Adjunct Faculty in Civic Engagement / Social Change (Washington DC)

Description

About the Bard Sequence

The Bard Sequence is a program of the Bard Early Colleges (BEC) network that is founded on the belief that many high school–age students are eager and ready for the intellectual challenges of a college education. The Bard Sequence is an equity-based program that brings rigorous BEC dual enrolment courses to historically marginalized student populations at partner high schools and school districts. It currently serves students in the Hudson Valley of New York, Brooklyn and the Bronx, NYC, Orange, NJ, Camden, NJ, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Tulsa, OK, and Denver, CO.  The Bard Sequence has awarded over 4,000 transferable college credits since its inception in 2019.

Bard invites dynamic applicants who are passionate about their fields of study and committed to advancing equity through rigorous curricula made accessible to students with varied academic backgrounds to teach Civic Engagement and Social Change to 11th and 12th grade students enrolled at our partner high school.

 

Course Title: Civic Engagement and Social Change

 

Course Description 

What entices communities to start movements of change? According to the American Psychological Association, civic engagement occurs when individuals and/or communities identify and address issues of public concern. Historically, communities and grassroots efforts have tremendously impacted governmental decision-making around the world.

This course will allow students to look at Washington, DC through the lens of civic engagement, while drawing on other national and international examples to develop the skills to organize and mobilize for a cause. Students will also look at historical examples of engagement, such as the Civil Rights Movement while also exploring issues and movements of today, such as the response to ending DACA, Climate Action Strikes (Fridays For Future), Black Lives Matter, and the Parkland students.

They will also explore environmental issues like the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Flint, Michigan water crisis, as well as disaster relief efforts in the cases of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Sandy in New York City. Lastly, students will explore social entrepreneurship while learning about organizations like Toms. This course will be experiential: students will engage with various communities, interview non-governmental organizations (NGOs), reach out to community partners, and organize events around the school.

Number of Hires Sought: 1 or 2

 

Location:  In Person teaching position at IDEA Public Charter School, 1027 45th St NE, Washington, DC 20019.

 

Term of Employment: The contract covers the Spring Semester at IDEA PCS which begins on January 27, 2025 and ends on June 13, 2025.

 

Schedule: A successful candidate must be able to teach in person at IDEA PCS two days a week, preferably Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

 

Salary: $7,500 per section taught

 

Key responsibilities:

 

The responsibility of a Bard Sequence faculty member is to teach Bard Sequence’s Civic Engagement course in person to students enrolled at IDEA Public Charter School. Faculty will help students to develop critical thinking skills by using debate as a form of engagement and advocacy. Additionally, students will be able to reflect on theoretical foundations on what it means to be an active citizen as well as analyze and reflect on historical movements that have brought about change. Lastly, students will have a better understanding on how the government functions and ways to work with governmental officials (local, state, federal) as well as draw

from local community leaders and organizations to talk about their work. Faculty members will be expected to follow the Bard Sequence syllabus and any course materials that are provided. 

 

Faculty members are expected to provide students with the support that they will need to develop these skills and succeed, including providing frequent written feedback on assignments, holding office hours, and regularly communicating student progress with partners and the Director of the Bard Sequence.

Qualifications

A successful candidate will: 

• Have a Ph.D. or other terminal degree in the humanities, social sciences, or other relevant field