Adjunct Faculty in Civic Engagement / Social Change (Washington DC)

Apply Here: https://apply.interfolio.com/161226

About the Bard Sequence

The Bard Sequence is a program of the Bard Early Colleges (BEC) network that is founded on the belief that many high school–age students are eager and ready for the intellectual challenges of a college education. The Bard Sequence is an equity-based program that brings rigorous BEC dual enrolment courses to historically marginalized student populations at partner high schools and school districts. It currently serves students in the Hudson Valley of New York, Brooklyn and the Bronx, NYC, Orange, NJ, Camden, NJ, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Tulsa, OK, and Denver, CO. The Bard Sequence has awarded over 4,000 transferable college credits since its inception in 2019.

Bard invites dynamic applicants who are passionate about their fields of study and committed to advancing equity through rigorous curricula made accessible to students with varied academic backgrounds to teach Civic Engagement and Social Change to 11th and 12th grade students enrolled at our partner high school.

Course Title: Civic Engagement and Social Change

Course Description

What entices communities to start movements of change? According to the American Psychological Association, civic engagement occurs when individuals and/or communities identify and address issues of public concern. Historically, communities and grassroots efforts have tremendously impacted governmental decision-making around the world.

This course will allow students to look at Washington, DC through the lens of civic engagement, while drawing on other national and international examples to develop the skills to organize and mobilize for a cause. Students will also look at historical examples of engagement, such as the Civil Rights Movement while also exploring issues and movements of today, such as the response to ending DACA, Climate Action Strikes (Fridays For Future), Black Lives Matter, and the Parkland students.

They will also explore environmental issues like the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Flint, Michigan water crisis, as well as disaster relief efforts in the cases of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Sandy in New York City. Lastly, students will explore social entrepreneurship while learning about organizations like Toms. This course will be experiential: students will engage with various communities, interview non-governmental organizations (NGOs), reach out to community partners, and organize events around the school.

Number of Hires Sought: 1 or 2

Location: In Person teaching position at IDEA Public Charter School, 1027 45th St NE, Washington, DC 20019.

Term of Employment: The contract covers the Spring Semester at IDEA PCS which begins on January 27, 2025 and ends on June 13, 2025.

Schedule: A successful candidate must be able to teach in person at IDEA PCS two days a week, preferably Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Salary: $7,500 per section of course taught

Key responsibilities:

The responsibility of a Bard Sequence faculty member is to teach Bard Sequence’s Civic Engagement course in person to students enrolled at IDEA Public Charter School. Faculty will help students to develop critical thinking skills by using debate as a form of engagement and advocacy. Additionally, students will be able to reflect on theoretical foundations on what it means to be an active citizen as well as analyze and reflect on historical movements that have brought about change. Lastly, students will have a better understanding on how the government functions and ways to work with governmental officials (local, state, federal) as well as draw from local community leaders and organizations to talk about their work. Faculty members will be expected to follow the Bard Sequence syllabus and any course materials that are provided.

Faculty members are expected to provide students with the support that they will need to develop these skills and succeed, including providing frequent written feedback on assignments, holding office hours, and regularly communicating student progress with partners and the Director of the Bard Sequence.

Qualifications

A successful candidate will:

• Have a Ph.D. or other terminal degree in the humanities, social sciences, or other relevant field
• Have experience teaching at both high school and college levels (desired)
• Understand cultural differences and purposefully help to uplift ideas from underrepresented groups.
• Have experience in community advocacy and civic engagement preferred (Experience/connections in Washington DC if possible)
• Be committed to providing students with the support and scaffolds that they need to succeed in a rigorous college setting.
• Be willing to work with and take feedback from the Director of the Bard Sequence including direct observation and evaluation.
• Work directly with school leadership of our high school partners including maintaining a professional relationship with faculty of the partner high school as appropriate, observation, and evaluation.
• Provide feedback and support to students including feedback on written work, progress reports, and communication of student progress to high school leadership.

Application Instructions

Please apply directly with Bard College / Bard Early Colleges. Do this by clicking on the “Apply Now” button found through the Interfolio job application link provided here: https://apply.interfolio.com/161226

Use the Interfolio link provided to upload the following documents directly with our organization:

1. Letter of interest
2. C.V. / resume
3. One-page teaching statement
4. Sample course syllabus
5. Contact information for three references

Please note that strong applicants will be asked to provide a classroom demonstration of their teaching either virtually or in person. A good demo lesson should elicit engagement, active participation, and analytical thinking from high school-age students in a classroom setting.

Questions

Inquiries may be directed via email with the subject line “BEC Sequence: Adjunct Faculty in Civic Engagement / Social Change Search” to Matt Park, at mpark@bhsec.bard.edu

Bard College is AA/EOE and welcomes applications from individuals who contribute to its diversity

AA/EOE