Science Instructors for Summer Program, Level Playing Field Institute, Oakland, CA

Science Instructors for Summer Program

Posted on: January 8, 2015
Application deadline: March 20, 2015
Start date: April 11, 2015
Posted by: Level Playing Field Institute

Summer Math and Science Honors Academy

Organization: Level Playing Field Institute

Title: Biology Instructor (Berkley, Stanford, UCLA or USC)

Location / Dates: UC Berkeley (June 20 - July 25) or Stanford (June 27 – August 1); Additional staff training dates are mandatory

Reports to: Lead Instructor

Position Type: Full-time, temporary

The Level Playing Field Institute (www.lpfi.org) is an Oakland-based non-profit organization that operates three education programs for high-achieving, low-income high school, middle school and college students of color: the Summer Math and Science Honors Academy (SMASH), SMASH: Prep, and Initiative for Diversity in Education and Leadership (IDEAL). Additionally, (and connectedly) we conduct research on inequity and bias in education and workplace contexts. LPFI is funded by private donors, foundations, and corporate giving; and, we are currently expanding in exciting ways and scaling the SMASH program to multiple college campuses in the coming years. The Summer Math and Science Honors (SMASH) Academy is a five week Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) residential academic acceleration program for motivated, high school students from underrepresented populations (African-American, Latino/Hispanic, South-East Asian and/or Pacific Islander and Native American), who have demonstrated an aptitude for science and math. The student participants are recruited from underserved communities throughout the Bay Area and Los Angeles County and are selected through a competitive application process. During the summer component, SMASH provides accelerated classes, laboratory experiments and exposure to STEM fields; the academic rigor is alloyed with a strong community experience in residential dorm living in order to introduce our scholars to a university environment. During the academic year, SMASH provides scholarship workshops, college counseling, and various community events and further exposure to STEM opportunities. We view the SMASH Academy as an excellent professional development opportunity for instructors who are willing to critically examine their own pedagogical practices and wrestle with new educational paradigms. We believe that the SMASH Academy is a unique environment for scholars and staff alike to focus their interests in STEM education and explore cutting-edge practices. LPFI is seeking to hire individuals that will contribute to our larger aim of developing our scholars to be STEM practitioners who are critically-aware and oriented toward social justice, equipped to employ their STEM knowledge and skills for the betterment of their use their local, national and global community.

The goals of SMASH are to:

• Prepare students from underrepresented communities to be competitive in science, technology, engineering, and math-related studies (STEM) at competitive universities.
• Educate students about graduate school opportunities and encourage them to eventually attend in order to further pursue professional, STEM-related studies or careers.
• Encourage a sense of social responsibility through promotion of critical thinking, civic awareness and leadership

QUALIFICATIONS

• Four-year degree required; advanced degree (completed or in progress) preferred

• A minimum of two years subject area teaching experience and/or relevant STEM work experience

• Content competency and enthusiasm for subject area required

• Demonstrated effectiveness working with low-income youth underrepresented in diverse academic fields

• Commitment to the Summer Math & Science Honors Academy's mission; willingness to embrace goals and values is essential

• Desire to teach with technology and improve technological skills

• Excellent classroom management and teaching skills; openness to various and/or new teaching paradigms

• Willingness to be self-reflective and reflexive about your individual teaching philosophy and practice

• Experience in collaboratively developing curriculum, project based learning and AP coursework preferred

• Availability for all training dates and additional events listed below

• Spanish fluency a plus

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Applied Biology: The SMASH science curriculum is lab based with a project-based learning pedagogy. The focus is to provide scholars the opportunity to apply already learned concepts while acquiring the higher order skills associated with lab work. Therefore, first year scholars engage in lab work ranging from microbiology to ecology. This is an exciting course that helps students develop the skills of a scientist.

Applied Chemistry: The SMASH science curriculum is lab based with a project-based learning pedagogy. The focus is to provide scholars the opportunity to apply already learned concepts while acquiring the higher order skills associated with lab work. Therefore, second year scholars engage in lab work ranging from analytical to organic chemistry. This is an exciting course that helps students develop the skills of a scientist.

Applied Physics: The SMASH science curriculum is lab based with a project-based learning pedagogy. The focus is to provide scholars the opportunity to apply already learned concepts while acquiring the higher order skills associated with lab work. Therefore, third year scholars engage in lab work ranging from mechanics to electricity and magnetism. This is an exciting course that helps students develop the skills of a scientist.

In addition to teaching one of the Science courses, each SMASH Science Instructor will partner with one of the three computer science instructors to co-teach an Engineering and Design Challenges course. This three-part course sequence focuses on the nature of the design process and design thinking through engineering project. Teaching this course does not require a background in engineering or design. The modality will be one where teachers and students work together on fun and engaged prescribed challenges. All lesson plans, course materials and physical resources will be provided by LPFI.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Instruct one Science course (1.5 hours, 3 times a week) and co-instruct an Engineering and Design Challenges class (2 hours, 3 times a week). All classes take place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Attend the following events: Instructor Professional Development & Curriculum Training, Scholar Orientation, Town Hall Meeting, Recognition & Exhibition Event, Staff Debrief**

• Berkeley: April 11-12, May 9, June 6, 18-19, 21, July 25, 27

* Stanford: April 11-12, May 9, June 6, 25-26, 27, August 1, 3**

* Attend Community Meetings – weekly

* Attend Staff meetings – weekly

Attend optional activities/events as able (e.g. Networking Nights, Speaker Series)

• Work collaboratively and professionally with other instructors under the direction of Lead Instructor; timely communication with manager is critical

Utilize SMASH curriculum website and subject specific guidelines to develop appropriate course material for the focus subject area, including:

* A detailed course calendar that aligns with the major assignment calendar provided on the SMASH curriculum website

* Refined lesson plans for each class period

* Modifications, if necessary and approved by Lead Instructor, to course syllabus and/or assessments

Collaborate with other SMASH instructors, both at your site and across sites, to add to SMASH curriculum

Deliver all final lesson plans and reflections to Lead Instructor by completion of program

Set up and maintain a class record of attendance, assignments, and grades in designated student information system

Complete grade book and final assessment requirements

Complete staff surveys and actively engage in all program evaluation activities

Build rapport with and maintain communication with the Residential team, particularly in regards to scholar behavior (positive or negative); participate in an advisory group with designated RA for specific mentorship to a group of scholars

Inventory, package and return all equipment and supplies

Position requires walking, sitting and standing day to day. Climbing stairs, running and participation may be required during community activities. Lifting and carrying up to 10 lbs of supplies is required up to 2/3 of the time.

COMPENSATION

$6000. While we cannot offer a benefits package for this position, we can reimburse you for any approved work-related expense. You are responsible for your own parking and transit related expenses.

STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

In keeping with our beliefs and goals, no employee or applicant will face discrimination/harassment based on: race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, or veteran status. Above and beyond discrimination/harassment based on "protected categories," LPFI also strives to prevent other subtler forms of inappropriate behavior (i.e., stereotyping) from ever gaining a foothold in our office. Whether blatant or hidden, barriers to success have no place at the Level Playing Field Institute.

We value a diverse workforce: People of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply for this position by clicking here. Be sure to check the location(s) of the job opening to confirm which SMASH sites are hiring for this position. If applying to multiple sites, please rank your site preference in the application.

The application includes a place to upload you resume, cover letter and provide a written response to specific prompts. This position closes on March 20, 2015 or until filled.

INSTRUCTOR PROMPTS (to be completed in the application):

Structural and institutional racism are embedded in the sediment, in the very crust of our Nation's racialized terrain. The material consequences of race-based inequity, specifically for poor students of color, are first realized, and subsequently promulgated at the institutional level. Our scholars, perhaps unbeknownst to them, have been (negatively) affected by both structural and institutional racism. That is to say, their respective academic trajectories have been informed, in some manner, by their race. (This is evidenced by the reality that the vast majority of our students will be the first in their respective family to attend a four-year University.) Consequently, here at LPFI we are interested in teachers who are not only competent in their subject matter, precisely because we assume this to be a given; in truth, we are interested in change agents. We are interested in teachers who seek to contribute to and, where necessary, catalyze positive social change by teaching for social justice so that we can foster a student body, which is capable of creating the conditions for producing a citizenry that is critical, self-reflective/reflexive, knowledgeable, and willing to act in morally responsible ways (Giroux, 2011).

Please choose one question to address and limit responses to 150 words or less.

How do your teaching practices actively combat the negative effects of structural/institutional racism within the classroom?

1. Describe how, through your teaching and classroom management, you create a culture which promotes the development of students' agency.
2. What does it mean to be a change agent? More specifically, how do you envisage yourself as an agent of change?

Please answer the questions thoughtfully and truthfully. The questions are just one component in the overall application process. We just want to get a sense of your subjective, educational philosophy. To be clear: If your responses are limited due to lack of exposure to this line of pedagogical thinking/theory (i.e., critical pedagogy), you will not be penalized. We just want to gauge your level of engagement with the notions/concepts presented in the questions.