Title: Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) Trainer/ Coordinator
Department: Literacy Advance Services
Reports to: Director of Literacy Advance Services
Employment Status: Full-time (40 hours), exempt
Impact Statement:
The Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) Trainer/ Coordinator uses his/her skills in curriculum development, coaching and teaching to facilitate the professional development of our volunteer teachers so that classroom instruction and student progress are maintained to the highest possible level.
Also coordinates classes, both in-person and remote, to help MAM’s students attain the literacy skills needed for the family financial stability, workforce, improve employability skills, and to become more active participants in their workplace, family, and community.
Responsibilities as Coordinator:
·Effectively coordinate ESL and Citizenship group classes. Coordinate an average semester’s caseload, including Regular and Special classes;
·Supervise, support, coach, mentor, train and monitor the performance of assigned volunteers, providing regularly constructive feedback;
·Implement new initiatives that align with MAM’s strategic and program’s goals;
·Work collaboratively with other staff of MAM to ensure that program initiatives are well coordinated with other programs and initiatives of MAM;
·Cultivate and maintain effective, mutually-beneficial collaborative relationships with a variety of community partners;
·Work within the guidelines, policies, procedures, and mission of the organization;
·Participate in the continuous quality improvement initiatives in the program. Analyze data to ensure high quality.
· Research, review, propose, and initiate other learning activities that may be of benefit to the program;
· Ensure that there are adequate facilities, equipment and supplies available when and where needed;
Responsibilities as Trainer
·Effectively addresses knowledge and experiential gaps of volunteers by working with program staff to identify teacher needs and create a prioritization matrix to guide the development of specific plans and programs for implementation
·Develops the core curriculum for volunteer teachers, including: Getting more comfortable with the remote classroom platform (i.e. Zoom) and adapting lessons to mimic grouping, pair work using breakout rooms, etc.; use of technology; language systems (grammar, vocabulary, functional language), etc.
·Coaches, guides, trains program staff to lead some of the identified priority topics/activities
·Leads/teaches identified priority topics, classes, and activities
·Creates lesson plans that adapt and contextualize ECP curriculum (6 modules) and make lessons interactive to engage students of varying ESL levels
·Develops and implements a specialized screening tool used to identify the most committed, skilled, and engaged people to serve as volunteers within MAM’s adult education programming
·Develops and implements a Teacher in Training for novice teachers to help them become more knowledgeable about teaching adults, skilled to meet the needs of a diversity of learners, and the confidence to do so successfully, both in-person and virtually
·Embed both the TTT (Test-Teach-Test) and PPP (Present-Practice-Produce) or Task-based learning approaches in training
Duties:
·Develop new orientation/training for and meet with teachers, timed to launch at the beginning of each new session, including: technology, development of peer relationships with teachers, goal-setting, teacher/student communication, coursework, class expectations, etc.
·Assist classes/events schedules to ensure optimal coverage, oversight, and performance;
·Maintains records of student attendance, test scores, assignments, retention rates
·Monitors overall student performance, making suggestions for improvement to ensure that students meet and satisfy course objectives
·Assists the team with registrations, recruitment, outreach, and orientation of new students to ensure high enrollment and student participation
·Assist the team in administration of the CASAS assessments throughout the semester
·Participates in weekly ESL & Citizenship Coordinator team meetings to learn and share progress, including identifying situations that need attention
· Attends professional development teacher trainings through webinars and conferences offered by various entities on a State (i.e. TCALL, MOAL, Literacy Texas, HAALC, TexTESOL Region IV and State, TALAE) and National (i.e. COABE, National TESOL Conference, ProLiteracy) to stay on top of the latest trends and developments in adult education.
Foster positive morale, customer service, and cohesiveness throughout the program;
·When necessary, serve as back-up for volunteers and fill in or assist other coordinators at their assigned locations;
·Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
·Bachelor’s degree required; emphasis in education preferred
·Minimum of 3 years teaching adult learners
·TESOL certification; CELTA (Certification in English Language Teaching to Adults) preferred
·Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
·Comprehensive knowledge of standard office practices, procedures, and equipment
·Exceptional interpersonal skills, both written and verbal
·Attention to detail, ability to problem solve, anticipate needs, demonstrate critical thinking, be self-directed, and follow through on assigned tasks to completion
Required skills:
•English required (read, write, speak); bilingual in Spanish preferred
•Demonstrated ability to inspire and motivate students in a learner-centered environment
•Demonstrated ability to work with people from all walks of life and treat them with dignity and respect
•Culturally aware and supportive of a growing, diverse client base
•Strong work ethic, self-directed, flexible, finishes what is started
• Excellent mastery of professional boundaries
Physical Requirements:
•Regularly required to see, talk, and hear
•Regularly required to stand, walk, bend, kneel, sit, use keyboard, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms
•Required to have the ability to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds
•Close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus
The physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Remote Working Conditions/ Work Environment:
•Flexibility to commute between or to various locations in a hybrid capacity between the MAM office, satellite locations, or work remotely, dependent upon the current class locations and whether they are in person or online.
•Flexibility to alter hybrid model each semester the schedule based on current enrollments
•Primary work location is a climate-controlled indoor office environment
•Routinely uses office equipment such as computers, phones with or without headsets, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.
Other Requirements:
•Commitment to the MAM mission*
•Must have a valid driver’s license, auto insurance, and reliable transportation to travel to off-site classes, to make deliveries, attend meetings, and other events
•Able to teach on designated evenings as well as work some Saturdays during peak program events
Employee Signature Date