Assistant Teacher for Summer Arts, Literacy & Critical Thinking Program

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Cool Classics!, an award-winning nationally recognized program, is seeking individuals interested in transforming children's lives through teaching in our Summer program. Cool Classics! uses book-based, arts-integrated curricula to improve literacy, develop critical-thinking skills and introduce children to the arts and humanities. Since 2006 we have been introducing elementary school children in under-served communities to the world of ideas.

By focusing on close reading, rigorous discussion and deep analysis, we create a rich learning experience for our children that develops core competencies and enriches their understanding of literature, humanities, arts and culture while expanding their vocabulary in an engaging program. We hold our students to the highest academic standards and provide them with the tools for success.

Position Responsibilities:

The assistant teacher will work under the direction of the Lead Teacher serving as their assistant for our elementary school students.

• Use the Cool Classics! curricula to help Lead Teacher with lively sessions as designed by the Lead Teacher to include:
• Daily reading of classic books
• Directing drama, dance and music activities
• Directing art and writing projects
• Teaching vocabulary and literary concepts
• Maintaining lending library
• Chaperoning field trips
• Work with student helpers to ensure they understand their roles in the process of the day, and to help them grow
• Work with students and their parents/legal guardians to improve academic performance, as well as social behavior
• Help administer, collect and analyze data from pre- and post-program tests
• Help administer any and all surveys
• Help with administrative work for field trips and other program needs
• Evaluate sessions to ensure student involvement and learning
• Use evaluation tools to determine students' achievements

Developed by an award-winning journalist and educator for small groups of public elementary school students in an after-school setting, Cool Classics! focuses on one classic book over a span of some 25 sessions. Each session begins with reading, followed by activities that relate back to the book’s themes and create the multi-faceted Cool Classics! experience.

Various measures indicate that the majority of children who participate in Cool Classics! achieve:

• Increased enthusiasm for reading and improved reading skills
• Better reading comprehension and analysis
• Mastery of vocabulary and literary terms
• Improved critical-thinking skills
• Expanded understanding of: Literature, Humanities, Art, Dance, Drama, Music and Poetry
• Ability to link the arts and ideas to their own lives
• Improved social-emotional skills and behavior at school and at home
• Improved scores on standardized tests

The video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o0ytEjux_M&feature=youtu.be briefly describes our work. Our website at coolclassicschicago.org offers more information, galleries of our children's art and photos of their activities, as well as an archive of our enewsletters.