Middle School Writing Instructor for Summer Camp 2023 - Education Unlimited

Education Unlimited® provides academic summer camps & pre-college summer programs for students entering grades 4-12. Our summer programs include public speaking camps, college admissions prep programs, science camps, summer acting camp, writing camps, computer camp, leadership camp, video production camp, and college tours.

OPEN POSITIONS: 

Camp Dates: Camp sessions are each one week in length and run from June 10 to August 5.  Instructors may be hired for one or more weeks.  Please indicate which weeks you are available to work on the application as well as how many total weeks you would like to work during the summer. 

Available Sessions:

Housing and meals provided for university based position.  Flights will not be covered. 

Middle School

• A Middle School (Gr 6-8) - July 30 - Stanford (Housing and meals provided)
• A Middle School (Gr 6-8) - July 10 - Online
• A Middle School (Gr 6-8) - July 2 - Berkeley (Housing and meals provided)
• Emerging Writers (Gr 7-9) - July 9 - Georgetown (Housing and meals provided)
• Emerging Writers (Gr 7-9) - July 17 - Online
• Emerging Writers (Gr 7-9) - July 23 - Stanford (Housing and meals provided)
• Emerging Writers (Gr 7-9) - July 30 - UCLA (Housing and meals provided)

Elementary

• Emerging Writers (Gr 5-6) - July 9 - UC Berkeley (Housing and meals provided)
• Emerging Writers (Gr 5-6) - July 30 - UCLA (Housing and meals provided)

Average Class Size:  6 - 10 students

Two position types are available: 

1. Online Instructors - Online instructors will lead classes via zoom and google classroom with cohorts of approximately 6-8 students.  All curriculum materials will be provided, but instructors will need to have a reliable computer and internet connection and a quiet and professional place from which to host class. 
2. On-Campus Instructors - On-campus positions are available at UCLA, Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Georgetown Universities.  These are residential positions and teachers will be provided with room and board in the university residence halls.  Some limited commuter positions may also be available for local instructors.  

There are 4 writing courses available.  Instructors will be hired to teach one or more of these writing courses. Please indicate on the application which courses you are interested in teaching: 

• A Summer Middle School (Middle School Reading/Writing): A Summer Middle School immerses rising 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students in an environment that encourages critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and collaboration. Students will read Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap and learn to analyze how writers create characters and develop their story arcs.  They will then use that knowledge to write their own mystery story.  In addition, students will have a forensics science unit where they will explore blood typing, fingerprint analysis, blood splatter, and even take the DNA of a strawberry.  In addition to being fun, these critical thinking activities create a bridge between creative writing and argumentative writing as students learn that writers, like detectives, must use evidence to support their positions. 

• Emerging Writers 7-9 Grade:  (Creative Writing for students entering grades 7-9) Emerging Writers Institute is a unique opportunity for rising 7th - 9th graders to explore creative writing. From day one, students are challenged through small group seminars focused on fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction. In these seminars, and at daily writing workshops, students investigate the fundamentals of storytelling and discover how to read like writers. Diverse afternoon electives may include sci-fi writing, screenwriting, graphic novels, and travel writing and are used to let students try out new genres in a safe, exploratory environment. Scheduled writing time and one-on-one instructor evaluations help students develop good writing habits that will serve them year-round. By the end of the week, students will share polished pieces for publication in their own literary magazine and present their work in an informal reading for family and friends.
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• Emerging Writers 5-6 Grade: Creative Writing for students entering grades 5-6 - 

  In this course, young writers will have the opportunity to enhance their creative writing skills through engaging writing exercises and games that aim to cultivate creativity and inspire them from unconventional sources. They will not only learn about conventional concepts such as character development and plot progression but also engage in activities like writing comic strip captions, generating paragraphs from randomly selected words, and using various media as a springboard for interesting stories.

  Every day, students will advance their own writing projects, read mentor texts, explore new ways to subvert the traditional fairytale structure, and give and receive constructive feedback from peers. Our knowledgeable instructors will also provide personalized guidance and feedback to help students refine their work and prepare it for publication in our class's fairytale storybook. By the end of the course, writers will have improved their writing skills and gained confidence in their ability to write engaging and imaginative stories. 

• A Summer High School (High School Academic Writing):  Teaches rising 9th and 10th-grade students how to synthesize information from various sources to write a cohesive argumentative paper defending a central position. Students will have Socratic discussions around the topic area, and explore news articles, books, short stories, poems, songs, etc around the topic area before developing their central thesis and defending it in a cohesive paper. The program is designed to give students who are already doing well in school an experience that is both challenging and fun. 

Job Description:

The primary responsibility of the Writing Instructor will be to guide students through the Education Unlimited writing curriculum. 

Class sizes are kept purposefully small (average 6-8 students) to allow teachers the ability to really give students the personalized attention and feedback they need to grow as a writer and really love the art of writing. In addition to teaching, instructors will be responsible for assisting students as needed in one-on-one feedback sessions, and leading students in a showcase at the end of camp. Instructors will also be responsible for tracking student work and handing in any deliverables to the camp director and EU home office. 

On-Campus Additional Duties: 

In addition to teaching responsibilities, on-campus instructors should be available and willing to assist the camp director with active supervision, recreational activities, and some administrative tasks. Instructors should be mature, reliable, and able to work well with fellow staffers. Instructors are also expected to act as mentors and will help lead field trips and guide students on excursions. With the support of the entire staff, instructors are responsible for the health and safety of students, in addition to fulfilling instructional objectives. 

Qualifications:

The ideal instructor will have significant writing experience, as well as classroom management skills. Most importantly, instructors should be supportive of student work and excited to help students improve their writing skills in the classroom and in feedback sessions. 

• 3 years’ experience teaching writing at the high school or college level (for high school programs). 
• 3 years’ experience teaching writing at the elementary, middle school, or high school level (for middle school programs). 
• Bachelor's degree required; MFA preferred.
• Ability to teach various genres preferred.
• Publications and knowledge about the publication process are preferred.
• A calm and professional demeanor.
• The willingness and ability to work long hours.
• Self-motivation and follow-through.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong people skills.
• A passion for education and writing.

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