Teacher Summer Teaching Fellowship
Job Description
POSITION
Summer Teaching Fellows come from college campuses across the United States to observe, learn from, and co-teach with Mentor Teachers who are currently full-time, high-performing teachers within our Uncommon schools. STF is currently offered in Boston (MA), Newark (NJ), Camden (NJ), Brooklyn (NY), and Troy (NY) and Fellows serve students in grades K-12. The format and experience of the fellowship varies by region and the grade level in which a Fellow has been placed.
Candidates can indicate their choice of region and grade level (elementary, middle, or high) on the application and, if selected, will be notified of specific STF placement info in mid-May. Please note that positions in preferred geographic locations and grade levels may not always be available due to varied capacity and size of each region. Candidates should list their top choices of location and grade level on the application but understand that placements in in top choices may not always be available.
During the end of the regular school year, most Fellows will observe classrooms, support their Mentor Teacher, and potentially lead individual or small group student instruction. When the regular school year ends and Summer Academy commences, Fellows progress to leading instruction for a full class of students, allowing for direct teaching experience still with the support and guidance of a Mentor. Fellows receive regular feedback and coaching from their Summer Academy Director (leader of Summer Academy) and Mentor Teacher. Depending on the region and grade level, Fellows may lesson plan and build curriculum for their summer class with the support of their Mentor Teacher and Summer Academy Director.
Fellows will also participate in professional development sessions around teaching taxonomies, as well as regular check-in and feedback meetings with their Mentor Teacher and/or Summer Academy Director. Fellows will have many opportunities to gain the experience and support necessary to develop, grow, and enhance their instructional skills.
By the end of the summer, Summer Teaching Fellows will be strong candidates for full-time teaching positions to begin after completion of their undergraduate requirements.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES (may vary depending on region and grade level that a Fellow is placed in)
The first few weeks of STF may look different than the ones to follow. During that time, Fellows will have a week of Orientation where they will receive professional development on various topics and the opportunity to build cohort culture and connect with colleagues. PD Topics include time and task management, STF and Uncommon 101, Teach Like a Champion techniques, panel discussions on education reform, and much more.
Following Orientation Week, Fellows will be at their assigned host school and in classrooms during the last few weeks of the school year where they develop skills and knowledge to aid in their success during Summer Academy. Examples of tasks and activities that a Fellow may engage in are:
- Reporting to your host school—Fellows typically get to school at around 7:00am and leave by around 4:30pm.
- Mentor teacher check-ins— meeting your Mentor Teacher and getting to know him/her.
- Observations— observing your Mentor Teacher or other master teachers in their classrooms.
- Prepping for Summer Academy— gathering materials, information, and building content knowledge necessary before you begin teaching or co-teaching in your Summer Academy classroom.
- Daily routines and structures of our schools— learning about how our Uncommon Schools operate on a daily basis and the standard that is set for our scholars.
- Lesson plan internalization— beginning to internalize lesson plans and practice executing.
- Professional development sessions— attending sessions led by your Summer Academy Director or other staff members on instructional skills.
- Culture building activities— participating in activities hosted by the STF team or Summer Academy Directors.
After the first few weeks, Summer Academy will commence at which point Fellows will report to their Summer Academy site on a daily basis. Please see below for examples of tasks and actives Fellows may engage in during this time:
- Reporting to your Summer Academy site—Fellows typically report to their Summer Academy site at 7:00am and leave by around 4:30pm. Length of days vary, as Fellows may have mandatory cohort meetings or professional development sessions after the end of the summer school day.
- Observations— observing your Mentor teacher or other teachers in their classrooms.
- Teaching or co-teaching— executing your lesson plans with scholars either independently or with the help of your Mentor Teacher or another Fellow.
- Task time at home— lesson practice for the week or preparing for the next day of teaching.
- Professional development sessions— hosted within their region by Summer Academy Directors.
- Culture building activities— participating in activities hosted by Summer Academy Directors.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Current standing as an undergraduate college junior expected to graduate in December 2018 or Spring 2019 (Candidates graduating in December 2019 or in year three of a five-year undergraduate/Master’s program are NOT eligible to apply for STF 2018 and are encouraged to apply for our 2019 cohort. Candidates who are studying abroad in the spring may be ineligible to apply. For more info, please see our FAQs.)
- U.S. citizen or legally eligible to work in the U.S.
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 in concentration/major
- Full availability from May 27th to August 3rd, 2018
- Drive to improve the minds and lives of students in and out of the classroom
- Evidence of self-motivation, willingness to be a team player, and strong sense of personal responsibility
- Hard-working, punctual, urgent, energetic, and willing to learn and adapt
- Extremely self-reflective and constant desire to improve
- Strong organizational skills, communication skills (with children and with peers), and problem solving skills
- Belief in and alignment with Uncommon’s core beliefs and educational philosophy
- Prior experience working in schools and/or urban communities is preferred but not required
- Background or major in education is not required, though candidates should show a demonstrated passion for working with K-12 students
COMPENSATION
- The Summer Teaching Fellowship is between 7 to 10 weeks long.
- For Fellows who are placed at the Elementary or Middle School levels, the program is 7 weeks long and runs from May 28th to July 13th for summer 2018.
- For Fellows who are placed at the High School level, the program is 10 weeks long and runs from May 28th to August 3rd for summer 2018.
- During the program, Fellows receive: $3,500 stipend (subject to all applicable taxes and fees; $6,000 for High School Fellows)
- Travel stipend ($150 – $400, varies by region)
- Provided dormitory-style housing (or an additional $800 stipend for Fellows who opt out of housing and find their own accommodation for summer; note that housing stipends are subject to all applicable taxes and fees)
- Meals (breakfast and/or lunch) at select mandatory professional development sessions during the first week of the program.
- Fellows are responsible for the cost of their own meals through the majority of the program.
