Field Placement Coordinator and Asst/Assoc Instructor

Mary Baldwin University invites applications for a full time Field Placement Coordinator and Instructor. 

MBU is committed, through its mission, to “empowering tomorrow’s inclusive leaders to lead lives of purpose and professional success.” The School of Education (SoE) at Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, VA is part of the Palmer College of Professional Studies and home to three distinct academic programs that offer a combination of undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as non-degree programs and certificates.

The Field Placement Coordinator (FPC) serves a critical role in the graduate, post-baccalaureate, and undergraduate education programs at MBU. An FPC is primarily responsible for the organization and management of all field placements for all education students. This includes arranging for the placements themselves, securing appropriate on-site supervision, maintaining, and distributing related documents, and troubleshooting situations that arise regarding such placements. The coordinator provides general supervision over the entire field placement process. This will require the FPC to maintain a variety of databases related to the process and initiate efforts to streamline and automate procedures to be as efficient as possible. Additionally, the FPC serves as the primary point of contact at MBU for public and private schools and school divisions regarding the field placement program. Management of special projects in the School of Education may also be added as needed. The FPC has a significant role in the collection, maintenance, and analysis of accreditation data related to clinical experience, K12 partnerships, and completer competencies. The coordinator may represent MBU on regional committees related to MBU’s role with the Mid-Valley Consortium for Teacher Education.

In addition to the role of FPC, the SoE seeks that the applicant is an innovative educator who has experience and knowledge of teacher education in Virginia and has a master’s or terminal degree in Curriculum and Instruction with expertise in one of the following areas:

• Mathematics Education
• Science Education

In addition to the substantive knowledge base in their area(s) of expertise, the demonstration of inclusive education, digital pedagogies, excellent communication skills, along with an enthusiasm and a commitment to lifelong learning are expected. Teaching x courses will also be required in the online graduate and undergraduate programs at the University with expected travel to campus. Additionally, this individual will serve our students by ensuring that the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) competencies and CAEP standards are met. This will involve staying up to date with content knowledge and competencies set forth by the VDOE. 

This position is a full-time position (12-month contract) with benefits, working on MBU’s historic Staunton campus. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Overseeing Field Placement Experiential Expectations, Growth, and Continuous Improvement 

• Arrange appropriate placements for all students enrolled in all students approved to student teach each semester. Confirm all placements with cooperating teachers, district administrators, central office staff and/or building principals. Hire and evaluate student teacher supervisors (adjuncts)
• Ensure that all completed evaluation instruments are up to date. Ensure supervisors and cooperating teachers understand the evaluation instruments and sets the timeline for completion and submission to the Teacher Education office/SOE. 
• Provide appropriate new cooperating teachers training/development to permit them to serve as cooperating teachers, serve as the instructor of record for student teaching seminars, and teach 3 courses per academic year in the area of expertise and/or academic training.
• Provide professional development and evaluate performance for student teaching in support of the vision of CAEP accreditation
• Create appropriate matches between students and cooperating teachers for practicums and student teaching.
• Serve on the Mid Valley Consortium
• Serve on CAEP (internal) standard review teams and analyze and report data as it applies to student teaching and practicum experiences
• Deliver orientation and onboarding to student teaching supervisors (adjunct) and provide additional instruction regarding supervisory practices as needed. Assign student teachers to supervisors prior to the beginning of each semester. Receive and review formal and informal reports on student teacher performance. Create the reporting structure and timeline for student teaching supervisors.
• Serve on search committees within the discipline. Consult with the Director of Teacher Education, Associate Dean, and Dean regarding any student teachers encountering problems at the earliest possible time to determine optimal course of action.
• Work with the Associate Dean and Director on budgetary items and on requests/projected expenses
• Other duties that may be determined as needed. 

Advancing Stakeholder and Alumni Engagement 

• If needed/requested, meet and discuss topics of interest with stakeholders, faculty, and alumni
• Gather input from stakeholders regarding student success stories and program outcomes
• Stay connected to our completers and EPPs to understand and identify needs
• Serve on the MidValley Consortium for Teacher Education as the Mary Baldwin representative

Excellence in Teaching and Advising for a Quality Student Learning Experience

• Teach 3 courses in the graduate, undergraduate programs as well as non-degree programs and certificates (online and residential)
• Focus on inquiry teaching and learning in the subject area and across subject areas
• Use of Canvas, a learning management system, to support student learning and grading and documentation of needed assessments for student endorsements.
• Be willing and able to academically support all students
• Provide timely and useful feedback to student work
• Be aware of VDOE competencies and apply to coursework where relevant and required
• Be willing and able to academically support ALL students and implement high leverage practices where applicable
• Engage in mentoring of students

University Commitment to Promote Educational Excellence Within the MBU Community

• Lead and/or support recruitment efforts, program development, and sharing awareness and implementation efforts for student retention 
• Serve on a CAEP standard team(s) to ensure all aspects of the standard(s) are being addressed, data gathered, and the sharing of data as required
• Be a part of the leadership team overseeing the CAEP review process for quality assurance 

Commitment to Scholarship that Leads to Growth and Continuous Improvement 

• Maintain an active research agenda is not required but might be desirable. 
• Stay current with best practices regarding fieldwork and experiential activities of students. 

Required Qualifications:

• Candidates will possess a master’s or terminal degree (Ed.D. or Ph.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in either Mathematics Education or Science Education (ABD will be considered)
• Knowledge of principles and methods for teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effectiveness Strong organizational skills, ability to effectively convey ideas in a concise and persuasive way Impeccable organization and time management skills (and the ability to prioritize appropriately)
•  Proficiency with MS Word and basic features of MS Excel, outstanding professional oral and written communication skills, demonstrated passion for the field of teaching
• Proven ability to work effectively in a remote environment with minimal supervision
• Teaching experience specifically with online platforms
• Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills
• Commitment to inclusive learner-centered education, innovative educational models, and readiness to participate in inter-professional education opportunities with the Mary Baldwin University Faculty and Students
• Demonstrated passion for the field of teaching
• Demonstrated evidence of engagement in teaching, research, and service that contributes to building and sustaining equitable, diverse, and inclusive communities
• Ability to exercise leadership in planning, developing, implementing, evaluating, and customizing educational experiences with regard to field work placement of students.
• Scholarship is recommended and participation in the School of Education service is required.
• This is a renewable 12-month contract, renewing each July. 

Application Instructions

To apply, send the following information to ljohnson@marybaldwin.edu:

• Letter of application addressing qualifications, commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion across the university;
• Curriculum Vitae;
• Names and contact information for three references (include email addresses and current phone numbers);
• Unofficial transcripts (if offered, official transcripts will be required)
• The projected start date is July 1, 2023. Review of applications will be ongoing and continue until the position is filled.