One Day, One Job » teaching

HealthCorps

Willy Franzen — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:33:44 +0000

If you’ve been job searching for a while, there’s a good chance that you’ve picked up a daytime tv habit. That’s not the most productive thing to do with your time, but at least you know who Dr. Oz is. If you don’t know, he’s a heart surgeon who was made famous by his appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show. He now has his own show, but he also started a non-profit with his wife called HealthCorps. It’s based in New York, NY, and it’s aimed at “fighting the obesity and mental resilience crisis by getting American students and communities across the country to take charge of their health.” The organization was founded in 2003 and already has its peer mentoring programs in 54 high schools across 13 states. By the end of the year they expect to impact more than 100,000 students, and by 2015 they want to be in 100 high schools across all 50 states.

Join the Corps

The way HealthCorps structures their programs makes so much sense that I’m surprised more non-profits don’t have a similar structure. The base of their programs is focused on in-school programs targeted directly at changing student behavior. The next level is community outreach programs focused on getting more people involved beyond just the students. Finally, they do advocacy work at the national, state, and city levels. To get a deeper feeling for how HealthCorps does its work, watch this video (e-mail readers may need to click through):

If you like what you see, then you should probably check out HealthCorps’ jobs on Idealist. There are a ton of internships posted, but the only full-time job is for a Junior Accounting Analyst. Oddly enough, one of HealthCorps’ main ways of doing work is through their Coordinator position. It’s essentially a mentor for healthy living. You have to know to look for it, but there’s also a place to apply to be a HealthCorps Coordinator. I almost missed it, so they should probably do a better job of promoting it.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of HealthCorps?

French Institute Alliance Française

Willy Franzen — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:38:45 +0000

During high school I was inducted into The Société Honoraire de Français. Though I don’t remember it, I apparently recited, “L’homme qui sait deux langues en vaut deux” (The man who knows two languages is worth two men). I guess that means I’m worth just barely more than a single man, because I never took a French class after the ceremony (mostly to avoid crazy French teachers). Since then I’ve traveled to places like Paris and Montreal, and a small part of me wishes I had kept up with the language so that I could better appreciate the culture. If I lived in New York, NY, I could use the resources provided by the French Institute Alliance Française. They’re a non-profit organization that aims “to create and offer New Yorkers innovative and unique programs in education and the arts that explore the evolving diversity and richness of French cultures.”

Parlez Français

The French Institute and Alliance Française were actually two separate organizations until they merged in 1971. Together they teach more than 6,000 language students, maintain “the most comprehensive private French library in the United States,” and put on all kinds of cultural events. There’s also a big emphasis on art at FIAF. If you’re a lover of French culture, then you should definitely check out the FIAF and maybe consider joining. You may even want to consider working for them. Right now their jobs page shows that they’re looking for Lighting and Sound Technicians and Deck Hands. While on Idealist, it shows that they’re looking for Early Childhood French Teachers and a Marketing Coordinator. Just make sure that you don’t “parler le français comme une vache espagnole.”

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite thing about French culture?

Citizen Schools

Willy Franzen — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:31:53 +0000

Middle school is a big turning point in the lives of students. They generally enter still looking and acting like children, but by the time they leave they’re well on their way to adulthood. Middle school is also the point at which academics become much more rigorous–you have real tests, real grades, and real responsibility. That’s why Citizen Schools was founded in 1995 to re-imagine “the learning day to bring more time, more talented adults, and more relevant learning experiences to middle-school students in low-income neighborhoods.” They’re headquartered in Boston, MA, and they’re getting citizens off the sidelines and into schools in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Texas.

Be a Good Citizen

Citizen Schools’ focus is on “expanding the learning day.” To get a sense of what they mean by that, you should take a look at Citizen Schools’ Model and Growth Strategy. The story behind Citizen Schools is pretty neat, so I strongly recommend that you watch their Citizen Schools 101 video below (e-mail readers need to click through):

If you want to be part of that story as it continues to get better, then you need to take a look at Citizen Schools’ wide range of Career Opportunities. They offer a variety of paths including Teaching Fellowships (applications open later this month), Teaching Associate positions, Campus Director positions, and a variety of other openings. Browse through everything and see what makes the most sense for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Citizen Schools?

Revolution Prep

Willy Franzen — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:37:24 +0000

I actually kind of liked taking standardized tests during my high school years, but now I’m glad that they’re 10 years in my past. While I imagine that the tests haven’t changed all that much in the past decade (beyond the SAT adding a section), test prep has. There are a ton of companies that have developed technology and systems for improving student performance on standardized tests. One of the big ones is Revolution Prep. They’re based in Santa Monica, CA, and they’ve grown at a 211% rate over the past three-years to $18.8 million in revenue. This growth has been fueled by a “vision to transform education and provide the highest quality instruction to all students regardless of their ability to pay.” It’s pretty clear that Revolution Prep isn’t just about teaching students how to beat the test–they want to turn their students into better learners and thinkers.

Join the Revolution

From what I can tell, Revolution Prep has three core product areas: Academic Tutoring, Test Prep, and Ivy Insiders. Within these product lines there are a wide range of different offerings, so it seems that they are able to serve all kinds of different learning needs. Revolution Prep must be doing a good job too–94% of their grads recommend them. What I like most about Revolution Prep is that they put current students and recent grads to work helping students. They don’t have a unified Careers page, so it’s kind of hard to get your head around what kind of opportunities they offer. The one you’ll probably want to find is the Revolution Prep College Careers Programs page. This is where you can learn about their Entrepreneurial Management Program, Campus Recruitment Leader positions, Summer Management Program, and Instructor/Tutor Positions. If you’re looking for something a little more corporate, then you can take a look at their other job listings.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you use Revolution Prep?

Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:01:11 +0000

I was lucky to go to a school that committed significant resources to both sports and arts. Though I certainly wasn’t a standout in either area, I’m convinced that I was a better student because of both. It’s that connection that drives what the Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation does. They’re a New York, NY based non-profit that aims to “bridge the academic performance gap among under-achieving students by extending the school day and year with wholesome, skill-building activities designed to improve New York City children’s academic performance, health and wellness, attitude towards school, self-confidence, character and values, and opportunity for lifelong employment.” The organization was founded in 1992, and it now serves more than 50,000 students across more than 300 public schools.

Sports or Arts?

The typical student served by the Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation comes from a low-income neighborhood and attends a lackluster school. They’re exactly the kind of kids (whether they’re in Kindergarten or High School), who stand to benefit the most from activities like sports and arts. The programs that the Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation offers them include Champions Club After-School Program, The C.H.A.M.P.S Middle School Sports and Fitness Leagues, High School Transition, and a bunch more. If you want to dig deeper into what the programs offer, there’s plenty of information on the Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation website. Give it a nice long look, and then check out their Jobs page. They don’t have a ton of entry level opportunities, but there are a few jobs you should check out including School Year Tutor/Counselor, SES Teacher, SES Lead Teacher, SES Assistant Site Manager, and Activity Specialist. Hopefully one of them will be a good fit for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Were you more into sports or arts?

Bach to Rock

Willy Franzen — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:05:30 +0000

I started playing the drums in 5th grade. I started with a snare drum, but soon after I got a drum set that filled my entire bedroom. At about the same time I started taking private lessons, and I had a teacher who seem like the coolest guy in the world to my 11 year old self. After taking the summer off from lessons, I came back to my first lesson to find a new teacher sitting in the drum room. I was heartbroken. I never liked the new teacher, and my excitement for playing the drums never returned. I could have been a rockstar if only I had taken my lessons at Bach to Rock. They are “the Music School for students of all ages.” They’re based in Bethesda, MD, and they have a growing number of locations across Maryland and Virginia. They’re also an Inc 5000 company that has seen an even 1,000% growth in their revenue over the past three years.

Bach to Work

Even though the recording industry seems to be struggling with how technology has fundamentally changed their business, music is as hot as ever. The Bach to Rock Method is all about engaging people who love music and keeping them excited about improving their talents. (I love that Bach to Rock’s name says so much so simply.) Last year Bach to Rock generated $3.3 million in revenue, and I expect that number to keep increasing. They’ve adopted a franchising model, so there’s a very clear path to future growth. If you want to be part of that growth, then you’ll want to take a look at Bach to Rock’s Jobs page. It includes listings for all of their locations, which include Bethesda, MD; Gaithersburg, MD; Herndon, VA; Leesburg, VA; McLean, VA; and Chantilly, VA. Most of the positions are for Music Specialists (Voice, Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Early Childhood, Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Obo, and Bassoon), but they also have some Administrative Assistant and Audio Engineer/Composer positions. There’s nothing at Corporate right now, but I’m sure there will be more positions as they continue to grow.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you play an instrument growing up?

The Steppingstone Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 14:50:59 +0000

I can’t believe that it’s already back to school time. I’m not happy that summer is nearing its end, but I’m going to keep pretending it’s summer and playing beach volleyball until I’m forced to put on a hat and gloves. I don’t know for sure, but my guess is that the school kids who are involved with The Steppingstone Foundation aren’t nearly as bummed about going back as the average kid. The Steppingstone Foundation is a non-profit “organization that develops and implements programs which prepare urban schoolchildren for educational opportunities that lead to college success.” They’re located in and focused on Boston, MA, and they’ve been helping children achieve at higher levels since 1990.

A Steppingstone for Your Career

The Steppingstone Foundation has two major programs, The Steppingstone Academy and the College Success Academy. The former is focused on preparing “motivated urban schoolchildren for acceptance and success at top independent and public exam schools in the greater Boston area, while the latter is “designed especially for promising 4th graders in the Jackson/Mann and Edison K-8 Schools who want to go to college.” By focusing on creating college acceptance as a goal at an early age, The Steppingstone Foundation is trying to make sure that they get kids on the right track before it’s too late. If you don’t hate the term “back to school” and want to be part of what The Steppingstone Foundation is doing, you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Program Assistant – College Success Academy, a Communications Associate, a Volunteer Coordinator, and a number of Teachers. It looks like an amazing organization, so give them look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about The Steppingstone Foundation?

Global Language Project

Willy Franzen — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 15:01:33 +0000

I took French in middle and high school, and I hated it even though I was pretty good at it. I dropped French as quickly as I could (after 10th grade) and never tried another language. Now I realize how important speaking multiple languages can be. Unfortunately, picking up a new language gets progressively harder as you get older. If only I had started as a young kid. That’s what Global Language Project is all about. They’re a New York, NY based non-profit organization that “seeks to equip disadvantaged public-school students with the skills to compete in a globalized world and work force” through a “free and comprehensive language training program.” It’s amazing how many opportunities can be opened up for you just by speaking multiple languages. Global Language Project aims to leverage this fact to empower young students.

The Skill Multiplier

I think of language skills as a skill multiplier. On their own they might be enough to get you a job, but by combining them with other skills they open up a world of opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise be available. This is just one of the many benefits of language learning. By starting students off on a new language while they’re still young, Global Language Project is giving them a huge leg up. I’m certain I would have enjoyed French a lot more if I had started when I was younger. Global Language Project has a number of different programs, but all are focused on elementary language education. If you want to be part of Global Language Project, check out their jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for a Program Site Coordinator and Elementary French, Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin Instructors. If you love language, these are great opportunities.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How many languages do you speak?

Row New York

Willy Franzen — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:42:57 +0000

Which do you think is preppier, rowing or squash? I’ve never seriously participated in either sport, but I grew up in Connecticut, so I had plenty of friends who did. Both sports have reputations for being easier ways for privileged kids to get into college. It makes sense. Access to rowing shells and squash courts is expensive, so most people never get exposed to either sport. That means the few who do participate in squash and rowing have a lot less competition when getting recruited for spots on college teams. We’ve seen non-profit organizations like StreetSquash, Surf City Squash, and SquashBusters open up squash to a new crowd and use it to promote academic achievement. Today I learned about an organization that is doing something similar for rowing. They’re called Row New York, and they’re based in New York, NY. They aim “to empower young people from New York City’s under-resourced communities to pursue excellence in all facets of their lives, through a unique combination of competitive rowing and individualized academic support.” It’s an awesome idea, and it’s already making a serious impact.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Row New York now serves 300 participants every year after starting in 2002 with 8 rowers and a borrowed boat. 100% of Row New York’s graduates have gone on to college, and many of their students have received college scholarships. I’m super impressed. If you want to keep learning about Row New York, there’s plenty of content on their website. Their FAQs probably go into the most depth about the program and all of its details (it’s targeted towards rowers). If you have a background in rowing and a passion for promoting academic achievement, you’ll want to check out Row New York’s job opportunities on Idealist. They’re a small organization, and they don’t appear to have any full-time opportunities, but they are looking for Reaching Coaches. They list the position as an internship, but it’s paid despite its being only part-time. I figure it could have the potential to turn into something more permanent.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever rowed?

Education Pioneers

Willy Franzen — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:20:26 +0000

It’s no secret that the field of education has trouble attracting top talent. The jobs are demanding, and they’re not known to pay particularly well, but I’m not sure that tells the whole story. We live in a culture that glorifies consultants and bankers and not teachers and school administrators. This may never change completely, but there are a lot of people working to encourage new college grads to get into education. One of them is Education Pioneers, an Oakland, CA based non-profit organization that is working to build “the pipeline of talent to address the urban education crisis.” Their immediate goal is to recruit “exceptional talent” and place them in positions at organizations that are working tirelessly to improve the level of K-12 education. Their longer term goal is to develop a cadre of alumni who will assume leadership positions in schools and educational organizations.

Are You a Pioneer?

Education Pioneers does their work through a large number of partner organizations. Many are organizations that we’ve featured (like KIPP, MATCH Charter Public School, and The New Teacher Project), but most are organizations that you’ve probably never heard of before. The common link is that they’re all focused on improving the state of education in America, and they need more talent to help them do it. Education Pioneers helps to provide talent, while also connecting the organizations so that they can learn from each other and become more efficient. There are a number of ways that you can get involved with Education Pioneers. The first is their Analyst Fellowship Program (New York City, Boston, and Los Angeles); however, the final deadline for this program appears to have been April 1st (there could be flexibility on this, but I doubt it). Luckily, there are also some jobs posted at Education Pioneers including Program Assistant (San Francisco Bay Area) and Program Associate (Boston, MA). You can also throw your hat in the ring for future opportunities if you’re interested.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Education Pioneers?

BlueEngine

Willy Franzen — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 15:56:57 +0000

There’s a lot of talent out there on the labor market–so many smart college grads with great educations dying to work. Yet a lot of employers only want to hire people with real work experience. I get it. Someone who has spent the past 17+ years in a school environment may struggle with the transition from the classroom to the workplace (and employers don’t think they can afford to pay people to struggle in this economy). That’s not as much of a problem when the classroom is the workplace. We’re seeing more and more non-profits that are built entirely on the idea of taking fresh college graduates and putting them to work–often in education. BlueEngine is one of these organizations. They’re based in New York, NY, and they’re building a “professional teaching assistant corps that harnesses the power of service to advance educational equity and excellence in America.” Instead of turning grads into full-fledged teachers, BlueEngine Fellows work in New York City public schools as small-group tutors, so that they can maximize their impact on individual students.

Thinking You Can Isn’t Enough

The story behind BlueEngine is pretty cool, which is why you should watch the video below (e-mail readers will have to click through).

If that has you fired up, then you need to start reading up on BlueEngine’s Fellowship Program. There is a ton of information available on their website–everything from a day in the life to frequently asked questions. The best thing to read is probably this Open Letter to Applicants though (and after that you might want to read an Open Letter from a Fellow). It really sounds like an amazing program, so you should spend an hour or two on their website learning more, and then think about applying. The application deadline is Wednesday, April 6th, 2011.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about BlueEngine?

MATCH Charter Public School

Willy Franzen — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:44:22 +0000

This is a sponsored post for MATCH Charter Public School.

Think back to your first day of middle or high school. If you went to a school with invested faculty, then there’s a chance that you were personally greeted and welcomed by a teacher, administrator, or maybe even the Principal. By the second day, this would have seemed pretty strange. Not at MATCH Charter Public School in Boston, MA. Every morning the school’s Principal greets each of the 450 students at the door with a handshake while asking, “Why are you here?” The students respond, “I’m here to learn.” The Principal then asks, “What will it take?” And the students answer, “Courage, Discipline, and Perseverance.” Then the students enter the school. This isn’t a military or reform school, but it is a unique place where education is treated as a life and death matter. Students who enter MATCH often start a few grade levels behind where they should be, but by the time they graduate they’re headed to a 4-year college or university. It’s an amazing feat, and MATCH has proven the ability to do it year after year; in fact, 99% of their graduating classes from 2004 to 2010 were accepted to four-year colleges.

Are You a MATCH?

The MATCH High School opened in 2000 with the goal of preparing “inner-city Boston students to succeed in college and beyond–including those who have no family history of college attendance.” MATCH’s results would be impressive for an elite private school in a ritzy suburb, yet they’re doing it with more than three-quarters of their students living in poverty. In 2008 MATCH opened up a Middle School in Jamaica Plain, MA to expand their reach and get an earlier start at helping students break through the “Achievement Gap.” Both MATCH schools are public and tuition-free while admitting students through a lottery program. You’re probably wondering how MATCH can get such great results given their situation, and the answer is an amazing staff with a family level commitment to success. Not only does MATCH select the best of the best, but they also invest heavily in providing meaningful training that prepares their teachers and tutors to succeed on Day One.

A large portion of MATCH’s staff consists of new and recent college graduates, and these new hires (from all majors) usually enter into one of two programs: MATCH Teacher Residency or MATCH Corps.

MATCH Teacher Residency

This is the most selective teacher prep program in the United States (even above Teach For America). New hires get an entire year of intense training to prepare them to be at the front of a high-needs classroom. It’s like the Navy SEALS of teacher prep. The new grads who are selected for MATCH Teacher Residency are already some of our nation’s highest performers. Then they’re given the tools and training needed to take their talent and translate it to education. That way, when they start teaching, they’re 100% ready to deliver the kind of results that the administration, parents, and students at MATCH expect. In addition to the training, MATCH Teacher Residents also participate in MATCH Corps (which you can read about below).

MATCH Teacher Residency accepts applicants from all majors, and no prior teaching experience is required. You just need an extreme passion for education and the willingness to give your students everything that you have. If you’re interested in MATCH Teacher Residency, you can read about the application process and apply here.

MATCH Corps

MATCH Corps was the first program of its kind when it launched in 2004. It is a yearlong tutoring fellowship for 90 top recent college graduates. MATCH Corps members work one-on-one with six to eight MATCH High School or Middle School students each day for an entire academic year. Corps members live together in apartments nearby the Middle School and in a dorm on the top floor of the High School. This is a full-time position, and it gives Corps members the opportunity to develop meaningful personal relationships with students in a way that classroom teaching never can. In addition to teaching, Corps members also undertake secondary projects such as serving as teaching assistants, coaching teams, or leading extracurricular programs. This is a grueling program that requires an average of 60 hours per week, but it’s worth it. Through MATCH Corps, MATCH Charter Public School is able to ensure that every student receives at least 2 hours of individual tutoring every day. It’s a big part of the “secret sauce” that makes MATCH special.

MATCH Corps also accepts applicants from all majors, and once again no prior teaching experience is required. If you’re not sure if teaching a class of 25 is for you, but you want to work face to face with students who are hungry for success, then you can read about the application process and apply for MATCH Corps here.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of MATCH Charter Public School’s approach?

The Public Learning Media Laboratory

Willy Franzen — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 17:45:27 +0000

I’m always on the lookout for startup non-profits. Even though they don’t offer the most (any?) certainty when it comes to jobs, I think that they offer some of the most exciting opportunities out there for new and recent college grads who are service minded. That’s why I got excited when I came across The Public Learning Media Laboratory. They’re a Boston, MA based non-profit organization that “applies new scientific findings and technological solutions to create systemic improvement in elementary and middle school education.” In other words, they’re devoted to making the most of the billions of dollars that we as a nation are investing in education. By providing tools to help teachers be more effective, The Public Learning Media Laboratory has the ability to really push educational outcomes forward for our nation’s youth.

Learn Something New

The Public Learning Media Laboratory’s main educational goals are focused on “providing tools that teach math, science and information literacy.” I really like the “information literacy” part, because it always boggles my mind how many people struggle with understanding basic statistics (and how much the media and politicians abuse statistics). The core of The Public Learning Media Laboratory’s programs is based on providing “educators with free, high-quality, web-based instructional and exploration tools, accompanied by technological and pedagogical models, they can use to help students develop clearer, stronger, quicker understanding of challenging concepts.” You can check out these tools and models at Glean.org. There are already some cool tools up, and there are more to come for 2011. That’s where you could come in. The Public Learning Media Laboratory isn’t explicitly hiring, but their Get Involved page mentions that they plan on adding to their team in January (they say 2010, but I think that they mean 2011). Reach out to them and see what’s available.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think about The Public Learning Media Laboratory?

The Island School

Willy Franzen — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 13:48:55 +0000

Today marks the end of vacation for a lot of people. Tomorrow morning’s blaring alarm will mean back to work or back to school, and the great feeling of the New Year will start to wear off. I have a couple of days left, but I’m not too excited to go back to Chicago’s predicted 19-degree weather on Tuesday night. But what if going back to work or school meant returning to an island in the Bahamas? That would change some attitudes, which is why you should envy the teachers and students at The Island School on Cape Eleuthra. The Island School calls itself “a mind, body, and spirit journey that takes students away from traditional high school curriculum and invites them to confront authentic challenges” where “classes are designed to allow first-hand engagement with the people and environment of The Bahamas.” It’s most definitely not a vacation, but it’s education in a far more welcoming environment.

A Vacation from Vacation

I love experiential learning. There’s no better way to learn than by just sucking it up and doing something that feels uncomfortable. That’s what The Island School is all about. They only teach grades 10 and 11, so it’s a very focused environment. You can learn about their methodology by looking at their pedagogy and their curriculum. That should give you a good idea of what The Island School focuses on from an educational standpoint. Specifically, they teach english, math, environmental art, history, and marine ecology while there is also plenty of time devoted to SCUBA diving, island exploration, sky diving, science research projects, and “campus work that encourages each student to develop leadership and teamwork skills.” I have a friend who took some time away from my high school to go to The Island School, and I’m pretty sure that she loved it. If you’d like to spend some time in The Bahamas, you should check out The Island School’s Teaching positions along with their Teaching Fellowship Program. You can find all of the information on their Jobs page. The Island School offers the following subjects: Human Ecology, Marine Ecology, Literature of the Sea, Histories of the Bahamas, IS Mathematics, Land & Environmental Art, and Applied Scientific Research, so that’s where they need teachers. Give the positions a look and see if The Island School is the right place for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of The Island School?

GameDesk

Willy Franzen — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 13:00:40 +0000

I don’t think there’s a gamer out there who hasn’t been hounded by a parent to turn off the video gaming system of choice and do his or her homework. I’m sure some gamers get the last laugh when they start a high-paying career in game development, but most parents still fail to see the educational value of video games. Maybe if they hear about GameDesk, they’ll change their tune. It’s a Los Angeles, CA based “non-profit research and outreach organization designed to help close the achievement gap and improve academic outcomes by reshaping models for learning through game-play and game development.” Yes, it may be hard to believe for some, but critical math, english, and science concepts can be tough through games.

Playing Against the Achievement Gap

GameDesk originally came out of the University of Southern California’s Integrated Media Systems program, and it’s now been around for more than two years. GameDesk works directly with teachers, scholars, game-designers, and school administrators to bring the organization’s methodology (which you can read about here) to more and more students in the Los Angeles school system. In fact, GameDesk is currently in the process of working with The Gates Foundation to launch “a games-based charter school” in Los Angeles in 2012. How cool is that? Now, GameDesk doesn’t have any job opportunities posted on their Idealist page at this moment, but you have to think that some will be coming as the launch of the school gets closer. For now you should check out their volunteer opportunities and internships in Charter School Research, Math and Science, Unity and GameMaker Programming, and Writing/Editing. Or you could just reach out to them and see if they have anything full-time.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you a gamer?

LitWorld

Willy Franzen — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 13:23:43 +0000

It amazes me that after all of these years, the written word is still so powerful. Audio and video mediums started to take over with the advent of radio and then television, but the Internet brought writing roaring back. Take me for instance. With no job and barely any experience even looking for one, I was able to build a business that is helping over a million job seekers every year. It all started with reading. I scoured the Internet for new ideas and perspectives on how I could best serve my market. But it really took off when I started to write and share what I learned with all of you. I truly believe that if you have strong reading and writing skills, you can do nearly anything, and I think the people at LitWorld would agree with me. They are a New York City based non-profit organization that works “to cultivate literacy leaders worldwide through transformational literacy experiences that build connection, understanding, resilience and strength.” LitWorld’s main focus is on children, since they’re the ones who stand to gain the most from literacy.

Join the LitWorld

The way that LitWorld goes about spreading literacy is pretty cool. They believe that stories are essential to all children. By giving children the ability to tell and share their own stories through writing and reading, LitWorld is able to give children “the power to transform their lives.” And through that “children’s stories then become a force for justice and change in the world.” I couldn’t agree more. As I’ve told my story of being a frustrated job seeker, I’ve been able to transform the lives of a number of readers who landed jobs with companies that I introduced them to. Hopefully you’ll be next. Just as I have big goals to keep putting people into exciting jobs, LitWorld has some serious ambition. By 2014 they want to “help one million children learn to read.” By 2015 they want to “implement [their] three-year literacy strategy in eight additional countries.” And by 2016 they want to “equip ten thousand literacy leaders to effect change that will impact ten million children.” Those are big, audacious goals, but they’re doable with the right people. They’ve already put together a strong team, and their Get Involved page makes it look like they want to add to it. They don’t specifically mention Jobs (nor does their Idealist page), but I strongly recommend that you use the contact information on their Get Involved page to inquire about how you might fit into their story.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about LitWorld?

ManhattanGMAT

Willy Franzen — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:46:22 +0000

Join the legion of One Day, One Job readers who are showing up to interviews in Bonobos pants (or wearing their swim trunks to the beach on days off from the job search). Learn about Bonobos here and e-mail me for $50 off your first purchase.

I’m sure plenty of you intend to go to grad school in the future, or you’re considering it now that you’re realizing how tough the job market really is. I have absolutely no intention of going back to school because I’m enjoying learning by doing way too much. I also want nothing to do with standardized tests ever again. But if I was going to take a standardized test like the GMAT, I’d probably want to enroll myself in prep course (because my high school strategy of getting a good night’s sleep the night before the test can only take me so far). From what I’ve heard from friends, ManhattanGMAT is one of the best out there. They’re quite obviously based in New York City, but they have locations all across the country. ManhattanGMAT delivers success for their students by staying true to 3 core concepts: focus, superior curriculum, and real teachers (who scored in the 99th percentile on the GMAT).

Prep Yourself

It astounds me that college students and grads will spend thousands of dollars on test prep, but will begrudgingly turn over $27 for a job search prep course that will help them get a job faster. The people in the test prep business have done a fantastic job of developing their market, and ManhattanGMAT has moved in at the higher end of that market. They’re also doing it with their sister company AtlasLSAT, which offers similar products and services for our future lawyers. If you like the test prep market and think that it could be a cool place to start your career, then you’ll want to check out Careers with ManhattanGMAT. They offer both GMAT Instructor positions and Corporate positions. We’ll take a look at the latter, since most new grads aren’t yet qualified to be ManhattanGMAT instructors. ManhattanGMAT’s current full-time job openings include Marketing Associate and Marketing Associate – ManhattanGRE (sounds like a new project), while they also have part-time positions in Internet Marketing, Marketing, Operations, and Information Technology. You can apply online for any of the positions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you taken a ManhattanGMAT course?

Achievement First

Willy Franzen — Sat, 29 May 2010 16:15:01 +0000

I have a good friend from Cornell who has been working in the world of education since he graduated with me in 2006. He often sends me recommendations of companies that I should feature, and I’ve actually covered quite a few of them. Earlier this week he sent me a note about Achievement First, a New Haven, CT based non-profit organization that manages charter schools across Connecticut and New York. (Sidenote: Having a friend like mine who is super-connected and aware in a particular industry or area can be huge for your job search.) Achievement First got its start in 1998 when a group of founders got together with the goal of creating a public charter school. They succeeded, and the result was Amistad Academy—and it’s been an amazing result. Over the past 7 years, Amistad Academy students have beat state averages in reading and math on the Connecticut Mastery Tests. In 2003 they built on this success by making Achievement First a separate entity to take the lessons learned from Amistad Academy and spread them throughout the region. Since then Achievement First “has grown into a network that includes 17 academies under nine charters in four cities.”

What Can You Achieve?

The success of Achievement First’s schools has proven that “demographics aren’t destiny.” Urban students can achieve at the same levels as affluent suburban students given the right environment. Achievement First is all about providing these environments. I think that the results speak for themselves. If you’re passionate about education and want to be a part of what Achievement First is doing, then you need to check out their Jobs page. They have a ton of opportunities available, and they make a really nice case for why you should join their team. Current openings that might be suitable for new or recent grads include IT Associate (New Haven), Leadership Development Team Assistant (Brooklyn), Recruitment Assistant (Brooklyn), Assistant to the COO (Brooklyn), Office Coordinator (Brooklyn or New Haven), Operations Associate (Brooklyn), and Operations Associate (New Haven). Additionally, Achievement First also lists jobs at all of their schools, so there are even more options to browse through if you’re so inclined.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of Achievement First?

Knewton

Willy Franzen — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:45:31 +0000

You thought that you were done with test prep, but now the economy is in a rough spot and the job market is kind of weak. You’re thinking about grad school, and that means doing the standardized test thing all over again. Luckily, things have changed since you took the SAT or ACT. The one size fits all approach of classroom instruction is out, and “adaptive learning” delivered through an online platform is in. Knewton is a New York City based startup that is one of the leading innovators in the test prep market. They seem to be mostly focused on the graduate school test prep market, although they do offer an SAT prep course too (PrepMe is a similar company that focuses only on pre-undergraduate test prep). Knewton is not only focused on improving the quality of test prep results, but they’re also working hard to make test prep more affordable and more interactive.

Get a Knew Job

Knewton’s key point of differentiation from other test prep companies that provide online courses is its adaptive learning technology. While “traditional classrooms and textbooks provide the same material to every student, Knewton dynamically matches lessons, videos, and practice problems to each student’s ideal learning arc.” Along with the technology, they’re matching their students up with top notch teacher who provide both live and on-demand video instruction. The test prep market is huge, and Knewton is primed to take a big bite out of it. They’re well funded and have a leadership team with a ton of industry experience. They appear to be a growing company, and growing companies usually have jobs. Knewton is no exception. Their Jobs page shows 10 openings, and a number of them seem suitable for new grads. These positions include Interactive Visual Designer, Content Developer, Jr. Machine Learning Specialist, XHTML/CSS/JS Front-end Developer, Online Marketing Analyst, and maybe even Teacher. You can apply online for any of these positions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you plan on ever taking a standardized test again?

New York City Teaching Fellows

Willy Franzen — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:00:16 +0000

This is a sponsored post for New York City Teaching Fellows. Check out our editorial post on entry level jobs with New York City Teaching Fellows to see what we said when we first covered them.

Before I launched One Day, One Job in 2007, I shared my idea with employers at a Cornell University career fair. One of the organizations from the fair that I was most impressed with was New York City Teaching Fellows. They are an alternative teacher certification program that firmly believes that putting the highest quality teachers in New York City public schools will lead to better academic outcomes for the students in those schools. Out of 30 or so employers that I spoke with at the fair, they were the only one forward-looking enough to actually follow up with me. As a result, they were one of the first non-profits that we featured, and now, more than 2 years later, they’re leading the charge again as one of our first sponsors. Since their inception in 2000, New York City Teaching Fellows has placed more than 13,500 teachers in New York City schools, so they are constantly looking for innovative ways to reach talented new grads. That’s why they’re working with us to reach you.

Fellowship of the Teachers

In 2000, the New York City Department of Education faced a serious teacher shortage, and in response they launched New York City Teaching Fellows. Ten years later NYCTF’s Fellows account for 11% of New York City’s population of teachers. Since 2000, the Fellowship has focused specifically on the highest need subject areas such as special education, science, math, bilingual education and Spanish. Today, the highest need subject areas are special education and science, and NYCTF anticipates most Fellows for 2010 to be trained to teach in these subject areas. As an alternative certification program, NYCTF recruits and prepares high-quality, dedicated individuals who have no prior background or experience in education. These people are often new college graduates, but they may also be career changers or people coming from graduate school.

If candidates meet NYCTF’s highly selective criteria—the organization only accepted 9% of 14,500 applicants in 2009—they are then fast-tracked into full-time teaching positions in New York City’s public schools. These Fellows first go through an intensive 7-week pre-service training program, and then continue their education through a subsidized Master’s degree program in conjunction with their teaching. It’s a tough path to becoming a teacher, but it’s intensely satisfying—at least that’s what NYCTF’s 92% first-year retention rate would indicate. I guess it also helps that Fellows with only a Bachelor’s degree will earn an annual salary of $45,530 with full benefits as a full-time teacher in the program.

Who Will Remember Your Name?

You know as well as anyone how important education is. It’s the reason that you’re able to read about New York City Teaching Fellows and say, “That’s something that I can do.” Not everyone has that opportunity, but you do. And by choosing to teach you can pass that opportunity on to your students. Getting a job is hard enough these days. Through the New York City Teaching Fellows program, you have the opportunity to earn a great salary, excellent benefits, a subsidized Master’s degree, and the ability to make a lasting difference in the lives of New York City’s children. Whether a career in education is in your long-term plans or it’s something that you are in the process of exploring, New York City Teaching Fellows is the perfect program for pursuing your ambition.

You can find all kinds of detailed information about New York City Teaching Fellows—from Fellow profiles to all of the details of the Fellowship—by visiting their home page at NYCTeachingFellows.org.

To apply for New York City Teaching Fellows’ June 2010 program, you should visit their Application page (be sure to use this link so that they know you came from One Day, One Job). The final deadline to apply is Monday, January 25, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. (EST), so get your act together soon!

A Better Chance

Willy Franzen — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:17:05 +0000

Having spent 7 years at a private prep school, I know the educational value that such institutions offer. I also know that private schools aren’t accessible to everyone (but neither are great public schools). That’s why I think that it’s pretty cool that a New York City based non-profit organization called A Better Chance is achieving its mission “to increase substantially the number of well-educated young people of color who are capable of assuming positions of responsibility and leadership in American society” by enrolling students of color in Member Schools (which are apparently both public and private). Since 1963 when “23 headmasters of selective independent schools made a mutual commitment to change the profiles and compositions of their student bodies,” A Better Chance has improved the educational outcomes of more than 12,000 alumni.

A Better Chance for You

A Better Chance just keeps getting bigger and bigger. They now have “a record 544 new Scholars in a growing national network of more than 300 Member Schools.” That’s more students than my school had K-12! A Better Chance’s website doesn’t go into a ton of detail on the specifics of their program (at least as far as I can tell), but I’m sure that some deeper research will give you a full view of how the program works. As for jobs, they have a number of opportunities across the country that seem as though they may be suitable for new grads. These include Resident Director positions in Simsbury, CT; Winchester, MA; and Lower Merion, PA. There are also some non-paying Resident Advisor and Tutor positions available. The application instructions vary by position, so be sure to look closely at each job description.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about A Better Chance?

HotChalk

Willy Franzen — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:29:41 +0000

Last week I told you about Sramana Mitra’s book Entrepreneur Journeys and how it was loaded with cool companies that would be awesome to work for. One of those companies is HotChalk, an educational startup that provides online learning management systems for free. They enable teachers to bring their classrooms online in minutes without having to worry about administration approval or staying within a budget. HotChalk isn’t just tailored to teachers though; HotChalk also focuses on pleasing students, parents, school administrators, and tech coordinators. The simplicity of the whole thing has enabled HotChalk to gain a ton of marketshare—they have over 7 million monthly unique visitors and more than 375,000 teachers using the service. That’s what “free” will do for you.

HotJobs at HotChalk?

The most interesting thing about HotChalk is their revenue model. Instead of building a freemium product where schools can pay for premium services once they’re forced to by teachers who have adopted the free service, HotChalk has decided that advertising is the key to profitability. They offer extremely targeted advertising to each of their user bases—teachers, students, parents, administrators, and tech coordinators; however, HotChalk has strict guidelines about what kind of advertisements can be targeted towards students, and they can never be shown ads during school hours. Now, how about jobs at HotChalk? Their Jobs page says that they don’t have any current openings, but it also says that they “are always looking for talented people.” If education technology is something that gets you excited, you should send a cover letter and resume to careers@hotchalk.com. According to HotChalk’s LinkedIn profile they have 27 employees right now, and they’re split between the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever used HotChalk?

Green Chimneys

Willy Franzen — Sat, 16 May 2009 13:46:18 +0000

Have you ever heard of animal-assisted therapy? Wikipedia defines it as “a type of therapy that involves an animal with specific characteristics becoming a fundamental part of a person’s treatment.” This type of therapy can have all kinds of beneficial effects for a wide array of ailments, and it can be done with animals ranging from dogs to horses to elephants to lizards. Green Chimneys is a Brewster, NY based non-profit organization that “operates residential treatment for children and a special education school” with a large focus on animal-assisted therapy. They’re located on a 200-acre farm, and they’re constantly working towards “restoring possibilities and creating futures for children with emotional, behavioral, social and learning challenges.”

Green Chimneys Is the Place for Me

If you love working with special-needs children and also love animals, then it would be hard to find a better place to work than Green Chimneys. They have a ton of job opportunities available, and plenty of them are appropriate for new grads. You can find the full list on Green Chimneys’ Jobs page; however, I’d recommend that you look for the following jobs: Youth Counselor, Assistant Unit Supervisor, Therapeutic Intervention Specialist (Crisis Intervention), Social Work Supervisor, Speech Teacher, 1:1 Aides, Social Worker (New York City), and Case Worker (Bronx). You can apply by sending a cover letter and resume to employment@greenchimneys.org, so get to know them by browsing their site and see if they’re a good fit for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever experienced any therapy animals?

School On Wheels

Willy Franzen — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:51:41 +0000

In Fourth or Fifth Grade, my elementary school started facing overcrowding. It wasn’t a huge deal, because it was a suburban school with a relatively low target class size, but they decided to bring in “portable” classrooms to fix the problem. By portable they meant brought in on a flat bed and never going anywhere again. The inside of the portable classrooms were nearly identical to other classrooms and kids went on learning in them just like any other classroom. School On Wheels is a Santa Barbara, CA based non-profit that brings a completely new meaning to portable classroom. Despite what their logo might make you think, they don’t have a bus that also serves as a classroom. They create classrooms wherever they’re needed to educate homeless children. It all started in 1993 with:

Agnes Stevens, a retired teacher, read a book that changed her life. The book was about homeless families in the US. Agnes was shocked to learn that hundreds of thousands of children were homeless and that many of them did not attend school. She began teaching homeless kids in a park in Santa Monica, California encouraging them to stay in school and keep up with their grades and school activities.

Now they have hundreds of tutors supporting thousands of homeless students.

Jobs On Wheels

According to School on Wheels’ website, the “average age of a homeless person is 9 years old!” That’s an astounding statistic, and it illustrates how much of a need there is for an organization like School on Wheels. If you’re looking to work at an education focused non-profit, then School On Wheels is definitely worth a look. They don’t seem to have a Jobs page, but they do post their jobs on Idealist. Right now there’s only one job that looks appropriate for new grads – it’s as a Tutor Coordinator. There’s no word on Tutor positions, but one would imagine that they’re always looking for more tutors too. To apply for the Tutor Coordinator position, send a cover letter and resume to jsettles@schoolonwheels.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about School On Wheels?

Math for America

Willy Franzen — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 12:54:38 +0000

We’ve told you about teaching fellowship programs before, and today we’re going to look at another one. It’s called Math for America, and it’s based in New York City with operations in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Washington, DC as well. Their goal is simple; they want to “improve math education in secondary public schools in the United States by recruiting, training, and retaining outstanding mathematics teachers.” Numerical literacy is essential to a properly functioning society, and, unfortunately, we’re falling short. If people can’t understand basic math, there’s no hope that they’ll ever be financially responsible. If they can’t understand statistics, how will they ever fully comprehend the political process or medical advice? Our country’s math education is woefully inadequate, and even many students at top colleges have a fear of math. Great teachers are the answer, and that’s why Math for America is recruiting great mathematical minds for America’s classrooms.

Do You Love Math?

If you really love math and want to share that love with the next generation, then Math for America is perfect for you. They are aggressively recruiting new college grads who “know and love math, enjoy teaching and interacting with young people, possess excellent communication skills, can create a constructive learning environment for students, will make a five year commitment to the MƒA Fellowship Program, and can take personal responsibility for themselves and their actions.” The Fellowship Program has great benefits, and makes teaching a much more intriguing option for mathematically inclined new grads who may have never considered education before. Math for America’s website is fantastic, and you can find all the details of their Fellowship Program here. You can apply online, and the deadline for applications is February 13th.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have any good math jokes?

KIPP

Willy Franzen — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 16:05:19 +0000

Did you know that only 1 out 5 low-income children make it to college? That’s a frightening statistic, but KIPP is a network of (mostly) charter schools that have combined to have a 95% college matriculation rate for the low-income students whom they serve. “KIPP began in 1994 when two teachers, Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, launched a fifth-grade public school program in inner-city Houston, TX, after completing their commitment to Teach For America.” The success of the initial program has led to the creation of 66 schools, all of which follow a unique approach to education. Apparently the schools are run independently, but the KIPP Foundation provides support across the network of schools – that’s why they have quite a few job opportunities outside of teaching.

KIPP It Up

KIPP does have teaching jobs, although it wasn’t our initial intent to look at those. It’s unclear whether they require prior teaching experience, but if you’d like to consider teaching at a KIPP school, you can find out more information here. As for jobs at KIPP, there are quite a few options. Job openings include School Sustainability Associate, Alumni Services Project Manager, Innovation Project Manager, Database and Reporting Analyst, and Recruitment & Selection Coordinator. None of these jobs are explicitly entry level, and most of them actually say that 3-5 years of work experience preferred, but they look fascinating. If you have an interest in education, you should definitely check out KIPP. Most of their jobs are available in Chicago, San Francisco, or New York. You can apply online for each of these jobs directly from the descriptions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about KIPP?

Harlem Success Academy

Willy Franzen — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:00:11 +0000

Did your Kindergarten class have a special name? Something beyond the teacher’s name? If it did, you probably don’t remember it, but kids at Harlem Success Academy are going to remember the names of their classes for a long time. Not only are their classes named by the colleges that their teachers went to, but the classes are identified by the year that they will be graduating from college (if my math is right, then this year’s Kindergarteners are the Class of 2025). I think that’s pretty inspirational, and that’s the point. Harlem Success Academy is a charter elementary school that is exactly what its name says it is.

You Can Succeed Too

Harlem Success Academy has a different culture and a different take on academics. It all comes down to results, and that’s what Harlem Success Academy is all about. They’ve only been around for just over two years, but they were able to take their first class of 1st Graders from 44% reading at grade level to 96% reading at grade level by the end of the year (and 2/3 were reading at 2nd Grade Level or above). That’s a serious accomplishment in a short amount of time. It seems that Harlem Success Academy has cracked the code when it comes to improving educational outcomes in underserved communities.

If this sounds like something that you’d like to be a part of, then you’re in luck, because Harlem Success Academy is doing a lot of hiring. Their job listings show 25 current positions that they’re hiring for. Three of these are in Elementary School Teaching – Elementary School Teacher (with openings in Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Science, Special Education, Music, Dance, Sports, and Art), Assistant Teacher, and Special Education Teacher. It’s hard to tell whether these jobs will be well suited to a new college grad since the job descriptions aren’t very clear about what the experience and degree requirements are, but they’re certainly worth inquiring about. There are also openings that are seemingly entry level in Student Support Services (Educational Associate, Speech Therapist, and Teacher Aide) and Administration (Instructional Data Analyst, Technology Assistant, School Affairs Coordinator, Finance Assistant, Recruitment Assistant, Executive Assistant, and Special Projects Manager). You can find full descriptions of each of these jobs on the category pages that we just linked to, and you can apply for the jobs directly from the descriptions. And in case it wasn’t obvious, the jobs are located in Harlem, NY. Now go tie your personal success to the success of Harlem Success Academy and apply for a job!

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think about getting Kindergarteners focused on going to college?

Bright Beginnings

Willy Franzen — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:46:03 +0000

The July after I graduated from high school, I went on a weeklong church missions trip to Washington, DC. During the trip we interacted with two distinct groups of kids. There were the “street kids” – the kids who lived in the area of the church we were staying. They were fun to be with, but you could tell that they were headed for trouble. Living completely unsupervised lives, these kids would ring the doorbell of the church in the middle of the night, use language that most adults would be embarrassed to use, and often grope the girls – not a good sign of things to come for a 4 or 5 year old kid. The second group of kids were the kids we worked with in a nursery school program. They were some of the sweetest, most polite kids that I’ve ever met. It seemed obvious that the free nursery school program for these kids was working. Still, these children faced an uncertain future. As we were leaving the school to go to a local pool to teach the kids how to swim, many of the children said what’s up to a guy standing on the street corner. I thought it was nice that there was such a sense of community for these kids, until one of the teachers told me that this guy happened to be a crack dealer. Despite this startling fact, it still seemed that these kids were headed on the right track. I don’t remember the name of the nursery school program that I worked with, but Bright Beginnings appears to be doing similar work to help provide better futures for impoverished children in the DC area.

Help Make Beginnings Brighter

I think my story illustrates how important nursery school can be in making the way for success in a child’s life. Even children who are lucky enough to be part of programs like the one I worked with or Bright Beginnings face significant challenges because of the environment that they live in. Bright Beginnings is all about doing its best to give children a good start in life. Not only do they provide nursery school education for homeless children, but they also provide relief for homeless parents. Many homeless parents can’t maintain a job because they must take care of a child. Bright Beginnings allows the parents to get back on their feet and build a new life in which they can escape homelessness and eventually move their children into a more nurturing environment.

Bright Beginnings currently has 6 job openings, and a number of them look well suited for new college grads. The opportunities that look most geared towards the entry-level are Infant/Toddler Teacher (Day & Evening), Recruitment and Family Education Coordinator, LGSW – Social Worker, and Family and Health Services Specialist. All of the jobs are located in Washington, DC, and you can apply by sending your cover letter and resume to bgaines@brightbeginningsinc.org. There is a ton of information about Bright Beginnings on their website, so be sure to follow the links below to continue your research.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever worked with inner-city children in DC? What were your experiences like?

StreetSquash

Willy Franzen — Sat, 31 May 2008 13:15:21 +0000

To many people squash is a type of fruit, but for those of privilege it is a sport played at your private racquet club. Growing up in Connecticut, I was quite familiar with the phenomenon of rich parents’ forcing their children to play squash in hopes that the kid will get recruited to play in college. The truth is that squash isn’t nearly as easy of an in to the Ivy League as people expect it to be, but that hasn’t stopped parents from signing their kids up. StreetSquash is a non-profit organization that also sees squash as a way to better the futures of young people, but in a very different way. They make squash more accessible to inner-city youths while combining “academic tutoring with squash instruction, community service, and one-on-one mentoring.”

Squash Your Notions About Squash

StreetSquash is based in Harlem, NY and works with 140 boys and girls from ages 9 to 18 “to improve academic performance; to develop an ethic of hard work and commitment; to boost self-confidence; and to increase school attendance.” Assuming things have gone as planned, the Steven L. Green StreetSquash Center should have opened or be opening soon. This is a $13 million project that StreetSquash has been working on, and its essential to improving their capacity to serve. The reason that squash is usually thought of as a sport for the rich is that the equipment can be expensive and most courts are located in high end, private health clubs. The combination of StreetSquash’s programs with this new facility should have some very exciting results.

With the opening of the Center, it looks like 2008 is a big year for StreetSquash. Beyond opening what looks to be a gorgeous facility, they’re also looking to hire for positions that start in September of this year. The StreetSquash Jobs page lists 3 positions, 2 of which look prime for new college grads. The entry-level jobs are Director of Squash & Community Service and Academic Director. Obviously knowledge of squash is essential, as is experience in working with youth in a learning/mentoring environment. Proficiency in Spanish is also a huge plus, although it’s not required. The full description on the StreetSquash Jobs page are quite descriptive, so be sure to take a look at those too.

StreetSquash is a member of the National Urban Squash and Education Association (NUSEA) which includes other similar programs such as Squash Busters (Boston, MA), City Squash (Bronx, NY), Squash Smarts (Philadelphia, PA), and MetroSquash (Chicago, IL). If you like what Street Squash is all about, but Harlem isn’t where you want to work, you might want to see any of these organizations are also hiring.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Any squash players out there? Leave a comment and say hello.

Internationals Network for Public Schools

Willy Franzen — Sun, 18 May 2008 12:16:39 +0000

Ever since we received an e-mail from a reader who was looking for help finding jobs that offer sponsorship, we’ve taken an added interest in helping international students in their job search. We published an article on job search tips for international students, and we try to make a note of it when we find jobs that offer sponsorship. Well, job search isn’t the only time international students face difficulties that most American students don’t. High school is tough enough for all of us, but international students have an even tougher time. They often face learning a new language while going through all the other typical high school struggles. The Internationals Network for Public Schools is a non-profit organization that is “dedicated to the development and support of the network of International High Schools that serve late-entry immigrant English Language Learners.”

Bilingual or English as a Second Language? Both!

Internationals Network for Public Schools is a non-profit organ It all started in 1985 with the launch of the first New York City International High School, a joint venture between the NYC Department of Education and LaGuardia Community College. As more International High Schools popped up across the city, an informal organization called the Internationals Schools Partnership was formed to help the schools share ideas and resources for teaching international students the English language. In 2004 funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation allowed this partnership to grow into the Internationals Network for Public Schools, which enhances the resources available to International High Schools with private money.

At the time of admission, all students in our network of New York City public high schools have been in the United States for less than four years and score at the lowest levels on an English language assessment test. Our students come from 90 countries, speak 55 languages, and live in low-income households: between 71-92 percent are eligible for free meals. In New York City, this student populations average four-year graduation rate is only 26 percent. The International High Schools average four-year graduation rate is more than double: 73 percent. More than 90% of our graduates matriculate to college.

The Internationals Network for Public Schools program addresses these issues through a hybridization of bilingual and English as a Second Language education techniques. There are currently 8 public high schools in NYC that are part of the Internationals Network for Public Schools; however, the organization is aiming for national expansion over the next 5 years.

Looking for a Few Good Teachers

Although Internationals Network for Public Schools is working in conjunction with the New York City Teaching Fellows, the hiring of Teacher Apprentices appears to be done outside the program. Internationals Network for Public Schools calls their alternative certification program ISTART.

In the first year of the program, you will serve as an apprentice in an International High School, engage in project-based coursework at the school level, and participate in seminars led by experienced Internationals and LIU faculty. You will receive health benefits and a stipend of approximately $28,000. During the second year of the program, you will assume full teaching responsibilities and, likewise, receive a full teachers salary. At the conclusion of the two-year program, you will receive New York State certification in and a Masters degree in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL).

The full job description can be found here. If you have excellent language skills and would love to make a difference in the lives of international high school students, there couldn’t be a program better suited to your interests. Use the links below to find out more about the Internationals Network for Public Schools. They still have openings for the 2008-2009 school year!

One thing that we couldn’t figure out is if Internationals Network for Public Schools sponsors international students for their jobs. If anyone knows, please leave a comment. We’re not sure how that would work in regards to the jobs’ being in public schools.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Become a Facebook Fan of One Day, One Job. It’s fun.