Learning Community Facilitators are charged with developing and facilitating monthly group learning experiences (Learning Communities) for first year corps members from November 2018 through April 2019. Learning Community Facilitators (LCFs) are tasked with designing and leading experiences that:
- Foster a sense of community across the Learning Community space
- Are founded upon culturally responsive teaching practices and build corps members’ knowledge, skills, and mindsets in leading their students to strong academic and personal growth
- Enable corps members to reflect on their identity and develop as culturally competent leaders in the movement towards educational equity
- Are grounded in Teach For America’s Position on Adult Learning (PAL)
The Learning Community Facilitator role is a part-time position that will begin in the fall and wrap up in the spring.
Learning Community Facilitators will work with the Director, Corps Member Learning as well as other Chicago-Northwest Indiana staff members. Duties include, but are not limited to:
Design and Facilitate Learning Communities (70%)
- Design monthly Learning Community experiences for approximately 20-30 teachers and design and execute make-up experiences for absences
- Facilitate for approximately two hours on the following evenings: November 6th, December 5th, January 15th, February 19th, March 11th, April 2nd, and May 4th (dates may change)
- Review corps members’ pre- and post- Learning Community deliverables to provide constructive and reinforcing feedback to corps members
- Hold Office Hours in between Learning Community experiences (as needed)
- Collaborate with Chicago-Northwest Indiana staff members to plan for and debrief Learning Community experiences in order to meet experience outcomes and provide ongoing information about corps members’ progress to ensure continuity corps member development
Onboard & Engage in Ongoing Development (30%)
- Attend onboarding/training in mid-October
- Commit to learning about Teach For America’s Position on Adult Learning and embedding it into corps member learning experiences
- Engage in ongoing professional development through the reflection and analysis of corps member and staff feedback, as well as monitor progress towards student and corps member goals
- Quantifiable success as a classroom teacher, with a minimum 2 full years teaching experience by the start of the October required and 5 or more years of experience highly preferred. Experience as a Teach For America corps member helpful, but not required.
- Content/Specialty Expertise in one of the following areas: Elementary Education, MS/HS Math or Science, MS/HS English Language Arts, or Diverse Learning/Special Education. Knowledge in the current research and best practice thinking around rigor and pedagogy in your content area.
- Experience facilitating groups of learners towards applying new knowledge and skills including:
- Engaging and comfortable speaking to groups
- Ability to invest participants in their growth as educators
- Ability to build culture and community within sessions
- Ability to keep participants engaged during independent work time
- Deep belief in Teach For America’s mission, core values, and the potential of students in low-income communities
Skills
- Ability to operate as a culturally responsive educator
- Enthusiasm for supporting beginning teachers and a belief in their potential
- Ability to coach corps members to meet session outcomes
- Willingness to collaborate with staff to identify, size, prioritize, and address gaps
- Desire to learn continuously and develop professionally and an openness to feedback
- Track record of being able to manage various work streams and meet deadlines consistently and independently
- Demonstrated personal responsibility over one’s success
Work Demands
- Evenings throughout the year for training, development, and corps member facing work are required
- Ability to travel throughout the Chicago-Northwest Indiana area to facilitate Learning Communities and host Office Hours