DESCRIPTION
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract - Full Time (less than 6 months)
Valenture Institute partners with the world’s leading education institutions to transform physical limitations into digital opportunities. We create new opportunities for students to choose an aspirational online learning experience by offering fully supported online high school programmes.
As a social enterprise, Valenture Institute is also committed to levelling the playing field and increasing access for all students through free curriculum offerings, extensive scholarship programs, and blended learning micro schools in underprivileged communities.
The Subject Specialist role is primarily responsible for ensuring high-quality teaching and learning for their allocated subject and phase. The Subject Specialist will also be responsible for ensuring the delivery of quality tuition and the student experience. The incumbent should be extremely detail-oriented, well organised, and familiar with online learning management systems, ed-tech tools, and data management. The ideal candidate should have a positive personality and a growth mindset, excellent interpersonal skills, and an unbridled passion for – and commitment to – changing the world (yes, the world) through high-quality education.
DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
Learner experience:
- Develop and deliver a variety of teaching and instructional methodologies that make up best practices for their subject.
- Regular contact through Ask-Me-Anything and Success Lab sessions with learners to encourage, motivate, and empower them to achieve their best.
- Employ a variety of dynamic teaching and instructional methodologies, with the aid of edtech tools
- Conduct lesson planning to develop appropriate teaching solutions and strategies that target the specific learner needs that arise as they progress through the course.
- Develop and be closely involved in the moderation of Cycle tests, examinations, and SBAs.
- Take ownership of learners enrolled in your subject, and monitor their academic performance using data and metrics aligned with key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Work with our Support Coaches, Student Experience Leads, and Student Well-Being to oversee the progress of learners enrolled in their allocated subject.
- Review the holistic performance of learners regularly.
- Manage the posting of announcements to the online campus and respond to discussion forum posts made by learners.
- Facilitate and participate in extracurricular activities such as social activities, clubs, assembly, and learner organisations where required.
Academic Quality Assurance:
- Moderate submissions that contribute to learner progress.
- Work closely with the Product team to improve content, using data analysis and best practices in your subject.
- Using subject specifications to ensure that the quality of grading meets the required examination standards.
- Using subject specifications to ensure that content meets the required examination standards, peer-review cycle tests and exam papers, and determine the efficacy and suitability of content.
Community of practice:
- Engage in lesson observations to maintain quality assurance of instruction in line with Valenture’s Teaching and Learning approach and to enable personal and peer improvement through feedback, coaching and mentorship.
- Regular professional development sessions to develop a deep knowledge of the most recent advances of research in the subject you teach, as well as the research on how something can be taught and learned.
REQUIREMENTS
Key requirements for the role:
- Minimum of 3 years teaching experience at secondary school level, with either BEd, PGCE, or relevant qualification.
- Fluent in isiXhosa.
- Experience teaching the relevant curriculum will be an advantage.
- Demonstrated experience in working effectively with young people to promote their academic potential.
- Adept in a technological environment.
- Operationally savvy.
- A good feel for working with assessment data and operational data.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Excellent administrative and reporting skills.
- Must be comfortable working remotely and independently.
- Police clearance required.
- SACE registration or eligible to apply for SACE.
Tech requirements:
- A second screen.
- A stable internet connection (minimum of a 20 Mbps line).
PERSONAL SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES
- Obsessed with making a lasting, positive impact on the students.
- The ability to elicit the best from learners through excellent rapport, meaningful engagement, and sincere commitment to their success.
- Knowledge and passion for the subject area.
- Inclusive and dedicated to developing all students.
- Must be able to take initiative as well as self-audit.
- Must be able to work independently as well as part of a team.
- Strong organisational skills and flexibility.
Benefits:
- Family member discount to Valenture Institute
- Remote working
- Voluntary savings programme
- Half-day birthday leave
Equal opportunity employer:
Valenture Institute is committed to transformation, and the company's Employment Equity plan will be considered during the selection process. Valenture Institute considers itself an Equal Opportunity Employer and thus aims to eliminate all forms of unfair discrimination in the recruitment and selection of staff.
