Education – Open Rank Professor: Elementary Pedagogical Specialist

Position Title

Education – Open Rank Professor: Elementary PedagogicalSpecialist

Classification Title

Faculty Full Time (.75-1.0 FTE)

Department

Education

Job Description

The Hope College Education Department invites applications for anopen-rank, tenure-track position in the Elementary (PK-3 & 3-6)program, with an emphasis on curriculum instruction and teachereducation, beginning in the Fall 2027 semester. We seek candidateswho will effectively teach the Elementary Capstone course, which isa 6-credit course that students take right before student teaching.
It includes a 50-hour clinical experience, the longest in theprogram, during which students plan and teach lessons (many for thefirst time) in math, science, and social studies. The goal of thiscourse is to prepare students for student teaching. As theculminating course in the elementary sequence, students pulltogether and practice standards-based education, curriculumanalysis and development, integration, differentiation, data-driveninstruction, and assessment. Students are encouraged to articulatetheir vision of teaching, which is captured in their portfolios,which this course spends considerable time developing.
Practice-teaching is a cornerstone of this course as studentsrehearse instructional strategies and receive feedback both inclass and through GoReact (a video platform used throughout theEducation department). They also practice enacting the four CoreTeaching Practices mandated by the Michigan Department ofEducation, which they will be assessed on during studentteaching.

Responsibilities include teaching multiple sections of thisundergraduate course, advising teacher candidates, researching in arelated educational field, fostering positive relationships andpartnerships with local schools in and around the Greater HollandCommunity, and actively participating in college and departmentalservice, including serving on the elementary and accreditationteams.

Rank is open and determined by experience in higher education, compensation is determined by rank.

About the Education Department

The Hope College Education Department consists of a dynamic groupof 14 faculty and three support staff. The department offerscertification in Elementary (including a minor in Early ChildhoodEducation) and Secondary with endorsements in Special Education (LDand EI) and ESL . The State of Michigan consistently ranks Hope’steacher education program as one of the top-tier teacher educationprograms in Michigan. The Hope College Education Department hasfull national accreditation.

Is this a visiting faculty position?

No

Rank

Open

Qualifications

General qualifications include a valid teaching certificate inelementary education, a record of excellence in teaching andscholarly activity, knowledge and skills in curriculum,instruction, and assessment, application of technology forinstruction, effective interpersonal and communication skills, anda commitment to diversity in education. To be considered for thisposition, candidates must have a Ph.
D. or E.
D., a focused researchagenda, and teaching expertise.

The successful candidate will have a solid grasp of teachereducation. Because this course encompasses both content and skillsdevelopment, the instructor needs a particular set of knowledge andskills. Being an effective teacher is not enough, as learning toteach in this way requires familiarity with certain conceptualframeworks and pedagogies. The person hired for this position needsan understanding of Pedagogical Content Knowledge ( PCK ), which isa specialized type of knowledge that focuses on knowing both whatto teach and how to teach it in ways that make sense to specificlearners. It enables teachers to anticipate student misconceptions,choose appropriate explanations, and adapt their teaching to thespecific demands of the content. Instructors pull all of theseelements together by engaging in Practice-based Teacher Education,which allows new teachers to enact rigorous instructional methodsthat they might not be able to do on their own, with support andfeedback from more knowledgeable others. This requires designingand facilitating learning experiences in which students can analyzeand improve their teaching in a safe environment where they canmake mistakes and receive constructive feedback.

Successful applicants will demonstrate a commitment to all aspectsof Hope’s mission as a liberal arts college.

We are grounded inrobust ecumenical Christianaspirations and daily strive for inclusive excellence. Aspart of the application, we ask all candidates to des