Geffen Academy Educator (I-Track Department)

Summary: Under the direction of the head of the I-Track department at Geffen Academy at UCLA, Geffen Academy Educators will be responsible for the delivery of an excellent program of secondary school instruction, including participation in the creation of a course of study, offering excellent instruction to the Academy’s students in as many as five (5) courses each term, and participating in a the life of the Academy in a robust and fully engaged manner. This is a bargaining unit covered position.

Core Functions & Duties
• Assist in the delivery and design a curriculum program that offers every student every term and every year the opportunity and support to engage in independent design-thinking work, centered around the Geffen Academy’s mission, core values, and focus on creating students who excel at asking and answering important questions of their own interest
• Assist in the delivery and design of a computer science curriculum that emphasizes different forms of accessibility to programming and learning programming through creative personal expression.
• Collaborate with other departments on cross-discipline curriculum design and delivery.
• Collaborate with I-Track department chair to further the development of the I-Track structure within the overall Academy program.
• Liaise with Academy’s Student Support Coordinator to support students in I-Track both academically and socially.
• Communicate with families with children enrolled in the Academy to seek out partners and collaborators on I-Track projects, as well as UCLA faculty, students, and staff, so that all students have an I-Track project mentor who is an Academy teacher, a parent at the school, or a qualified UCLA person.
• Collaborate with local cultural and educational institutions to bring students into the world beyond the doors of the Geffen Academy, aligned to student interests and work.
• Maintain an up-to-date understanding of maker space, design-thinking, communications and project-based learning within secondary schools in California and beyond.

Required Knowledge and Abilities (SKACs):

• Experience with fabrication technologies and techniques such as laser cutting, 3D printing, die cutting, and woodworking.
• Experience with robotics and physical computing.

• Programming experience with creative coding environments, such as Processing, Openframeworks, Scratch, TouchDesigner, vvvv or equivalent.
• Experience with digital design tools such as Blender, Gimp, Inkscape, Adobe Creative Suite or equivalent.
• Experience with interactive installations and / or public display of work including performance and social practices.
• Unquestionable personal integrity, excellent judgment, sound instincts, diplomacy and patience, and strong work ethic.
• Emotional strength; able to make and communicate decisions that some families will find difficult to understand or accept.
• Strong background in secondary education with a clear understanding and embrace of the School’s mission, vision, and values.
• Experience in operating educational programs.
• The ability to think and act strategically combined with a strong commitment to providing an excellent and accessible educational experience for each student.
• Must be self-directed and able to effectively prioritize and handle multiple tasks subject to frequent interruption.
• Must be capable of developing and sustaining close, effective working relationships with other staff and faculty.
• Strong background in design thinking and/or project-based learning.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communications skills to articulate and explain complex issues to Academy senior staff, families, and students.
• Must be capable of developing and sustaining close, effective working relationships with other senior staff on matters of interdisciplinary and institutional concern.
• Highly perceptive and intuitive.
• Exceptional listening skills and sensitivity to the needs of others.
• Collegially inclined with peers; a willing communicator and collaborator; enthusiastic team player.
• Comfortable working within a fast paced dynamic school environment.

Qualification: The successful candidate must have a Master’s degree in a related field and a strong background in secondary education with a clear understanding and embrace of the Academy’s mission, vision, and values. A record of outstanding success as a secondary or university educator. Experience in a “bring your own device” educational setting and/or commitment to BYOD program. Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communications skills to articulate and explain instructional issues to colleagues, students, and families. Must be self-directed and able to effectively prioritize and handle multiple tasks subject to frequent interruption. Must be capable of developing and sustaining close, effective working relationships with colleagues in the department and from other parts of UCLA and of the Academy staff on matters of interdisciplinary and institutional concern. Experience in a variety of instructional and co-curricular/extra-curricular roles within a secondary school would be a plus.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy, see: UC Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action Policy http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct