Bilingual Writing Instructor, Mighty Writers

Posted by Mighty Writers on October 10, 2016

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” — Maya Angelou

Bilingual Writing Instructor (Spanish/English) TEMPORARY – Mighty Writers

About Mighty Writers
Mighty Writers is a nonprofit that teaches Philadelphia kids, seven to 17, to think and write with clarity. Our free, out-of-school writing programs in South, West & North Philadelphia have grown to serve 2,000 kids a year. We currently have four locations in Philadelphia, including a bilingual (Spanish/English) site in the Italian Market section of Philadelphia, a hub of the Mexican American community.

Position Description
The MW Bilingual Writing Instructor – Temporary will write curriculum and teach in a variety of capacities at Mighty Writers El Futuro for a minimum of six weeks. S/he will work with the Mighty Writers leadership team to revise and refine our curriculum annually. The MW Bilingual Writing Instructor (Spanish/English) will help teach an aggressive lineup of year-round, bilingual (Spanish/English), out-of-school programs, four weekday afternoons/evenings a week and one weekend day, with the support of a robust volunteer program.

The successful applicant will be entrepreneurial: able to build unique programs, to be accountable and to take ownership of program results. S/he will have high expectations for students, will work well with diverse constituencies and will have a good rapport with people of all ages and backgrounds, including children, teenagers, parents and volunteers. S/he will be self-motivated, work well under pressure and be able to handle several projects at one time. S/he will have good judgment and an eye for detail; as well as the ability to see the big picture. Native Spanish speakers are strongly encouraged to apply.

This position will begin in January 2017 and last for a minimum of 6 weeks, with the opportunity to grow into a permanent, part-time position. Salary commensurate with experience.

Responsibilities

Administrative
• Be a part-time (starting at 25 hours/week) face of Mighty Writers, serving as primary parent liaison and translator
• Recruit kids and teens for programs, workshops and mentorships through targeted outreach to students, parents, educators and community members
• Revise and translate written materials for the site, as needed
• Manage and implement writing curriculum for the MW Academy four weekday afternoons/evenings for kids in grades 3-8, serving as Bilingual Writing Instructor (Spanish/English) for one weekend day.
• Revise and refine organization-wide curriculum annually (as a part of a team)
• Design, implement and teach at least one writing workshop for students from various age groups
• Support evaluation to track and measure student progress across programs
• Help to oversee all operations, such as:
o Troubleshoot physical site issues as needed (electric, HVAC, plumbing)
o Keep sites in good shape
o Outfit spaces with new/current technology and replace as needed.
o Update décor as needed
o Systems (computers, phones)

The Bilingual Writing Instructor (Spanish/English) also manages some administrative tasks such as:
o Light filing o Data entry o Document creation
• Remain knowledgeable and informed regarding any issues, regulations or professional standards that may impact Mighty Writers’ policies or operations
• Maintain confidentiality of all pertinent or sensitive information

Supervisory
• The Bilingual Writing Instructor (Spanish/English) reports to the Program Director of their site.
• The Bilingual Writing Instructor (Spanish/English) will share responsibility for continuing, training and managing volunteer program, to ultimately include at least 150 volunteers annually.

Education and Work Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Arts Administration, Liberal Arts, History, English (preferred, but not required); and/or equivalent prior experience
• Experience working directly with city youth in an educational setting
• Understanding of community youth development programming

Qualifications
• Minimum of one (1) year of direct experience working with youth in an education-focused environment
• A strongly held educational philosophy of how to inspire kids to write and succeed
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong research, organizational, time management and computer skills
• Proven management and leadership capabilities
• Interest, enthusiasm and affinity for working with children, youth and adults

To apply: Native Spanish speakers are strongly encouraged to apply. Please submit resume and cover letter to rloeper@mightywriters.org. Cover letter should answer these questions:
• What is your educational philosophy of how to inspire kids to write and succeed? Where does this philosophy come from?