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Inspiring Minds Job Description 

Job Title:            KidsBridge Early Childhood Special Education Teacher

Range                 $25-$40/hr

Status:                Seasonal, Part-time April-May, Full-time June-August

Location:           Providence Public Elementary School

Reports to:        Program Director

About Us: Inspiring Minds is a non-profit education agency founded in 1963. We are a student-centered organization, ensuring our programs promote positive outcomes for the youth we serve.

Inspiring Minds Mission:  Inspiring Minds empowers students to succeed and thrive in school and life by developing trusted relationships with community members who are knowledgeable of the culturally responsive, academic, and socio-emotional needs necessary for student success.

Vision: Inspiring Minds is an antiracist organization committed to closing equity gaps based on race, ethnicity, first language, and economic status that impact RI students and families. We believe in the power of relationships, and that caring and committed adults can empower our students to achieve with the right guidance, training, and support.

Inspiring Minds delivers effective programs that build academic and social-emotional skills using a developmental relationships framework. We serve a diverse population of exceptional, intelligent, and resilient students. We believe all students deserve an educational environment that fosters a sense of belonging and purpose shared with everyone who is part of the school community and the community at large.

We recognize the impact that systematic barriers such as racism, poverty, housing insecurity, and hunger have on learning, especially in under-resourced schools. Therefore, we work in partnership with school districts, higher education institutions, civic groups, and the community to provide quality programs that empower students to succeed and thrive in school and life.

Only extraordinary people work here. Our goals are ambitious but achievable. We have high expectations for ourselves, our students, and our volunteers.  We do whatever it takes to achieve our mission ethically. Our ideal candidate is someone who works hard and will have fun while dreaming big.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Early Childhood Special Educator will support the classroom teachers by providing additional support and resources to our students who require special education services.  Our program serves rising kindergartners in a full-day, six-week summer learning program.

  • Demonstrate mastery of related subject matter, instructional skills, and resource materials for course(s) taught.
  • Evaluate special-needs students, determining skill levels and functional capabilities.
  • Review IEPs and modify lessons and revise the standard curriculum to match the child’s functional capacity and accommodations.
  • Co-teach in integrated learning settings.
  • Meet parents and others to review goals and assess progress.
  • Create materials to assist in teaching.
  • Help children who need assistance with motor skills and eating/drinking.
  • Provide an appropriate learning environment for students, such as those with sensory-processing challenges.
  • Advise parents on how to work with their child.
  • Instruct students one-on-one in imitation, repetition, and step-by-step problem solving.
  • Complete evaluative and accommodation forms such as IEPs.
  • Maintain a safe, organized classroom that supports students’ independent learning, collaboration, and choice.
  • Utilize a variety of effective instructional and management.
  • Provide a variety of assessments and use assessments for planning and instruction.
  • Provide consistent, immediate feedback to student learning and asks analytical questions that elicit students’ responses that incorporate prior knowledge, life experience, and interests that are directly related to the content objective.
  • Monitor and maintain a positive classroom environment that supports the school-wide behavior expectation in which most students are engaged, incorporates mutual respect, and provides cooperative learning opportunities.
  • Use available technology/instructional media to enhance the student’s learning experiences.
  • Establish and maintain appropriate relationships with students, parents, staff, and community members by communicating tactfully, courteously, and confidentially.
  • Maintain a professional appearance and demonstrates behavior that is conscientious and responsible.
  • Engage parents and guardians thoughtfully in their children’s education utilizing culturally-competent practices.
  • Do not engage in discriminatory practices, including race, origin, gender, socio-economic status, disability, religion, or political beliefs.
  • Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Other Required Responsibilities

  • Participate in antiracist and department professional development. Recognize vulnerability, both in yourself and in others.
  • Adhere to organizational policies and protocols. Challenge them by lifting your voice and the voice of the community.
  • Listen and learn from our community. Research and implement best practices.
  • Support the organization’s fundraising events. Inspiring Minds pays all staff for working at fundraising events.

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • You believe all students can succeed with the right resources and support.
  • You exemplify our core values of continuous learning, antiracism & equity.
  • You can describe your personal and professional racial equity journey related to undoing racism and dismantling oppression in marginalized communities.  You can readily share your learnings from various resources that have most profoundly led you to learn about antiracism and anti-oppression.
  • You are skilled at lifting up the power and promise of marginalized groups vs. focusing on the problems and pathologies put on them by the dominant society.
  • Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s Degree preferred, and
  • Rhode Island PreK-2 Teaching Certification, Special Education Endorsement.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

  • You have excellent verbal and written communication.
  • You know how to slow down and help your colleagues pause to disrupt any false sense of urgency or push for productivity at the expense of personal and collective well-being.
  • You are skilled at prioritizing and setting boundaries so you can focus on each project with clarity and a feeling of accomplishment.
  • You have a working knowledge and application of appropriate early childhood teaching strategies and methods.
  • You can demonstrate excellent verbal and written skills.
  • You have basic computer skills in operating a personal computer utilizing various software applications and equipment.
  • Take ownership of the achievement results of their students.
  • You can build effective relationships and communications with co-workers, vendors, students, parents, the general public, and others having business with Inspiring Minds.
  • You can show respect for all children and families.
  • You are dedicated to improving curriculum and instruction through data analysis, collaboration, reflection, feedback, best practices, and regular assessment.
  • You can show respect for all children and families.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

  • Attend and actively participate in pre-service training. Attend weekly staff meetings.
  • Follow RI DOH and CDC COVID guidelines.
  • Must be able to pass background clearance checks.

To Apply:  Email your resume and cover letter to jobs@inspiringmindsri.org.