Volunteering at Columbia Secondary School

Assistant Teaching Fellows and Teaching Interns positions

Fall 2007

Qualifications

Columbia Secondary School, a new 6-12^th grade public school for talented students from the upper Manhattan communities seeks highly qualified, passionate assistant teaching fellows and teaching interns for its founding year. The positions vary in nature from assistant teaching in a regular classroom, tutoring, mentoring and supervisory duties. We are specifically interested in pre-service teacher candidates in education or an appropriate field of specialty, who are interested in non-paid internships, community service, or early student teaching internships and who desires to gain practical experience in rigorous progressive-constructivist educational practices. Intellectual curiosity, a humanistic world outlook, the capacity to work in teams and be a school leader, and a commitment to professional excellence are requisites. Bilingual proficiency (English -Spanish) is highly desirable. Because this will be CSS's first year of operations, teaching fellows and interns will be afforded with responsibilities and challenges not typically offered to novice teachers and will be intimately involved in all aspects of building a new secondary school community. This is an exceptional opportunity for those interested in joining us as full-time faculty as positions open in the forthcoming years; for those considering school leadership as a career pathway, and for anyone interested switching to a career in teaching. Possible placement areas include after school tutoring and in-class assistantships in:

Science, Mathematics and Engineering

Social Studies and English Language Arts

Spanish Language Arts, Creative Arts and Philosophy

CSS faculty will enjoy being part of the Columbia University academic community and benefit from having access to the university's vast educational, recreational and cultural resources. We need candidates who can commit to at least 6 hours weekly during the Fall/Spring semesters. We are also seeking study abroad leaders who would accompany our students in one of our 2-week late May-June programs. The positions are generally unpaid, but there is the possibility of a small stipend and per diem for student supervisory work that could be configured into the positions.

About our school

Columbia Secondary will be a selective, public, college prep school with a focus on science, math and engineering. Its program of study will provide a challenging academic experience that prepares its students for selective colleges, for careers in science, math and engineering, and for a life of civic engagement and ethical responsibility. Columbia Secondary aspires to become a world class institution. We intend to train a new generation of scientists, mathematicians and engineers who are socially and politically conscious, who are aware of their responsibility to their communities and the world, and who are dedicated to a life of creation and discovery at the service of humanity. The school is a joint endeavor between Columbia University and NYCDOE. Columbia Secondary will be small, with approximately 650 6th to 12th grade students when it operates at full capacity. It will be housed in a temporary space until 2011, when it will move into a new state-of-the-art building to be located within Columbia University's new Manhattanville campus. The school will have an extended day schedule and a modified school calendar. The Lower School curriculum will be highly integrated, with block scheduling and shared course-rooms supporting interdisciplinary teaching teams that will loop with their classes for two years. In addition to a rigorous core subject program emphasizing math, science and technology; students will be required to take Philosophy as a 5th core course. A diverse activities-based Creative Arts and Physical Education electives program, and summer internship, community service, study abroad and field expeditions programs, will round out the student's learning experience. For additional information please visit our website at http://www.columbiasecondary.org/

Salary and benefits -all positions are volunteer but may be configured for academic, community service or internship credit

To apply: If interested please send a letter of intent explaining your suitability for the position; resume (with phone numbers of 2 references). All accepted fellows and interns will have to be fingerprinted and undergo the DOE background check.

Dr. José G. Maldonado-Rivera, Project Director josem
josemaldonado@columbiasecondary.org - phone 212 666-1278