Professor of the Practice and Director of Teacher Education

Company Description:

Fairfield University is a co-educational, comprehensive Jesuit university with a 200-acre campus located along the scenic shoreline community of Fairfield, CT.  The University is comprised of approximately 3,500 undergraduate and 1,200 graduate students pursuing degrees within 5 schools: The College of Arts and Sciences, The Charles F. Dolan School of Business, The School of Engineering, The Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, and The Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions.  As an expression of our Jesuit, Catholic mission and identity, Fairfield embraces a liberal humanistic approach to education, encouraging critical thinking, cultivating free and open inquiry, and fostering ethical and religious values.

Job Description:

The Department of Educational Studies and Teacher Preparation, located in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions (GSEAP) seeks to hire a Professor of the Practice and Director of Teacher Education.

This nine-month position encompasses a split teaching and administrative role. Responsibilities include teaching a combination of 4 graduate and undergraduate courses in education yearly (spread over fall, spring, and summer semesters) including courses in educational foundations, multicultural education, and/or K-12 curriculum and instruction. 

As the Director of Teacher Education, the candidate will act in an administrative capacity to build and facilitate school-community collaborative partnerships.  In the role of Director of Teacher Education, the candidate's responsibilities will include the following:

• Develop, coordinate, and manage relationships with schools and school districts
• Coordinate, manage, and oversee field placements for candidates across programs, including early fieldwork experiences, student teaching, and internships
• Collaborate with and support the instructional needs of university-based program directors, faculty, and supervisors and site-based cooperating teachers, curriculum leaders, and administrators
• Develop a communication strategy to foster collaboration across university and school-based practitioners
• Maintain relationships and provide programming, 'professional conversation' opportunities for school administrators
• Foster potential collaborations between university and school-based practitioners on grant applications
• Restructure, coordinate, oversee, and recruit a diverse pool of candidates for the teaching internship program
• Coordinate, oversee, and recruit for the Bridgeport Diocesan teacher education partnership
• Recruit and train a diverse pool of cooperating and mentor teachers to work with the students in our graduate programs
• Recruit candidates working out in schools who may be interested in applying to GSEAP graduate programs
• Initiate GSEAP-based TEAM training program
• Periodically review field-site policies, practices, and assessment strategies, including the maintenance and revision of fieldwork handbooks
• Develop opportunities for new field-based instruction and site-based professional development in diverse settings

Requirements:

The successful candidate would hold a doctorate or advanced degree in a relevant field, and evidence of innovative and reform-minded approaches to teacher education. Experience as a teacher and/or administrator in a school district is required. Experience with teacher preparation in higher education, and familiarity with CSDE expectations for teacher preparation and continued professional development are desired.  Ability to collaborate with faculty, teachers, administrators and community partners across school-university contexts is essential. Expertise in and a commitment to teaching in inclusive, multicultural settings will be given strong consideration. 

Additional Information:

All offers of employment are contingent upon a satisfactory background check.

The salary and the benefits for the position are competitive.

Fairfield University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, committed to excellence through diversity, and, in this spirit, particularly welcomes applications from women, persons of color, and members of other historically underrepresented groups. The university will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with a disability.

Application Instructions:

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Appointment is effective January 1, 2018.

For full consideration, please click "Apply Now" and upload the following materials:

• a curriculum vitae
• a letter of application
• statement of philosophy of teaching school counseling
• graduate transcripts
• vision statement: Describe what you would hope to accomplish in your role as the Director of Teacher Education, and how you envision reaching those goals.
• contact information for three references

Apply Online