Senior Faculty BEAM Summer Away

About BEAM

The mission of BEAM is to create pathways for students from low-income and underserved communities to become scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists. Led by staff with these same technical backgrounds, BEAM believes that pathways to STEM careers are created through community, individual support, and access to advanced work that typically lies outside most school curricula. We work to directly support students and to transition them to other supportive enrichment programs that enable their future success.

BEAM's model provides continuous support from middle school through college graduation, including intense academic summer programs for middle school students (after 6th and 7th grade), weekend classes and mentoring, and STEM-focused support through college. Our program includes not just access to learning advanced math but also support finding and applying to other opportunities, including support with college admissions and financial aid. In addition to our academic content, bringing students into community is a key part of our mission and all of our work is designed to support that goal.

BEAM has grown from a small summer program serving 17 students in the summer of 2011 to a year-round, national program, serving 420+ students at six summer program sites and 600+ students in year-round programming in New York City and Los Angeles this school year. In addition, our BEAM National pilot program now reaches over 500 elementary-aged students in seven different states, working to create a new nationwide pathway modeled on our local work.

With our strategic plan, our team has committed to transforming the organization from a successful startup to a more mature and scalable organization that can drive change across the country.

Senior Faculty, BEAM Summer Away

 

Picturing our classrooms

At BEAM, we strive to create classrooms where students take the lead in doing mathematics. Picture them working in huddles or independently, exploring patterns on the board, debating strategies, and justifying their reasoning to their peers. Our classes feature open-ended challenges that invite every student —no matter their background—to jump in, explore, and grow. Teachers guide the process, fostering persistence and helping students make sense of math through inquiry and productive struggle. By affirming students’ strengths and identities, we empower them to see themselves as confident problem-solvers and mathematicians.

 

The type of math that you will teach

By content goals our classes can be classified as follows:

• Topics:
• Pure Topics classes explore abstract concepts like graph theory, number theory, combinatorics, tessellations, symmetries and many more subjects. These classes focus on reasoning, proofs, and logical thinking, expanding students’ understanding of what math can be.
• Applied Topics connect math to real-world contexts, such as programming, circuits, voting theory or data patterns. These classes show how math can be used to explain and solve practical problems, helping students see its relevance in everyday life.
• Problem Solving
• Strategic Math Thinking classes teach students creative problem-solving strategies, using fun, puzzly problems often inspired by math contests. Students learn to apply techniques like case analysis and divisibility criteria, building confidence and adaptability in tackling challenges systematically
• Solving Big Problems classes challenge students with complex problems that require deep thought and persistence. Students develop strategies like finding patterns, case analysis, and proof writing while building stamina and confidence in tackling unfamiliar and difficult tasks collaboratively. This is the only type of class that is semi-scripted with some specific problems we ask faculty to cover.

 

About the role 

We are seeking experienced educators with extensive classroom experience who have also supported other teachers as mentors, coaches, or leaders—whether as a mentor, instructional coach, department chair, or in another similar role. As Senior Faculty, your primary responsibility will be teaching engaging, student-centered math classes that inspire curiosity and deep understanding. In addition, you will lead collaboration spaces and mentor a junior faculty member of the team to support their teaching practice. As a leader in the community, you will model BEAM’s values, set the tone for collaboration, and uphold our shared expectations, creating an environment where both students and educators can thrive. 

 

You will…