Educator

Job Summary: Are you committed to alternative education and social justice? Are you passionate about working with young adults who have experienced educational challenges elsewhere? If so, join the education team at UTEC!  

Educators at UTEC teach both academic (HISET) and non-academic skills such as social and emotional learning, financial literacy, social justice, and workforce readiness skills. UTEC believes in a culture of life-long learning grounded in principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. We are committed to supporting our young adults as they navigate the system and gain the necessary knowledge and skills to challenge systematic and ideological cultures of oppression. The Educator will be an integral part of continuing to shape UTEC’s learning agenda.

The perfect candidate for the position will have the educational experience to develop and/or implement curriculum, knowledge of partnerships with other educational/learning institutions, and investment in cultivating students’ interest in social justice. This is an exciting position for an individual who desires to help shape and lead dynamic programming in a community-based setting, collaborate with fellow educators and youth workers, and serve a youth population that needs extra support to excel. 

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Plan and prepare lessons for Young Adult students including identifying and/or creating curriculum, gathering any materials necessary for any activity included in the lesson, and developing formative assessments to measure student progress.
• Incorporate social justice and civics concepts into educational experiences, both within and beyond the HiSET curriculum.
• Develop strategies and instructional practices to engage small groups of proven-risk young adults that will promote student learning and increase their personal development and social-emotional competence.
• Provide personalized instruction to each student to support individual needs and promote interactive learning.
• Proctor periodic internal assessments and support young adults in setup for “HiSET at Home” testing onsite at UTEC.
• Assist with recording attendance, grading, and testing data within UTEC’s database and compile all necessary reports.
• Support partnerships with institutions of non-academic learning skills and higher education so that UTEC graduates are prepared to enroll in post-secondary institutions or engage in the workforce.
• Regularly communicate with colleagues about young adult performance and participate in scheduled progress meetings with each young adult’s Program Manager and Transitional Coach.
• Assist with UTEC-wide events outside of classroom hours and attend retreats.

Required Skills/Abilities: 

• Ability to multi-task and adapt to a changing environment 
• Must demonstrate an acceptance and respect for cultural diversity in all its forms, including ethnicity, sexual orientation, abilities, and religious backgrounds. Ability to work collaboratively in an ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse environment.
• Can demonstrate an understanding of educational equity and how issues of bias and privilege impact student learning.
• Has excellent written and oral communication, organization, and facilitation skills
• Must be able to foster an inclusive and rigorous classroom environment
• Strong interpersonal skills, humor and compassion
• Excellent relationship-building skills required, including relationship-building across difference
• Ability to self-reflect and implement feedback to constantly improve instructional practice
• Ability to collaborate with Education team members to create and facilitate curriculum
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required
• At least 1 year of urban teaching experience in a school or comparable setting required; 3 or more years of experience highly preferred
• Experience teaching ESL and/or foundational literacy highly preferred
• Teaching and/or administration License in Massachusetts preferred
• Individuals with lived experience that reflects or speaks to the lives of UTEC’s young adult population highly encouraged to apply

Physical Requirements: 

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
• Able to travel as needed.