Instructional Methods for Language & Literacy (K-12) Curriculum Anchor and Assistant Professor

Position Summary

The Department of Teacher Education in the College of Education at Texas Tech University is seeking a dynamic faculty leader to become a key contributor to an innovative teacher preparation program.  The program, Tech Teach, is a district-based, undergraduate teacher preparation program designed to serve as a “talent pipeline” for partner districts in Texas.  The program is clinically intensive, competency-based, and focused on measurably improving K-12 student achievement.  The Department of Teacher Education in College of Education at Texas Tech University invites applications for a fulltime (9-month academic appointment), Assistant Professor in Teacher Education for Instructional Methods for K-12 Language and Literacy.  The position includes methods teaching in educator preparation and significant curriculum and research work focusing on preparation for the teaching of reading and writing across K-12 grade span.

The Department is unique among universities in that it is organized entirely around the undergraduate teacher preparation, with cross-college collaborations possible for research and working with graduate students.  The focus of this position is on teacher education.  The successful applicant will work with other curriculum anchors (Math, Science, Special Education & ESL / Bilingual) to support programmatic, design-based research pertaining to preservice teachers’ learning and instructional effectiveness.  Primary responsibilities include: (a) developing, teaching and researching the effects of theory-based program and curricular interventions for increasing teacher candidates’ instructional competency for ELAR teaching, (b) taking a leadership role in shaping the methods curriculum for the entire undergraduate certification program in both online and face-to-face delivery, and (c) working with instructional staff to ensure high-fidelity implementation of research-supported improvements around quality of delivery and content in methods courses.

About the Community

Texas Tech University is the flagship of the Texas Tech University System and a Carnegie Tier One research university. The current enrollment is nearly 40,000 students. As a Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS), Texas Tech University seeks to foster an environment that promotes inclusive access and attracts committed and high-achieving students. We are dedicated to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty to educate and empower our diverse student body while also serving an extremely vast and diverse state.

Lubbock, Texas (Pop. 250,000) is an outstanding place to live and work.  This growing city, with its college-town feel, has a remarkable history and a vital future.  Lubbock is the commercial, agricultural, medical, financial and cultural hub of the South Plains. The City of Lubbock and Texas Tech enjoy an exceptionally cooperative and supportive relationship extending from community health to cotton crop production, from wind energy to education.  Lubbock is nationally recognized as an outstanding place to raise a family, and offers ease of access for commuting across town, or travel across the nation.  Depending on one’s personal preferences, there are plenty of recreational opportunities and a wide variety of restaurants and shopping, community events and cultural activities including breweries and wine bars, a vibrant live-music scene along with more traditional performing arts. 

The Texas Tech University College of Education, with over 2,000 students, offers a nationally recognized undergraduate teacher preparation program, and 21 graduate degrees that prepare students for professional or academic positions in education.  The department and college place a focus on strategic outreach and engaged scholarship. We collaborate with local, regional, state, national and global partners to address complex problems facing individuals and communities. In recognition of its extraordinary community outreach efforts, the college received the 2018 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Engagement Scholarship Award from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).

The Successful Applicant.

It is expected that all applicants will have an earned Ed.D. or Ph.D. by the time of appointment in Language & Literacy, Curriculum & Instruction, Teacher Education or a related field with strong mixed-methods skills (including proficiency in quantitative data analysis), a record of K-12 and higher-ed teaching effectiveness, and excellent written and oral English communication skills.  Also, it is expected that applicants will have an emerging record of scholarly productivity in a language & literacy-related field as evidenced by published journal articles and scientific conference presentations.  In addition to these expectations, the following experiences are highly valued by this department: (a) successful university-district partnerships around ELAR; (b) working at a building or district level in U.S. schools as an instructional coach in ELAR teaching; (c) working in linguistically and culturally diverse settings to support student achievement in ELAR; and (d) working with teacher candidates in preparation for edTPA.  Given the practices of the department, it is also helpful (but not required) if applicants have experience with TK20, utilizing video of teaching as a research tool and have earned Google Educator or Apple Educator certification. Service duties include program-building, as well as commitment to extra-curricular activities. Service to the department, college, and university is expected. Candidates who have very strong records of scholarship supported by extramural funding and who have the proven capacity or clear potential to bring externally sponsored research to Texas Tech University are encouraged to apply.

This appointment begins in August 2022.  Compensation is commensurate with qualifications with additional funds for summer research support and limited travel.   For additional information please contact the search committee chairperson, Dr. Kathryn Button via email [kathryn.button@ttu.edu].  Interested candidates should submit application materials online at the TTU Personnel Employment website:  https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/Home/Home?partnerid=25898&siteid=5637#jobDetails=667183_5637 Please include your curriculum vitae, unofficial graduate transcripts, a list of three references with complete address, phone number, and email address, and a letter of application. Review of applications will begin December 1, 2021.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, Texas Tech University is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse faculty committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. We actively encourage applications from all those who can contribute, through their research, teaching and/or service, to the diversity and excellence of the academic community at Texas Tech University. The University welcomes applications from minoritized candidates, women, veterans, persons with disability and dual-career couples. Texas Tech University recently surpassed the Hispanic student population threshold necessary for designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). To learn more about the university’s commitment to diversity, please visit The Office of Institutional Diversity.