Fellow Advisor, Philadelphia Teaching Fellows

Posted by on December 15, 2008

Job Posting: Fellow Advisor Position
A teacher affects eternity:  they can never tell where their influence stops.
-Henry Adams

Deadline to Apply: January 30, 2009
Apply NOW!  Materials will be reviewed and interviews granted as applications are received.

The Philadelphia Teaching Fellows
We are currently seeking math, science, Spanish, special education (all subjects), and music Fellow Advisors for the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows program (http://www.philadelphiateachingfellows.org). The Philadelphia Teaching Fellows program was established in 2005 by the School District of Philadelphia to recruit, select, and train talented graduates and professionals, who do not have a traditional background in education, to teach in Philadelphia’s high-need subject areas. Fellows undergo a rigorous selection process and train in an intensive summer Institute. Since its inception, the program has placed more than 300 Fellows in hard-to-staff teaching positions throughout the city.

POSITION DESCRIPTION – FELLOW ADVISOR
The Fellow Advisor (FA) is one of the key players in the Fellows’ training Institute and their readiness to enter the classroom. Each FA is responsible for observing and giving constructive feedback to Fellows on their practice teaching in SDP summer school in the mornings, in addition to leading Framework sessions in the afternoons. FAs are experienced and successful teachers who guide Fellows as they learn to set high academic goals, invest students in these goals, and work strategically to meet them.  FAs bring in example materials, teaching strategies, and organizational routines from their own classrooms to bring our Teaching for Student Achievement curriculum to life and show Fellows the specifics of how to teach for student achievement on a daily basis.

Specific responsibilities include the following:
    Internalize the Teaching for Student Achievement (TfSA) curriculum, with its framework for becoming an effective new teacher in a high need school, explicitly modeling best teaching practice and professionalism at all times
    Prepare for and lead daily two-and-a-half-hour framework sessions in which you deliver TfSA curriculum lessons
    Constantly incorporate student work, organizational tools, district-specific curriculum  and other artifacts from your own classroom to give Fellows the specific tools to make Teaching for Student Achievement a reality
    Meet with other FAs and Program staff to plan sessions and norm feedback standards
    Observe and provide constructive feedback to your Fellows at field training sites
    Maintain good communications and diplomatic relations with the staff at your assigned practice teaching training sites
    Help your Fellows make connections between coursework and practice teaching
    Document and report Fellows’ progress on an ongoing basis and formally at the mid-point and end-point of the summer
    Establish a culture of achievement that drives Fellows to continually maximize their time in Institute
    Provide accurate and up-to-date information on program policy, logistics, and Operating Principles, including information related to securing a teaching position for the fall
    Maintain an accessible and consistent presence for Fellows
    Participate in planning meetings with Philadelphia Teaching Fellows staff, district, and university staff
    Lead a Final  Framework  session in the month of  September
    Provide limited support and communication (via phone and email) to Fellows as they begin teaching in the fall

SERVICE COMMITMENT – The FA position includes five phases of work, during which the hours and responsibilities of the FA vary.

** Written plans are required for all Framework sessions. Philadelphia Teaching Fellows provides a Training Curriculum and a forum for collaboration and feedback.  FAs will personalize Framework sessions, incorporating content knowledge, strong examples of best teaching practices, and student work.

QUALIFICATIONS – Successful applicants to the Fellow Advisor position will demonstrate strong facilitation, time management, organizational and communication skills, and a history of high expectations for and success with students and teachers. Ideal candidates will also have:
    Strong ability to give and receive constructive, appropriate feedback on teaching
    Experience and/or comfort with teaching adult learners
    Evidence of working successfully in teams or cooperative settings
    Minimum two years teaching experience in high-need subject areas  (SDP preferred)
    Previous experience with Philadelphia Teaching Fellows and/or personal experience as an alternate route teacher (preferred, not required)
    Experience and /or familiarity with Understanding by Design (Strategic/Backwards Design), (preferred not required)

COMPENSATION – FAs will receive total compensation of $3,500 – $4,000 for their training and work from June through September.  FAs will be employees of The New Teacher Project, a non-profit consulting organization that provides technical assistance to the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows program. For more information on The New Teacher Project, please see http://www.tntp.org.

TO APPLY – Please read more about our program online at: http://www.philadelphiateachingfellows.org
Submit a resume and cover letter that answers the following questions:
(a)    Why do your experience and skills make you a strong candidate to prepare new teachers to teach in high need classrooms in Philadelphia?
(b)    What experience do you have in giving and receiving constructive feedback based on classroom observations? What do you feel are some key guiding principles in giving feedback to new teachers after an observation?
(c)    What do you believe to be the biggest challenges that will beset the incoming Fellows in the fall and how you will help them prepare to overcome these challenges?

Applications for FA positions, which are preferably received via email, are due by January 30, 2009 to:

Laura Herbst
Email:  lherbst@tntp.org
Fax:    215-400-4671
Mailing Address:    Philadelphia Teaching Fellows
School District of Philadelphia
440 N. Broad Street, Suite 112
Philadelphia, PA  19130