Instructor

General Information About Duke TIP Summer Studies

Duke TIP campus-based Summer Studies Programs offer gifted students in grades 7-10 the opportunity to learn highly challenging material at a rate commensurate with their advanced abilities. Students enroll in a single Duke TIP-designed course for three weeks of in-depth study and attend nearly 40 hours of class each week between Monday morning and Saturday afternoon. Summer Studies Programs are offered on several college campuses. These programs provide young scholars the unique opportunity to experience college classroom instruction and residence hall life. Highly qualified Instructor/Teaching Assistant teams teach classes of approximately 18 students. Outside the classroom, a carefully selected staff of Residential Counselors supervises students during meals, free time, and planned social and recreational activities.

The Instructor Position

Instructors for the Duke TIP Summer Studies Programs are responsible for designing and teaching challenging courses, planning and supervising the activities of a Teaching Assistant, and evaluating each student in the class. Instructors are required to lead class on weekdays from approximately 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Instructors are required to attend the parent meeting during the afternoon of student arrival day and conduct final conferences with parents on student departure day. On some campuses, Instructors may be asked to allow the Duke TIP Research Division to administer research studies during regular class hours. Detailed responsibilities include, but are not limited to, items listed in Specific Duties.

Qualifications

A Bachelor’s Degree is required, with at least a year of graduate school or teaching experience strongly preferred. Experience with middle school and/or high school students is very helpful, as is experience with programs and/or curricula for academically gifted students. Applicants must be able to demonstrate depth of knowledge in course-specific subject matter and a level of preparedness sufficient to create syllabi and teach challenging material. Applicants must possess a genuine interest in the academic, social, and emotional growth of adolescents and a willingness to work cooperatively with others. Duke TIP Instructors must exhibit a positive attitude, serve as a role model for students and other staff members, and support the administrative staff at the site (OSD, AC, host-campus representatives). There is a driving requirement for certain positions at Duke TIP. Eligible drivers must possess a valid driver’s license, be at least 21 years old, have an approved driving record on file, and be willing to drive Duke TIP vehicles.

Specific Duties

Before the program

  • Prepare the following items and return them to the TIP office within the time frame indicated in your contract and hiring materials:
    • Book, supply, and equipment orders
    • A detailed one-page course description and a day-by-day syllabus
    • An R-rated movie permission letter to parents, if applicable
    • A list of supplemental materials to be distributed to students in your class before their arrival
    • A field trip request form to be approved by the Academic Coordinator (Arrangements for field trips are the Instructor’s responsibility, but in certain cases the Duke TIP administrative staff may assist.)
  • Attend all required orientation sessions during the week prior to student arrival.

During the Program

  • Perform all duties necessary to ensure the smooth operation of the course and the program.
  • Train, monitor, and evaluate the Teaching Assistant. Assign duties as needed.
  • Be present and engage students in instruction during all scheduled class times. The Instructor is not required to attend evening study sessions; however, s/he should ensure that there are appropriate and reasonable assignments to be completed during this time.
  • Use only your assigned classroom. Do not add or remove furniture or equipment from your classroom without making arrangements through the Academic Coordinator.
  • Notify the On-Site office whenever you will not be in your assigned classroom, and leave a note on the door that indicates where you are.
  • Attend the parent meeting on student arrival day.
  • Attend all instructional staff meetings.
  • Assist with student supervision during lunch. At some sites, occasional lunch duty assignments may be required.
  • Communicate with each student about his/her performance and progress at least once a week.
  • Keep all necessary staff informed of potential academic problems. Confer with the Academic Coordinator and On-Site Director regularly.
  • Enforce Duke TIP rules consistently and fairly. Follow up immediately on student behavior problems as directed during training and document using Action Reports.
  • Check mailbox at on-site office regularly.
  • Conduct parent telephone conferences as needed during the term to discuss academic difficulties. The Academic Coordinator or On-Site Director must be present for these conferences.
  • Review completed student evaluations privately with each student on the last full day of class.
  • Conduct final conferences (in person or by telephone) with the parent of every student in your class during the final week of the program. You must make at least three attempts to call the parents who cannot meet with you in person. Before you leave the program, notify the Academic Coordinator if there are any parents whom you have been unable to reach for a final conference.

After Students Depart

  • Leave classroom in its original condition.
  • The following materials must be returned to the Academic Coordinator or the On-Site Director before you leave campus:
    • A revised syllabus (if necessary) and relevant instructional materials for Duke TIP permanent files
    • Detailed written evaluations of the program, the course you taught, the administrative staff, and your Teaching Assistant
    • Student evaluation rubrics
    • Extra textbooks and Duke TIP-purchased course supplies
    • All classroom, residence hall room, and audio-visual keys.
    • Documentation of final parent conferences.
    • Phone card used for parent conferences

General Expectations

  • Arrive on your contracted start date at the specified time and location.
  • Perform all contractual duties at the assigned times.
  • Support the Duke TIP Mission and all administrative decisions.
  • Abide by all Duke TIP policies and procedures.
  • Attend all designated orientation sessions and all scheduled meetings during the term.
  • Residential Staff members, the Residence Life Coordinator, and the On-Site Director are required to live in program-sponsored housing, return to the residence hall by 2:00am, and sleep in assigned room each night. (On off-duty nights, residential staff may sleep off-campus or in the assigned room.)
  • Instructional Staff, Academic Coordinators, Psychological Counselors, Operations Coordinators, and Office Assistants may choose to live either in program-sponsored housing or off campus; those living on campus are not required to spend every night on campus. However, on each night spent on campus, staff members must return to their residence hall by 2:00am and sleep in assigned room.
  • Obey all traffic laws, including speed limits and seatbelt regulations, when transporting students or driving Duke TIP vehicles for other business purposes. Duke TIP vehicles may not be used for personal errands.
  • Refrain from the following strictly prohibited activities:
    • Consuming alcoholic beverages in the presence of students or at any time at the program site (including, but not limited to, housing facilities, classrooms, parking lots, athletic fields, etc.) regardless of the distance from Duke TIP's designated area.
    • Returning to campus in an inebriated condition.
    • Possessing, selling, distributing, or using illegal drugs.
    • Inviting guests to visit the residence halls or to stay overnight in residence hall rooms.
    • Using tobacco products in the residence hall or in the presence of students.
    • Using inappropriate language, including profanity, discriminatory statements, and sexual innuendoes.
  • Maintain professional relationships with all staff members. Relationships and/or conflicts among staff members should never interfere with the proper performance of duties.
  • Maintain professional relationships with students at all times.
  • Enforce all student rules fairly and consistently according to the policies outlined in training.
  • Abide by all policies set forth by the host institution.
  • This position requires a full time commitment. Holding other jobs or taking classes during the contracted time period is prohibited.