Assistant/Associate Professor of Reading Education (Tenure-Track)

Assistant/Associate Professor of Reading Education (Tenure-Track)  

Theory and Practice in Teacher Education

College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

The College of Education, Health and Human Sciences at The University of Tennessee is seeking an assistant or associate professor for a position in elementary reading education in the Department of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education (TPTE). We seek a new faculty member to join an active research and teaching community focused on the preparation of teachers and assisting the community/schools in reading instruction, particularly for students in rural and urban culturally and linguistically diverse schools. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. Position begins August 2021 or January 1, 2022.

The College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences is a multidisciplinary unit with 90+ tenured/tenure-track faculty members, housed in eight departments. TPTE, the College’s largest department, offers programs of study that lead to initial teacher licensure in many areas as well as undergraduate programs in educational interpreting and audiology/speech pathology, advanced programs leading to several teaching endorsements including gifted education and the reading specialist.  Beyond the licensure programs, graduate education programs prepare master’s students, educational specialists, and doctoral students for careers in research, teaching, and leadership in research universities, teaching colleges, and school districts.

Reading education faculty conduct rigorous research on reading and writing interventions, on assessment, on motivation and affect, and on teacher preparation and professional development.  Further, faculty members are committed to preparing educators for effective and engaging teaching in high need urban and rural communities. The successful candidate will join an active, collaborative, and interdisciplinary faculty committed to improving public education through exemplary research, teaching, and service. The successful candidate understands current research and practice for teaching literacy and particularly reading methods, especially for K-3 students. The successful candidate will be knowledgeable of research and able and enthusiastic about providing professional development on elementary reading practices to area schools and community groups.

Responsibilities  include conducting and publishing scholarly research; pursuing external funding to support an active research agenda; teaching undergraduate and graduate classes in elementary level reading education; supervising the applied work of preservice and in-service students in diverse settings; collaborating with a team of faculty in development, delivery, and ongoing program evaluation of undergraduate courses, the reading specialist program, and the literacy education PhD program; developing collaborative relationships with local schools, teachers, and community members; providing service and leadership to local/state and national/international professional organizations; and fulfilling advising and administrative duties as required by the department and the university.

Required Qualifications: Applicants for the position must have demonstrated content area expertise in early literacy, including K-3 reading development, assessment, and instruction with knowledge of Response to Intervention and evidence-based practices for all learners including those with significant reading and writing challenges; evidence of scholarly potential and potential for external funding; demonstrated evidence in preparation and/or experience working in culturally and linguistically diverse settings; a record of successful teaching elementary age students and/or elementary teacher preparation; an earned doctorate by start date in literacy education or a closely related field (such as educational psychology or special education); and commitment to working as part of a collaborative team on research and teaching.

Desired Qualifications: Applicants who have demonstrated evidence of successful work with teacher education students in culturally and linguistically diverse contexts and/or students with reading disabilities will be given strong consideration. Additional desired qualifications include an established a record of scholarship in elementary reading, expertise/experience in grant writing, and knowledge of mixed method or quantitative research methodologies.

Application Instructions: Please apply online at https://apply.interfolio.com/83284. Include a letter expressing your interest and describing your qualifications, current curriculum vitae, names and contact information of three references, and reprints of publications and relevant manuscripts (or works in progress). Review of applications will begin on 15 February 2021 and continue until the position is filled.

For more information about the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, please visit http://cehhs.utk.edu.