Curriculum Developer, Foundations of Mathematics

Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM)

About The Position

Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM) creates pathways for students from low-income, low-access backgrounds to become scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists. We provide BEAM students the same access to high-quality preparation in STEM as their more affluent peers, and we invest deeply in our students' success, with programming from middle school through college graduation focused on joyous, exciting, and rigorous mathematics, building vibrant communities, and supporting students in key life transitions such as college admissions and financial aid. BEAM has grown from a small summer program serving 17 students in the summer of 2011 to a year-round, national program, serving 450+ 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 around 1000 elementary-aged students in seven different states, working to create a new nationwide pathway modeled on our local work. We've seen our students' successes first-hand, and it's backed by data: a quasi-experimental study found that students who attended our 7th grade summer program were 1.3X as likely to declare a STEM major as a matched comparison group. DESCRIPTION OF THE TEAM/DEPARTMENT The team of part-time curriculum developers will be part of BEAM's Curriculum and Design Team. That team has two full-time staff members: a Manager, Curriculum & Design, and a Coordinator, Curriculum & Design. Both will work to support the design of outstanding materials that can be implemented across BEAM's programs. Although each course design will be led by one developer, this is a highly collaborative role and you will be part of a team of designers including two 8th grade courses and three high school majors. The team will meet weekly over video for group brainstorming and collective problem solving. There may be opportunities for in-person gatherings and working together as well. The rest of the Curriculum & Design Team, as well as BEAM's Founder and CEO, will be part of the design process and support with brainstorming and refining ideas to help them succeed. Additionally, you will work with and support another teacher directly implementing the materials in their first launch (in the other city of NYC and LA). DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRICULUM TO BE DEVELOPED This role is being hired to develop an 8th grade foundations of mathematics course. It's designed to both cement foundational skills that students have been working on in our summer programs, and to be a really exciting, enriching experience that builds student motivation to pursue more learning in math. In terms of mathematical skills, we hope that students will come out of the course with comfort analyzing cases, engaging with deductive reasoning and proof, doing more abstract algebraic reasoning, understanding logical constructions such as if/then and quantifiers, and having some comfort with other abstract constructions. Essentially, students should have a solid basis in how mathematicians think. However, this won't be a bunch of dry topics, but instead a look into a deep field of pure mathematics. For example, the class is likely to have a central topic like number theory, graph theory, combinatorics, infinity, sequences and series, etc., and use that central topic to build out the core skills. You'll have the opportunity to choose a topic that aligns with your interests, and to design something really exciting following that topic. Of course, this is an enrichment course and will not be equivalent to a college course or comprehensive in its subject. Instead, each course will highlight a few ideas or results that give students a greater depth of understanding and paint what the field is like. The focus on key results—rather than covering a broad subject—allows us to foster that intellectual excitement, spending less time building up foundations and instead helping students to grasp the most interesting punchlines while still developing the topic in a rigorous way. In total, the course will have 24 hours of class time, designed to run in eight 3-hour sessions or sixteen 1.5-hour sessions. SUPERVISION Each curriculum developer will be supervised by the Manager, Curriculum and Design, who will also review work and support developing materials that can be implemented by multiple instructors. The team will also work directly with the Founder & CEO, to support the design of exceptional materials that align with BEAM's vision and goals.

Requirements

Strong knowledge of mathematics at an advanced undergraduate or graduate level. Comfort with proofs as the language of mathematics and the layered abstraction of the fields of mathematics. (For example, WLOG should roll off the tongue!)
Knowledge of practices of enrichment teaching and different activities and classroom approaches that are effective for teaching in enrichment contexts.
Strong pedagogical skills, especially for teaching middle school students. Able to develop exciting and engaging classes that support both rigor and depth. Examples of skills include: designing courses that structure material well for students to learn at a deep level, creating activities that promote active and deeper thinking in a classroom, and structuring classes to have a compelling arc and story to them.
Exceptional writing skills. Able to state and write solutions for problems with precise language and in ways that are engaging and energizing. Able to create clear and compelling materials for other instructors, with clear course goals and lesson plans.
The ability to plan towards a goal and implement independently. Good at tracking larger projects and completing them on-time.
Strong collaboration skills.
At least three years of teaching experience, preferably in contexts outside of the school curriculum.
At least one prior experience creating a course independently rather than teaching from a prescribed curriculum.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in programs that promote educational equity or teaching students from historically marginalized backgrounds. A strong understanding of diverse student backgrounds and needs, and how to design systems to thoughtfully support student needs. Specific knowledge of the barriers that low-income and minority students may encounter.
Experience with educational enrichment programs that support students to do more advanced work, especially at the middle school level.
Experience writing curriculum for other instructors to use.
Experience with STEM education and opportunities at the collegiate level or beyond, e.g. earned degrees, teaching, etc.

Responsibilities

Develop learning goals and the overall topic and arc of the class
Outline the full course
Develop all course materials so that the courses can be successfully implemented by program instructors
Revise materials based on the first run and feedback from instructors
Directly teach the class in its initial launch
Observe other instructors teaching the class and debrief with them to incorporate feedback
Determine hiring needs for instructors, and support hiring
Provide guidance and support to instructors implementing the course material
Other work as needed to support the successful launch of our new academic programming