Faculty Specialist I - Lecturer - Teaching, Learning, Educational Studies - Tenure Track

Western Michigan University; Kalamazoo (MI); On-site; USD 52,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Western Michigan University seeks a full-time term Faculty Specialist I in Elementary Education to support the instructional, clinical, and supervisory needs of the Elementary Education program, including traditional undergraduate and Grow Your Own pathways.

The role involves teaching undergraduate elementary education courses, coordinating with clinical instructors, and providing field supervision and mentoring for teacher candidates.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Elementary Education or a closely related field from an accredited institution.
• Experience teaching in K-12 elementary classroom settings.
• Demonstrated knowledge of elementary teacher preparation, field-based learning, and clinical supervision.
• Ability to teach undergraduate courses in elementary education, including internship seminars and methods coursework.
• Commitment to preparing teachers to serve diverse learners, families, schools, and communities.
• Strong communication, organization, and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate courses in Elementary Education, including internship seminars, teaching labs, practicum courses, and other needs-based offerings.
• Support both traditional and Grow Your Own pathways within the Elementary Education program.
• Serve as faculty point of contact for clinical instructors connected to ED 4100 internship sections.
• Coordinate with the Office of Clinical Experiences to support student placements and internship expectations.
• Provide field supervision, mentoring, and instructional support for teacher candidates.
• Support Grow Your Own cohorts, including district-based students needing evening, weekend, hybrid, or online instruction.
• Collaborate with faculty, program coordinators, and leadership to maintain program quality and alignment.
• Support assessment, accreditation, and ongoing program improvement processes.
• Contribute to a department culture rooted in equity, humanization, collaboration, and high-quality teacher preparation.
• Engage in service to the department, college, university, and partner districts as appropriate.

Skills

K-12 teaching experience

Strong communication

Organization skills

Collaboration

Education

Master's degree in Elementary Education or closely related field

Doctorate or ABD status in Elementary Education or related field

Job description

General summary

The Department of Teaching, Learning, and Educational Studies in the College of Education and Human Development at Western Michigan University seeks a full-time term Faculty Specialist I in Elementary Education. This position will support the instructional, clinical, and supervisory needs of the Elementary Education program, including the traditional undergraduate pathway and the Grow Your Own pathway. The faculty specialist will teach undergraduate elementary education courses, support internship seminars, coordinate with clinical instructors and the Office of Clinical Experiences, and provide field supervision and mentoring for teacher candidates. This position is essential to maintaining instructional continuity, program quality, and responsiveness to district partners as the Elementary Education program continues to expand through traditional enrollment and Grow Your Own district-based partnerships.

Major duties

• Teach undergraduate courses in Elementary Education, including internship seminars, teaching labs, practicum courses, and other courses aligned with program need.


• Teach and support courses connected to both the traditional Elementary Education pathway and the Grow Your Own pathway.


• Serve as the faculty point of contact for clinical instructors connected to ED 4100 internship seminar sections.


• Coordinate with the Office of Clinical Experiences to support student placements, communication with clinical instructors, and internship expectations.


• Provide field supervision, mentoring, and instructional support for teacher candidates.


• Support Grow Your Own cohorts, including district-based students who may require evening, weekend, hybrid, or online instructional support.


• Collaborate with Elementary Education faculty, program coordinators, and department leadership to maintain program quality and instructional alignment.


• Support assessment, accreditation, and continuous improvement processes connected to Elementary Education.


• Contribute to a department culture grounded in equity, humanization, collaboration, and high-quality teacher preparation.


• Engage in service to the department, college, university, and partner school districts as appropriate to the role.

Minimum qualifications

• Master's degree in Elementary Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Teacher Education, or a closely related field from an accredited institution.


• Experience teaching in K-12 elementary classroom settings.


• Demonstrated knowledge of elementary teacher preparation, field-based learning, and clinical supervision.


• Ability to teach undergraduate courses in elementary education, including internship seminars, teaching labs, and methods-related coursework.


• Commitment to preparing teachers to serve diverse learners, families, schools, and communities.


• Strong communication, organization, and collaboration skills.

Desired qualifications

• Doctorate or ABD status in Elementary Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Teacher Education, or a closely related field from an accredited institution.


• Experience teaching or supervising students in a university-based teacher preparation program.


• Experience supporting Grow Your Own, district-based, alternative pathway, or nontraditional teacher preparation students.


• Knowledge of culturally responsive, anti-racist, humanizing, and community-engaged approaches to teacher education.


• Experience working with urban, rural, and/or high-need school districts.


• Familiarity with assessment systems, clinical placement structures, and state teacher preparation requirements.


• Experience collaborating with district partners, clinical instructors, and university-based field placement offices.

Additional position information

Go to: wmich.edu/hr/employees/faculty for benefits and other information.