more information about American University, visit www.american.edu. Additional information about the School of Education is available at https://www.american.edu/soe/.
Through this partnership with Urban Teachers, the AU SOE offers a two-year Master of Arts in Teaching degree that is integrated into a four-year teacher preparation program that results in the degree as well as eligibility for dual certification in a content area and special education. The mission of Urban Teachers is to prepare highly effective teachers who significantly accelerate student achievement in the nation’s highest-need schools by recruiting outstanding candidates, equipping them with state-of-the-art and research-based pedagogy and professional development, and linking their certification to their demonstration of effective teaching practices and skills.
We seek qualified candidates who are deeply committed to antiracism in urban education and with expertise in the following content areas:
- Mathematics Education
- Science Education
- Literacy Education
- Special Education
We are currently hiring full-time Instructors/Professorial Lecturers to teach and provide instructional coaching support to early-stage educators.
Roles:
AU-UT faculty have practice-based responsibilities throughout the school year, during the day, and/or in the evenings. With a lens on cultural and clinical relevance, Instructors/Professorial Lecturers will perform duties related to:
- Teaching graduate courses (UT faculty are on a 3-3-2 load, with 2 course releases for coaching responsibilities).
- Providing situated instructional coaching support to participants, i.e. observing, evaluating, and providing written and verbal feedback on instructional practices using instructional practice rubrics.
- Engaging in professional learning.
- Collaborating with colleagues on program and governance responsibilities.
- Working closely with Lead Clinical Faculty, Director of Clinical Faculty, site, and national level Urban Teachers staff to provide an excellent program for candidates.
Specific Responsibilities Include:
- Lead coursework by demonstrating high-quality instructional practices, providing ongoing written and verbal feedback, supporting, and grading assignments, and utilizing technology.
- Enact culturally responsive instructional coaching practices through goal setting, observing, evaluating, and providing feedback with early-stage educators and collaborating with their mentor/host teachers at the clinical placement.
- Evaluate participant performance in coursework and clinical placement contexts.
- Contribute to the design and innovation of existing and new Urban Teachers coursework and coaching activities.
- Reliably rate observed (virtual or in-person) teaching practice using instructional practice rubric(s).
- Maintain appropriate data on all program participants.
- Gather and/or support the maintenance of crucial coursework/clinical placement data for program participants using the established systems & dashboards, e.g., Learning Management Systems, Instructional Coaching platforms, etc.
- Contribute to the various professional learning communities at AU-UT, e.g., by sharing best practices in program delivery of coursework and/or instructional coaching, contributing to knowledge sharing in collaboration spaces, engaging in and presenting at annual professional learning institutes and site-based meetings, and teaming with others in support of participants.
- Provide ongoing feedback on the quality of the curriculum, instructional coaching (i.e., tools, technology, practices), and programmatic support.
- Participate in personal and professional growth opportunities in collaboration with other Education faculty and our Urban Teachers partners.
- Participate in UT, SOE, and AU service, such as admissions work or on UT, SOE, and/or AU committees.
Qualifications:
Applicants should hold a master’s degree or higher in education or other closely related fields (e.g., child development). The AU SOE is committed to equity, antiracism, and excellence in education and actively encourages applications from members of all ethnic, racial, and/or cultural groups underrepresented in higher education. Candidates must have a belief and commitment to antiracism.
