Writing Corequisite Instructor (Chicago Loop)

National Louis University's Undergraduate College is seeking Writing Corequisite Adjunct Instructors to join our team, beginning in the Fall Term (Sep 2024).

Candidates should have skills and effective practices for teaching academic reading, writing, and research. This is a part-time adjunct position that requires instructors to collaborate on a regular basis with the support team that surrounds each student. This position requires on-site teaching at the Chicago campus for daytime (between 9am and 4pm) courses.

About NLU:

National Louis University (NLU) is looking to honor its past while defining a bold new future as a contemporary, comprehensive university that prepares diverse students for sustained professional success with a deep commitment to Access, Excellence, Innovation and Equity. We are a pioneering community that uses innovation to improve outcomes. NLU questions the status quo and strives to adapt and evolve with the changing needs of its students. We are a community that cares about each other and our students and we work collaboratively, tirelessly and quickly to advance change in the service of students. We have a long venerable history, but we are not typical. We seek to solve intractable social issues through education; we believe we have not succeeded until graduates achieve sustainable career related employment; and we foster a culture that promotes failing fast so that we may constantly improve our work.

Founded in 1886, National Louis University is a private not-for-profit university offering over 70 programs from short-term certificate through the doctoral level across its five colleges. The University serves over 10,000 students per year and has experienced unprecedented growth over the last several years. Most students are from Illinois, but the University also attracts students from throughout the U.S. and from around the world who take advantage of campus based, blended and online programming.

NLU is located in the center of Chicago's downtown loop, across the street from the Art Institute, in an area which has been recognized as America's largest campus with over 25 institutions and 50,000 students attending a college across the city. In addition, the University has two suburban locations and a Florida regional campus.

Who We Are

We are a team of dedicated educators who have been working together to build a new Undergraduate College (UGC) at National Louis University (NLU), focused on building academic pathways and providing holistic student support to ensure students are career ready. Next year, we expect approximately 600 new first-year students. Join us as we grow!

Who You Are

You are: Driven to Succeed.

You are energetic and passionate about a diverse student body that includes many first-generation students. To be successful teaching in this program, you must be committed to excellence in teaching and learning in Higher Education. The position requires you to be agile, creative, and engaging while offering a new curriculum and an unparalleled experience to undergraduate students. Enthusiastic candidates have the belief that all students can be successful students. As an active team member you believe in a supportive environment and a student-driven culture.

You will: Offer Best-in-Class Teaching and Learning.

You believe that your work has demonstrated your respect for education and the power that it holds. Each term, you will facilitate blended classes that utilize technology and data to drive instruction. You will work with a dedicated team of Coaches and Instructors, Content Experts and Data Analysts to determine how to personalize the learning experience for your students. In addition to teaching content, you will also focus on growth mindset among your students, promote non-cognitive skill development, nurture academic confidence, and prepare students for their professional pathways.

You are ready to: Make an Impact.

Each and every day, this program changes lives. You want to be a part of that meaningful innovation. You are someone that will always look for creative ways for students to earn success. We know this work is challenging, but we are in it together.

Facilitation of Corequisite Courses

• • Plan and facilitate impactful class sessions, focused on supporting first-year students with academic reading and writing, critical inquiry, media literacy, creative process, and exploration of academic identity
  • Lead structured-yet-flexible class time, combining effective use of whole class, small group, one-on-one, and individual activities

• Classroom-informed decision making

• • Solicit student input and review data (with special consideration given to those in the margins) to make informed curricular and pedagogical decisions
  • Craft a responsive, differentiated approach based on the needs of individual students and the group as a whole

• Equity and Inclusion

• • Monitor data and student feedback to spot equity gaps and disparities
  • Make sure that all students (especially those on the margins) feel welcome in the classroom and have the support and resources they need to thrive academically

• Collaboration with Embedded Support

• • Approach work with embedded support using a "conspire and align" approach (rather than a hierarchical command model)
  • Regularly check in with the embedded support and promote classroom conditions that enable the embedded support to do their work effectively

• Course Compliance

• Ensure that all course-related documentation (attendance, grades, progress reports, data collection, etc.) is completed accurately and on time

The Approach (Must Haves for this role)

• Continuous learning
  • You approach the classroom and students from a place of curiosity and active "not knowing." You learn about students, their interests, and their strengths, and draw on this knowledge to facilitate a responsive classroom. You learn and adopt new tools, technologies, and pedagogical approaches to enhance your work.

• Inclusive community building
  • You encourage development of a welcoming and collaborative classroom space that values and celebrates full authentic selves, intersectional identities, and plurilingualism. You engage class members in shared responsibilities and norm setting. You promote connections and peer support among a diverse student body.

• Academic coaching and modeling
  • You make it your mission to support students in their academic development. You communicate high expectations and hold students accountable. You skillfully provide direction and take the time to offer clear, useful, and actionable feedback. You lead by example and motivate students to take action and meet goals.

• Attentive, empathetic classroom leadership
  • You have enthusiasm for meeting and engaging with students and other educators inside and outside the classroom. You empathize with the communities we serve. You put people at ease, especially when there are lines of difference. You listen closely to understand needs or concerns and take steps based on that input. You get back to people in a timely manner. You take pride in providing clear, helpful information.

• Adaptability and problem-solving
  • In your work with students as well as fellow educators, you take advantage of unexpected opportunities and address challenges as they arise. You look for the root of problems, so you can seek solutions. You approach your work with a spirit of "yes and...", remaining flexible and adapting as things change.

Education

• Masters degree or higher AND at least one of the following:
• • 18 graduate-level credit hours in English, Composition, Creative Writing, Communications, Literature, Rhetoric, Reading, Language and Literacy, Humanities, or a closely related field
  • OR
  • Track record of teaching appointments and demonstrated skill in teaching academic reading, writing, and research at the secondary level or higher
  • OR
  • Track record of appointments and demonstrated skill at providing academic support for reading, writing, and research at the higher education level
• Spanish-English bilingual or experience teaching English Language Learners a plus.

NLU Inclusion Statement:

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued. We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.