STEAM Educator/Makerspace Coordinator

Position Summary:

Barrie Montessori is seeking a STEAM Educator/Makerspace Coordinator for the 2018-2019 school year. The successful candidate will be a leader in Design Thinking and STEAM education who is ready to join the school during an exciting time, as the school is designing and building a Makerspace to open this fall. The new space will be designed for STEAM-oriented learning through making, tinkering, engineering, design, and integration of art.  The STEAM Coordinator will be responsible for designing a comprehensive program that inspires students as they grow to be creative thinkers and learners. The Coordinator will support faculty member’s efforts to integrate instructional strategies, and multiple technologies that promote cooperative and project based learning through an interdisciplinary and STEAM curriculum.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Develop a NGSS based STEAM curriculum,  collaborate with Barrie faculty to identify, promote, and create interdisciplinary and STEAM teaching and learning experiences for grades K-5

• Plan and coordinate all STEAM related educational activities, including the purchasing and planned use of tools and resources, professional development and projects for Barrie Montessori 

• Identify resources, plan, and design staff development activities to support professional growth in learning technologies

• Work in partnership with teachers and staff, modeling consistent effective teaching with technology, engagement, lesson plan design, use of technology, STEAM and online tools

• Provide guidance and coaching to teachers on educational and instructional methodology related to inquiry and the implementation of project-based curriculum

Makerspace Lab Management and Supervision:

• Maintain machines, tools, materials, safe use, and schedule of the Makerspace

• Research and recommend the purchase of appropriate STEAM tools and resources for classroom use Ensure faculty is appropriately trained

• Plan and coordinate all STEAM related educational activities, including the purchasing and planned use of tools and resources, professional development and projects for Barrie Montessori  

• Troubleshoot minor issues or malfunctions of hardware or software and works with hardware consulting to identify and troubleshoot major issues in the makerspace lab

Curriculum and Program Support:

• Identify and utilize best practices for conducting STEAM education

• Model passion and a strong understanding of the principles of engineering and design thinking

• Identify and apply educational and technology-related research and instructional design principles in guiding use of technology in education

• Work to integrate art-thinking and making routines into the engineering and design process

• Facilitate partnerships with Maryland and DC Museums (Walters Art Museum, National Gallery of Art, Building Museum) for on campus and on (museum) site learning

• Identify specific, age-appropriate objectives and collaborate with K--12 teachers to increase STEAM, design, innovation and maker opportunities among the student community

• Understand and be able to design, develop, assess, and manage STEAM learning experiences including those outside of the regular school day (i.e. extra-curricular activities, clubs, Summer Camp programs)

Community Outreach/Professional Growth:

• Facilitate connections with other maker communities and external organizations that promote program participation and provide collaborative opportunities (such as Maker Fairs, workshops, hackathons, etc.)

• Understand and support Barrie’s School mission and philosophy and to promote a positive image of the school

• Work with faculty to create and disseminate information to various stakeholders about students’ projects and progress

• Be committed to building relationships within the Barrie community that will advance programmatic goals and promote “outside the box” thinking

• Work with community organizations to provide or expand co-curricular programming which supports student success (for example, Art Museums, local universities)

• Investigate and plan for implementation of a district STEAM/science fair

• Research and attend top STEAM conferences yearly

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a related content area required, Master's degree preferred

• Minimum of 5 years teaching experience preferred in either the sciences, engineering, technology and/or the arts, with a strong personal interest and exposure to all three areas, and the desire and skill to integrate across various disciplines

• Knowledge of and experience with current best-practice in inquiry and STEAM education

• Classroom experience and strong classroom management skills

• Experience coaching teachers and/or leading professional development programs

• Knowledge of online educational websites, resources, platforms, and apps pertinent to the teaching of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics

• Varied professional experience, both in classroom settings and outside of schools 

• Knowledge of content standards, effective instructional strategies, and assessment driven instruction

• Experience in writing and designing curriculum

Ability to inspire students and encourage creative thinking

Key Skills:

• Highly effective communication, listening, collaboration, and interpersonal skills

• Effective written, verbal, and technology-based communication skills

• Proven organizational and time management skills

• Information Technology Skills

• Ability to demonstrate growth mindset, optimism, and belief that all students can learn

• Self-starter with the ability to innovate and think creatively about education

• Leadership ability in the use, adaptation, and introduction of a wide-array of technology as tools to support and deepen student learning and instruction

• Strong Google Apps for Education skills (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Sites, etc)

• Experience (or familiarity with) tools such as, but not limited to: 3D printing, AutoCAD, Arduino, Makey-Makey, Codecademy, Tynker, Scratch, BeeBot, and Lego MindStorms

• Experience in an educational makerspace environment a plus

• A positive attitude, flexibility, and a desire to help teachers and students explore making, design and engineering in meaningful ways

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary based on experience and background.Barrie offers a competitive benefits package.