STIPEND: BPS ACTT Science Content Methods Instructor and Mentor

SCHOOL YEAR : 2019-202020

POSITION TITLE: BPS ACTT Science Content Methods Instructor and Mentor
The BPS Accelerated Community to Teacher (ACTT) Program is seeking an exceptional Science educator to teach and mentor aspiring science teachers accepted into the SY 2019-2020 ACTT Cohort.

BACKGROUND:
The Office of Human Capital is committed to recruiting, hiring, developing, and retaining a racially, ethnically, culturally, and a linguistically diverse group of highly effective and culturally proficient teachers and principals every year. We continue to focus our efforts on three key "levers" for human capital reform: Cultivate and Recruit, Hire Early, and Develop and Retain. These levers remain at the center of our strategy for accelerating student learning.

The Boston Public Schools' Accelerated Community to Teacher (ACTT) Program is part of an overarching strategy to increase and improve the diversity of exemplary teachers in the district's teacher pipeline. The ACTT Program prepares racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse educators to become teachers with a preliminary license in Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; or Middle/High School Math, Science, or English/Humanities.
ACTT participants develop their teaching skills in a cohort and learn from highly-skilled teachers and community partners through a rigorous, interactive hands-on experience. Participants are required to prepare a competency-based portfolio and participate in a pre-practicum and full-practicum experience. Program faculty use each participant's learning portfolio, classroom participation, and mentor teacher feedback from their teaching experiences to determine a candidate's readiness for a full-time teaching role and eligibility to earn up to 6 graduate credits from UMASS Boston.

The program will be delivered on select Saturdays from 9am - 3pm (September, 2019- June, 2020).

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Collaborate as a team member with the ACTT Instructional, Mentoring, and Design Teams to support ACTT program goals. This may include attending additional planning meetings.
• Implement ACTT Program learning goals and objectives, in alignment with the MA Educator Evaluation Rubric.
• Plan and implement small group instruction for 6 ACTT cohort members who aspire to become science teachers in BPS. Instruction is based on the needs of cohort members to pass high school or middle school science MTELs and learn content focused instructional practices for a science classroom. Instructional practices include teaching reading and writing, lesson planning, classroom discourse, assessment and grading (October - February).
• Establish and maintain a trusting, confidential, professional relationship with 6 cohort members. Provide ongoing quality feedback on all assignments and offer direct mentorship to cohort members, and maintaining grades in an online gradebook.
• Provide support and feedback for cohort members during and after their teaching practicum (April - May). Visit practicum sites and/or review teaching videos.
• Assist with design and delivery of large and small group instruction for general teaching theory and practice (March - June). This includes classroom management and culture, teaching all learners, family engagement, using data to inform instruction, arts across the curriculum, and restorative justice.
• Attend Saturday sessions 2-3 times/month (specific dates will be provided).

CORE COMPETENCIES: Using the Rubric of Effective Teaching, the Office of Human Capital has identified priority skills and abilities that ALL BPS Educators should possess:

1. Accountability for Student Achievement

(II-A-1. Quality of Effort and Work, II-D-2. High Expectations, I-B-2. Adjustments to Practice)

• Sets ambitious learning goals for all students, creates cognitively demanding tasks, and models the belief that that all students can master challenging material through effective effort
• Assesses students' understanding regularly with ambitious learning goals in mind and takes ownership of making necessary adjustments to instruction to reach goals despite setbacks
• Passionate and optimistic about their students, their content, and the teaching profession

1. Communicating Content Knowledge

(I-A-1. Subject Matter Knowledge, I-A-4. Well-Structured Lessons)

• Demonstrates mastery of and enthusiasm for content area and the pedagogy it requires
• Demonstrates understanding for how the subject matter applies in real-world settings and connects to other content areas and relevant standards
• Can convey content in creative and engaging ways that align to standards

1. Equitable and Effective Instruction

(II-A-3. Meeting Diverse Needs, II-A-2. Student Engagement, II-B-1. Safe Learning Environment)

• Scaffolds and differentiates instruction in order for all students to do complex thinking and rigorous academic work
• Uses instructional practices that are likely to challenge, motivate, and engage all students and facilitate equitable, active student participation
• Builds a productive learning environment where every student participates and is valued as part of the class community

1. Cultural Proficiency

(II-C-1. Respects Differences, II-C-2. Maintains Respectful Environment)

• Actively creates and maintains an environment in which students' diverse backgrounds, identities, strengths, and challenges are respected

1. Parent/Family Engagement

(III-A-1. Parent/Family Engagement)

• Engages with families and builds collaborative, respectful relationships with them in service of student learning

1. Professional Reflection & Collaboration

(IV-A-1. Reflective Practice, IV-C-1. Professional Collaboration)

• Regularly reflects on practice, seeks and responds to feedback, and demonstrates self-awareness and commitment to continuous learning and development
• Seeks to participate in and contribute to a collaborative adult learning community.

QUALIFICATIONS--REQUIRED:

• Education: Hold a Bachelor's degree.
• Hold a Massachusetts Teaching License in General Science (5-8) and/or Biology, Chemistry, or Physics (8-12).
• Meet all state and federal guidelines in order to be fully licensed and Highly Qualified.
• Meet the Standards of Effective Teaching established by the Boston Public Schools as outlined above.
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills
• Communicate digitally using the BPS email system, Google Drive, and other digital resources
• Demonstrate commitment to diversity, closing the achievement gap, and ensuring all students have access to the highest quality instruction
• Possess mastery of pedagogical and subject matter skills
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to work effectively with a team, fostering collaboration and growth
• Expertise in designing and implementing standards-based instruction
• Commitment to professional growth and learning
• Experience facilitating and building relationships with adult learners
• Desire to help aspiring science teachers track their progress against standards for teaching proficiency by engaging in conversations about their practice, providing objective and ongoing feedback, and using evidence of classroom practice and student learning to improve their practice.
• Current authorization to work in the United States - Candidates must have such authorization by their first day of employment

QUALIFICATIONS--PREFERRED:

• Experience teaching in urban schools
• Hold multiple Massachusetts teaching certifications in for science
• Hold either a Massachusetts ESL License at the appropriate level or SEI Endorsement
• Hold a Masters degree in Education
• National Board Certification in Science for Early Adolescence or Adolescence and Young Adulthood

TIME COMMITMENT/COMPENSATION :
Time commitment:

• Content instruction and mentoring: approximately 85 hours;
• Teaching practice and theory instruction: approximately 95 hours;
• 5 Day Long Professional Development Days for reflection and planning (during school day, subs provided: 2 Fall 2019, 3 Spring 2020, specific dates TBD).
• SY2020-2021 ACTT Recruitment and Selection: approximately 25 hours

Compensation: Stipend to be finalized during hiring process
All interested candidates please submit a resume and cover letter to diversity-actt@bostonpublicschools.org by September 6, 2019.

As an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer we actively seek applications from candidates of color, women, and candidates committed to our focus on children.