Assistant, Newcomer Learning Lab
The Learning Lab Assistant supports the work the Learning Lab by: assisting a certificated teacher in implementing the Internationals Approach to teaching, by reinforcing instruction to individuals or small group of students in the classroom, gathering data for the purposes of research and inquiry, supporting students through a variety of interventions, and tutoring students in assigned subject areas as part of the after school program.
Key distinctions in this role compared to other paraprofessional/instructional assistant roles include specialization in instructional methods needed to support newcomers' language acquisition as they learn core content, training and enhanced abilities to work in an extremely diverse linguistic and cultural environment.
This position may be used to identify potential teacher and other educational professional candidates. Collaborating with institutions of higher learning, the office of English Language Learner and Multilingual Achievement (ELLMA), and Human Resources, the Learning Lab will provide support to Learning Lab Assistants seeking to become teachers with deep knowledge of practices needed to support newcomers by assisting them to complete the necessary educational and credentialing requirements and providing hands-on experience working with newcomers in the Internationals Approach.
Essential functions include providing core curriculum instruction to newcomer students in an assigned classroom or programs under the guidance of a certificated teacher, facilitating growth of speaking, reading and writing skills of newcomers through the Internationals Approach to learning, participating in team meetings or reading notes from team meetings in order to support instruction and case management plans, conferring with team leaders, classroom teachers, site staff, and/or learning lab director concerning student progress in language development, content mastery, or social-emotional wellbeing, working cooperatively with classroom teachers, interpreting the abilities and educational gaps of students, assisting in classroom intervention strategies, modifying curriculum as necessary for students with interrupted formal education (SIFE) and assisting students with class assignments, assuring compliance with governmental regulations, codes and reporting requirements, gathering and providing data that will be used by teachers, staff and researchers to assess students and teaching methods used in the classroom/school, performing a variety of clerical duties such as making copies, scoring papers, recording data, prepare and maintain files as assigned, providing support to teachers by setting up work areas and displays, operating audio-visual equipment, distributing papers and supplies, maintaining confidentiality of student records and information both written and verbal, communicating expectations, providing guidance and showing an active interest in student progress, striving to develop a rapport and serve as a positive role model for students and others, attending and actively participating in staff and Learning Lab professional development meetings and retreats, maintaining basic knowledge of computers, Google Drive, and Microsoft Office, adhering to site and department codes of conduct; promoting a professional image of the school, learning lab, and school district, responding to emergency situations to ensure immediate resolution and appropriate documentation of safety concerns to appropriate personnel, explaining and demonstrating the school's philosophy of instruction and practices that support the academic and social-emotional needs of newcomers, supporting the tutoring and intervention services in the afterschool program, and performing other related duties as assigned.
The Oakland Unified School District does not discriminate in any program, activity, or in employment on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, gender, sex, or sexual orientation.