Application Review Date: (To ensure consideration, please submit all application materials before review date):
01/21/2025
Open Until Filled:
Yes
Description of Work:
The Mentor Teacher is a lecturer in the Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies. The Mentor Teacher facilitates full and effective implementation of Educare's Core Features and evidence-based instructional practices to continuously improve teaching and learning with the aim of accelerating children's learning, development and school readiness outcomes. Mentor Teachers provide teacher leadership in the 1) design, delivery and coordination of intensive professional development; 2) education program development; 3) facilitation of interdisciplinary collaboration; and 4) administrative support. The mentor teacher's physical work location will be Educare Lincoln ( https://home.lps.org/educarelincoln/).
Duties and Responsibilities Professional Development - Mentor Teachers promote a culture of collaboration and structure contexts for professional reflection, inquiry and learning. They coordinate or facilitate group-based professional development strategies for teachers to work collaboratively to share reflections, examine practice, solve application challenges, manage conflict and promote continuous learning and improvement in professional practice and child outcomes. Specific duties include:
Team Lesson Planning - Schedules and protects time for regular collaboration among the teaching team to review data, reflect on children's progress and teaching practices, and plan for interaction, instruction, and family engagement.
Lesson Study - Facilitates or coordinates collaborative "lesson study" opportunities for teachers to unpack early learning and development standards, discuss children's progress, examine practice, and together design innovative learning experiences.
Reflective Practice Groups/Communities of Practice - Facilitates or coordinates reflective practice groups or communities of practice for teachers and university students to engage in shared reflection, inquiry, and professional learning.
Coaching - Implements with Classroom Teachers and university students formal cycles of reflective-content-based coaching (planning conversation, observation, reflecting conversation) to support the transfer of knowledge and improvements into practice.
Reflective Supervision - Provides Classroom Teachers and university students with reflective supervision to support, develop, and evaluate their performance through a process of inquiry that encourages their understanding and articulation of the rationale for their own practices.
Education Program Development - Leads and coordinates Educare's education program for children ages birth to five, including implementation of the following core features and evidence-based practices:
Ensures that research-based, comprehensive curricula are in place, and alignment of early learning standards, curricula/outcome goals, formative assessments, and instructional strategies.
Ensures teacher-child interactions and instruction are responsive, intentional, and developmentally appropriate to ensure children are provided socially supportive, organized, and instructionally meaningful interactions to support their development (i.e., social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and language) and learning (i.e., literacy, math, science, technology, social studies, and arts).
Uses child screening, assessment, and progress data to inform lesson planning, individualization, and the intensification of instruction in the areas of oral language, dual language, and literacy development and skills; social-emotional and self-regulation development and skills; and numeracy and problem-solving skills.
Primary caregiving and continuity of care.
Interdisciplinary Work and Collaboration - Facilitates interdisciplinary work and collaboration among the education program/staff and other program areas/staff, including:
Participates in the Research Program Partnership and processes of continuous quality improvement and, in conjunction with the Local Evaluation Partner, ensures completion of child screenings and assessments and coordination of timely feedback to teaching teams.
Collaborates with Family Support and the Site Manager and participates in efforts to engage and involve parents with the program, staff, and child development and learning.
Participates in Family/Child Reviews (FCRs) and, in conjunction with the Family Support Supervisor, ensures FCR action plans are followed, and progress is monitored.
Collaborates with the Mental Health and Disabilities Coordinator to facilitate the completion of Case Consultations and Special Education eligibility, planning, and implementation processes when warranted.
Participates with Family Support Supervisors to co-facilitate teams of Education, Family Support, and other support staff (i.e., mental health, disabilities) to plan and implement targeted and intensive interventions for children displaying challenging behaviors.
Administrative Support
Ensures all Early/Head Start performance standards, Educare core features, state and local licensing requirements, and other funder requirements related to education are met.
Monitors and ensures education plans and other required documentation for children and classroom are completed.
Participates in the development of program policies, service delivery plans, and ongoing monitoring of program quality.
Ensures all assigned program area reports are completed and submitted on a timely basis.
Ensures all confidential information is protected.
Participates in recruitment efforts to help maintain full program enrollment.
Participates with Human Resources to recruit and hire educational staff and facilitates hiring approval by the Head Start Policy Council.
Completes Education staff performance appraisals.
Establishes education staff schedules, including approval of time off requests, and coordinates placement of classroom substitutes and floaters, as needed.
Performs other duties as assigned within the scope of the job description.
The College of Education and Human Sciences respects people, ideas, voices, and perspectives. Diversity strengthens our ability to problem-solve and build more equitable and inclusive solutions for complex challenges. At the University of Nebraska, we strive for excellence in all that we do. True excellence requires that every individual be able to work and learn in an atmosphere of respect, dignity, and acceptance. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion requires each of us to continuously ensure our interactions are respectful, protect free speech, and inspire academic freedom. As an EO/AA employer, the University of Nebraska considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation. See https://equity.unl.edu/notice-nondiscrimination/.
Minimum Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Special Education, Education, or a closely related field.
Experience working in center-based Early Childhood programs, Early Head Start, or Head Start.
Experience working in Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education.
Ability to pass a background check that meets compliance standards.
Experience supervising and facilitating the professional growth of adult employee(s).
Preferred Qualifications:
Master's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Elementary Education, or a closely related field.
Nebraska Teaching Certification.
Early Childhood Endorsement.
Experience providing professional development to classroom teachers.
Work Location (City, State):
Lincoln, NE
Criminal History Background Check Required:
Yes
How to Apply:
Click "Apply for this Job," complete the Faculty/Administrative information form, and attach the following documents:
Letter of application with a narrative addressing your qualifications for the position (2 pages maximum).
Curriculum vitae.
Contact information for three (3) professional references.
Philosophy of teaching (1 page maximum).
A statement of the value you place on diversity and your anticipated contributions to creating inclusive environments in which every person and every interaction matters (1 page maximum).
Combine the statements (items 4 and 5) into a single document and attach as "Other Document."
For more information, contact Jennifer Leeper Miller, Search Committee Chair, at jleeper2@unl.edu.
For questions or accommodations related to this position contact:
