Writing and Literature Instructor Job at Oliver Scholars in New York

Organization Mission: The Oliver Scholars Program prepares high-achieving Black and Latinx students from underserved New York City communities for success at top independent high schools and prestigious colleges. We provide crucial support for both the scholars and their families so they can realize their full potential and ultimately give back to the city, the nation, and the world.

Job Title: Writing & Literature Instructor

Report To: Director of Academic Affairs

Department: Academic Affairs

Position Type: Seasonal part-time — Summer

FLSA: Exempt

Summary: Oliver Scholars seeks a Writing instructor to plan and implement a curriculum for eighth-grade students. The instructor’s primary objective is to prepare students to succeed academically at rigorous independent schools. Students should gain improved competency, skills, and habits of mind to excel. The instructor will assist the Admissions & Placement and Academic Affairs departments in defining expected curricular outcomes and track student progress. This position reports to the Director of Academic Affairs and is an excellent opportunity to experience various aspects of scholarship and youth development with an educational nonprofit organization.

Responsibilities:

• Teach in person from July to August 2025 and be available for office hours, study hall, faculty meetings, and parent-teacher meetings. The role entails 5 weeks at a day school in NYC and 1 week at a boarding school in MA, for which Oliver Scholars will provide transportation and room & board.
• Perform co-curricular duties, including planning and supervising field trips, teaching non-credit electives, facilitating recreational activities, and supervising dormitories.
• Use the Oliver Scholars course description and pedagogy to design a Writing curriculum— including syllabus, lesson plans, readings, assignments, and assessments.
• The course develops concrete technical writing skills for writing with clarity, style, and energy. The course will explore literary essays, memoirs, fiction, and poetry to cultivate creativity in critical and analytical thought. In addition, the course will open up possibilities for students to use the ingredients of their own experiences to craft coherent, comprehensive, and compelling personal narratives in response to the ISEE and SSAT's writing prompts and powerful and evocative independent school admissions essays.
• The instructor will teach and require using MLA writing format and citations. The instructor will also incorporate AI (e.g., ChatGPT) as a learning tool for students to appreciate that education is a process-oriented undertaking that entails struggle and the use of analytical resources, not a product-oriented undertaking focused on neatly delivering an answer.
• Write detailed Interim and Final Evaluation Reports.
• Team with tutors, counselors, and Oliver Scholars leadership to instruct and support students.
• Attend a paid instructor orientation.
• Attend weekly faculty meetings.
• Participate in parent-teacher conferences.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• A BA/BS degree from an accredited college or university; advanced degree preferred.
• Two or more years of teaching experience at the middle school or high school level.
• Two or more years of experience designing curriculum.
• Knowledge of independent schools preferred.
• Outstanding speaking, writing, and editing skills.
• Deep knowledge of the principles of teaching students.
• A mission-driven individual with a belief in and commitment to Oliver’s mission and values.
• A flexible, creative individual able to find alternative ways to connect with students.
• Emotionally mature with a good sense of humor and the flexibility and sensitivity to work with diverse personalities and situations.
• A hard worker with a high energy level; a “doer” with a willingness to work hands-on in developing and executing a variety of activities.
• A good listener who is comfortable receiving feedback.

Desires Competencies:

• Ethics: Treats people with respect; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and ethically; upholds organizational values.
• Adaptability: Adapts to changes in the work environment; willing to learn new techniques and procedures; manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.

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