The Rift Valley Children’s Village seeks an Education Director with strong interpersonal and team building skills familiar with educational leadership, curriculum development and teaching English as a second language.
Founded by India Howell in 2003, the Rift Valley Children’s Village operates in partnership with the Tanzanian Children’s Fund and is home to 80 orphaned children. Located in a remote impoverished village in Karatu District in the northern highlands of Tanzania, the Children’s Village is adjacent to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
The Education Director is the liaison and primary contact for Rift Valley Children’s Village with Gyetighi Primary School. In this role, the Education Director teaches selected classes at the school, and is the point person for all issues surrounding the management contract between Gyetighi Primary School and RVCF.
The goal of this management contract is to make Gyetighi Primary School the top school in the region and/or country. To do this we must raise the standards of education, ensure that all students (no matter how poor) get the opportunity for a first rate primary education and improve the school environment in order to attract the best teachers.
The Education Director will work in concert with the Tanzanian teachers to establish a rapport with the faculty and identify the greatest needs of the school. Understanding that Gyetighi is an impoverished, rural, government school, and working in partnership with the Head Teacher, the Education Director will coordinate, facilitate and/or create teacher trainings, curriculum supplementation and administrative schedules to help address these issues and concerns.
The specifics of this job include but are not limited to:
- Attend senior staff meetings at RVCV as schedule allows
- Act as the liaison and main contact with Gyetighi Primary School
- Work daily at Gyetighi Primary School and report to both the Head Teacher at Gyetighi, and India Howell-Founder and Director of the Children’s Village
- Teach selected classes at Gyetighi School
- Establish a rapport with all the faculty at Gyetighi to identify the challenges facing the school
- Serve as a mentor to the faculty by modeling instruction and using a classroom observation system to provide constructive feedback about teacher instruction, classroom management, assessment, etc.
- Coordinate teacher trainings to address the needs of the students and faculty. When able, include the faculties of Oldeani and Meali Primary Schools in these trainings
- Evaluate the current curriculum at Gyetighi in the context of the Tanzanian government expectations as well as the facilitation of that curriculum
- Identify “gap” areas of the curriculum that can be supplemented to the betterment of the students
- Evaluate current instruction methods. Work in concert with the Head Teacher to introduce strategies that include teaching to multiple learning styles, incorporate creativity into daily lesson plans, encourage independent thought from the students, etc
- Create a system to best utilize the limited resources, i.e., textbooks, etc., as well as identifying resources that can be purchased to improve overall quality of education.
- Along with the Head Teacher, monitor staff work performance and handle staff management issues.
- Along with the Head Teacher, evaluate applications and conduct interviews to hire new teachers.
- Along with the Head Teacher, plan and implement teacher appreciation events, end-of-semester closing ceremonies, graduation, Parent’s Day, etc.
- Conduct interviews and selection process for Student Teachers Act as supervisor of Student Teachers in all work related to Gyetighi.
- Oversee Children’s Village’s programs at the school including: Student Teacher Program, RVCV sponsored teacher performance, RVCV Volunteer
teachers, RVCV Sponsored Athletic Program, RVCV Sponsored Girls’ Club
Secondary Responsibilities:
- Work in partnership with the Children’s Village Volunteer Coordinator to coordinate use of volunteers in teaching and club assistance roles at Gyetighi Primary School as needed.
- Oversee the toddler and preschool curriculum at RVCV and collaborate with the Children’s Village Volunteer Coordinator in assigning volunteers to each class.
- Review semester and yearlong school performance of the Children’s Village children who attend Gyetighi and identify areas of weakness and foci for tutoring during evenings and school vacations.
- Oversee requests for purchases of teaching materials to be used at Gyetighi, RVCV and the school store.
- Facilitate monthly meetings with the Head of School and India or Peter
- Serve as a member of Gyetighi Primary School’s school committee
Qualifications:
- Commitment to service and ability to engage children, faculty and volunteers.
- Ability to live in a remote area
- Strong team-building skills
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s degree preferred)
- Three-- five years teaching experience
- Background in educational leadership, curriculum development
- Experience teaching English as a Second Language and/or teaching in a bi-lingual setting.
- Knowledge of Swahili and overseas working/volunteering experience helpful.
To learn more about the Children’s Village please visit www.tanzanianchildrensfund.org.
Benefits:
$750 monthly stipend
$2,000 airfare allowance/year
Health Insurance for term of service
Room and Board at RVCV
One month annual leave per 2 year commitment
Start date: November 1, 2012 or soonest possible
Closing date for applications: September 1, 2012
Please submit a cover letter, two references and resume to Nick Beecher: nick_beecher@yahoo.com
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