### Join Our Afterschool Program as a Teaching Assistant
#### Program Overview
We are excited to announce opportunities within our afterschool program, which serves academically promising students in grades Pre-K through 5th across several elementary schools in Southern Maine, specifically in Biddeford, Portland, and Saco. Our initiative focuses on enhancing hands-on experiences through engaging engineering design challenges that seamlessly integrate literacy, math, and social-emotional learning. These activities are designed to cultivate essential skills like academic confidence, initiative, problem-solving, communication, and perseverance. Selection of eligible students is conducted in collaboration with site coordinators and school staff, and the program is primarily funded through grants in partnership with local school districts.
#### Role and Responsibilities
As a Teaching Assistant, you will assist in delivering our dynamic 4-day-a-week program focused on a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) curriculum along with various enrichment activities, including health and wellness, cultural engagement, and social-emotional learning.
- **Collaborative Planning:** Partner with a team to develop and implement both remote and in-person STEAM curricula and enrichment activities that align with students' prior knowledge and interests.
- **Instructional Support:** Contribute to instruction under the guidance of site directors, while adhering to all safety and health guidelines.
- **Student Engagement:** Create a safe and organized learning environment that nurtures the physical and emotional well-being of students.
- **Relationship Building:** Cultivate positive relationships with students, motivating them to make healthy lifestyle choices on personal, social, and academic levels. Support behavior management as needed.
- **Reinforce Expectations:** Help maintain consistent, clear, and positive expectations for learning and behavior reflective of elementary school values.
- **Program Excellence:** Implement best practices to meet grant objectives and uphold the program's mission.
- **Team Communication:** Attend weekly team meetings to discuss program delivery, needs, and strategies for ongoing improvement.
- **Professional Development:** Participate in mandatory training and development opportunities.
- **Communication:** Regularly engage with communication platforms to ensure prompt responses to site directors, coordinators, and team members.
- **Additional Duties:** Complete any other tasks as assigned by site coordinators or directors while maintaining professionalism in alignment with program expectations.
#### Qualifications
- **Certification:** State of Maine Ed Tech Certification or relevant experience.
- **Education:** Preferred degrees include Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's in Education or a related field.
#### Experience and Skills
- Proven experience working with youth, particularly elementary-aged students.
- A genuine passion for learning and inspiring children.
- Background in working with diverse communities and low-performing populations is preferred; experience with English Language Learners is a plus for certain sites.
- Strong communication, interpersonal, organizational, and time management skills.
- Proficient in technology applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Google Drive, and Zoom.
- Flexible, creative, and equipped with a problem-solving mindset.
- A commitment to teamwork and a desire for continual learning.
#### Commitment to Diversity
We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. We encourage individuals from all traditionally marginalized identities, including people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals, to apply. Our organization prohibits discrimination based on race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status.
If you're passionate about education and want to make a difference, we encourage you to apply and join our dedicated team!
Employment Type: Full-Time