Assistant Professor of Equity-Focused Elementary Literacy Education

The Education Department at Ohio Wesleyan University seeks to fill a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Equity-Focused Elementary Literacy Education. This position combines a small, DEI-focused, liberal arts community, with the opportunity to support innovative, forward-thinking elementary and inclusive elementary programs (PK-grade 5). The OWU Education Department is committed to preparing dedicated, justice-minded, and highly qualified teachers through our mission to prepare competent, committed, professional teachers for a diverse, democratic society. With that in mind, we seek an individual whose practice focuses on equity, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and antiracist teaching.

This job is part of a cluster of positions with which Ohio Wesleyan seeks to further diversify its curriculum and faculty. This faculty cohort will join an educational community that values equity and interdisciplinarity and fosters close working relationships with students through our signature program in experiential learning, the OWU Connection. Incoming faculty will be provided with mentoring, professional development funds, and opportunities to connect with faculty across the Ohio 5 and GLCA consortia. For more information about the cluster, please visit http://www.owu.edu/joinOWUfaculty. For more information about Academic Affairs and its commitment to DEI, please visit https://owu.edu/dei.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will teach six units or the equivalent per year (3/3 teaching load); required responsibilities include teaching Corrective Reading, Phonics, Elementary (PreK-5) Literacy, and Children’s and Young Adult Literature. Additional courses may include Elementary Science and Social Studies Methods, Middle & Secondary English Language Arts Methods, Secondary Content Area Literacy, field practicum and student teaching supervision for the PK-5 licensure programs, and OWU’s First Year Seminar.

Qualifications:

• Earned doctorate in Literacy or Elementary Education or a related field by the time of appointment, August 15, 2023.
• Applicants should have a minimum of five (5) years of public-school teaching in elementary, Title I reading, or as a reading specialist or literacy coach
• Preference will be given to those trained and/or certified in the science of reading methods (e.g., LETRS; Orton-Gillingham; multi-sensory approaches)
• Demonstrated commitment to progressive, anti-racist education for all learners, particularly those from underrepresented groups.
• Experience with field/student teaching supervision and college-level teaching is desired, including evidence of an ability to coordinate with area schools to arrange field placements, and assess and report on program effectiveness.
• Evidence of a clear research agenda
• A desire to work in an environment that values collaboration, diversity, student learning, and respect for all people.
• A willingness to learn about, engage in, and support accreditation and assessment requirements.

A completed application packet will include:

1. cover letter,
2. curriculum vitae,
3. diversity statement (This should include your experience with, and vision for, teaching, mentoring, and recruiting students from underrepresented backgrounds; how you promote inclusivity and anti-racism in the higher education classroom; and how you will foster diverse perspectives among students, faculty, and campus community),
4. statement of teaching philosophy.

Official graduate transcripts and letters of reference will be required if you progress to the finalist stage.

To apply, please submit all materials via our website http://www.owu.edu/joinOWUfaculty. Additional materials and reference letters can be sent directly to facultyjobs@owu.edu.  Please make sure to include “Education search” in the subject line.

Review of applications will begin on October 15, 2023, and will continue until finalists are invited to campus later this semester. Questions about the position should be directed to Dr. Sarah Kaka, Search Committee Chair (sjkaka@owu.edu). This position is eligible for a comprehensive benefits package.

About Ohio Wesleyan. Located in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area, Ohio Wesleyan is a selective residential liberal arts college enrolling approximately 1,500 students from across the nation and around the world.  The college’s signature program, the OWU Connection, is designed to integrate student knowledge across disciplines, consider diverse and global perspectives, and teach students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book Colleges That Change Lives and was recently listed as the No. 1 liberal arts college in Ohio for social mobility by U.S. News and World Report.  OWU is located in Delaware, OH, a lively college town just 30 minutes from Columbus, the 14th most populous city in the United States and part of the fastest growing, most economically vibrant areas of the Midwest.  Columbus was named by LinkedIn as one of the top 10 U.S. cities in which to launch your career.

To achieve our mission, we continually strive to foster a diverse, inclusive, and anti-racist campus community, which celebrates the value of all persons regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, color, gender identity and or expression, sexual orientation, family configuration, disability, socioeconomic status, religion, national origin, age or military status. OWU is an equal opportunity institution and seeks applications from individuals who will help us honor and strengthen our commitments to diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

NOTE:  OWU requires COVID-19 vaccination of all employees. Candidates who accept offers of employment must be able to provide proof of their vaccination status before their employment can be processed.