Midde School Summer Scholars Teaching Assistant
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
NJ LEEP is a college access and success program for low-income and first-generation students from the greater Newark area. NJ LEEP currently serves middle school students, high school students, college students, and family members. We help students perform at high academic levels by building skills through law-related and other educational programs, developing the habits necessary for college success and community leadership, and offering exposure to colleges, careers, and role models who have achieved professional success. NJ LEEP’s model is challenging and rigorous and prepares NJ LEEP program graduates for success in college. NJ LEEP strives to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. We are committed to anti-racist principles and are actively engaged in the work of those principles, including staff trainings and creating space for dialogue around race and identity for both staff and students. For more information about our work, please go to www.njleep.org.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Summer Scholars Middle School Program (MSP) works with highly motivated rising 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students to provide a preview of the upcoming school year’s Math and English/Language Arts content, as well as enhance social-emotional and life skills, and critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The MSP teaching assistants will work closely with the lead instructors for each grade level to ensure that the students stay focused on successfully meeting benchmarks and academic goals. The primary responsibilities for this role are: grading and student engagement, leading literacy programming, as well as supporting and guiding Project-Based Learning groups. Additionally, teaching assistants are expected to lead students through our social-emotional learning curriculum under the supervision of the lead teachers.
The program runs for six weeks and requires a commitment of 40 hours per week from June 24th to August 2nd (1 week of training and 5 weeks of programming). We plan to hire three Math TAs and three English/Language Arts TAs for Summer 2024.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Instructional Responsibilities:
- Grade and track homework and assignment completion via Google Classroom
- Collaborate with Middle School Program Manager to create weekly dashboards highlighting student academic and behavioral achievements and needs
- Prepare and lead daily Social-Emotional Learning/Life Skills lessons to best address the needs of the class under guidance/supervision of the lead instructor
- Support lesson delivery as directed by lead instructor – TAs should play an active role in the day’s lesson!
- Lead daily 30-minute literacy program
- Supervise student lunch period daily
- Provide individualized feedback on students’ academic and group work as directed by lead instructor
- Update and maintain relevant Google Classroom pages as directed
Student & Family Engagement:
- Monitor and engage with students during programming, ensuring that students are adhering to NJ LEEP standards of conduct & student safety policies
- Help students to build confidence and develop analytical/critical thinking abilities
QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Qualifications:
- Strong background in Math (for Math TA) and/or English, reading comprehension, grammar and writing skills (for ELA TA)
- Positive, strengths-based communication style
- Must be available on all of the NJ LEEP summer program days without any prior scheduled commitments during the hours of program operation
Preferred Qualifications:
- Prior teaching/tutoring experience is preferred
Compensation: NJ LEEP teaching assistants will be paid $16/hour ($640/week), paid biweekly.
Application Instructions:
Interested applicants should complete an employment application online and follow directions in the application for submitting a resume and cover letter. If you have a preference for Math or English/Language Arts, please specify in your application. Applications received by March 18th will receive priority consideration.
Due to the volume of applications, only applicants selected for an interview will receive a response.
NJ LEEP is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our staff. We strongly encourage candidates from all groups and communities to apply. NJ LEEP does not discriminate based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital or family status, veteran status or disability.