Saturday Academy Instructor, ELA 9th, 10th, & 11th grade (Spring 2026)

Title: Saturday Academy Instructor, ELA

Reports To: Senior Manager of Teaching and Learning

FLSA: Part-time, Seasonal 

Location:  New York City, in-person. 

Compensation: $50/hr

There will also be future opportunities for Summer Academy and Fall semesters.

Position Overview

Instructors will join SEO’s community of passionate educators to implement a rigorous college prep curriculum for motivated and driven high school students.  Using our original curriculum and a student-centered, anti-oppressive approach to teaching and learning, instructors play an integral part in supporting our Scholars’ journeys to a competitive college and beyond. Instructors promote depth of understanding and skill acquisition by serving as a coach and facilitator of learning. 

The Courses

Instructors will be placed in either 9th, 10th, or 11th Grade. The English Language Arts (ELA) courses offered this semester are:

• 9th Grade course: Theory of Intelligence
• 10th Grade course: Critical Media Analysis
• 11th Grade course: Supplemental Essay Writing

9th and 10th ELA Instructors also teach our Advisory course. This course is designed to prepare Scholars for academic and social success. Throughout their time in SEO’s High School Scholars program, Advisory includes two courses, Identity & Empowerment (IE) and Level All. Level All is a college and career readiness partner.  

Based on ELA Instructors’ grade placements, they will teach the following Advisory course: 

• 9th Grade– Personal & Social Identities
• 10th Grade– Identity & Mental Health
• 11th Grade– Does not teach Advisory

The Sites

Saturday Academy takes place at one of our partner sites through the semester where the Instructor will be placed based on the grade level they are assigned:

• 9th Grade: Baruch College, (Vertical Campus Building, 55 Lexington Ave., New York).
• 10th Grade: LIU Brooklyn, (1 University Plaza, Brooklyn).

Occasionally, Orientations and/or Professional Development for all grade assignments will be held at the SEO Office:

• 55 Exchange Place, New York, NY (Financial District).

Dates: The start and programming dates depend on which grade level the instructor is placed.

9th Grade:

• Instructor Orientation: Thursday , 2/12, 5:30pm on Zoom
• Scholar Orientation: Saturday, 1/24 on site 
• Saturday Academy (8 total): 3/7, 3/14, 3/21, 3/28, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2 (remote), 5/9

10th Grade:

• Instructor Orientation: Wednesday, 1/14, 5:30pm on Zoom
• On-Site Kick-Off: Saturday, 1/24
• Saturday Academy (10 total): 1/31, 2/7, 2/14 (remote), 3/7, 3/14, 3/21, 3/28, 4/18, 4/25, 5/9

Key Responsibilities:

• Instruction & Facilitation – Teach three or four periods of ELA and/or Advisory. Follow provided lesson plans and meet lesson objectives, abiding by SEO’s articulated criteria for rigorous instruction and student engagement. 

Navigate Instructional Technologies – Learn and efficiently utilize our instructional technologies such as  Brightspace (Learning Management System), Nearpod, G-Suite applications, and Zoom chat (instant messaging tool) in a Blended Learning environment. Content Preparation – Read, internalize, and practice all lesson plans and materials provided by SEO prior to teaching. Implement thoughtful adjustments to pacing and activities based on specific student needs.

• Grading and Record-Keeping – Calculate grades according to rubrics and stipulations in provided lesson plans. Provide actionable, growth-oriented feedback to students. Complete all grading in a timely manner (1 week turnaround) and keep the electronic gradebook up to date on Brightspace (our LMS).
• Classroom Culture – Project an energetic, engaging, and approachable persona to promote students’ connection to the content, investment in the learning experience, and positive relationship to all members of the community.
• Collaboration with SEO Staff and Instructors – Attend all scheduled meetings, professional development trainings, check-ins, and debriefs and respond to all emails and Zoom chats in a timely manner. 
• Responsiveness to Coaching and Feedback – Meet with your assigned instructional coach (Lead Instructor) at least twice during the semester to receive and implement feedback and recommendations from their classroom observations.  

Compensation:

Instructors earn $50/hour. Their allotted hours are made up of Standard and Flex Hours.

• Standard Hours are when the instructor must be working on site with staff or students instructing/co-teaching a class or engaging with an instructional prep or support period:
• Saturdays, 9:00am-4:00pm (with at least a 30 minute lunch) = 6.5 Hours/weekly
• Flex Hours make up the additional “teacher work” educators know go into the job. This is time spent grading, preparing for the lesson, following up with Scholars, communicating with staff and Scholars, etc. These are hours put in outside of the required schedule and can be completed asynchronously throughout the week.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in content related field
• Teaching certification, K-12 classroom teaching experience, and/or experience teaching at the college or university level
• Comfortable with and skilled at working with and navigating technological learning systems
• This position requires the use of a reliable personal laptop. Seasonal instructors must have access to their own device that meets basic technology requirements to carry out all instructional and administrative duties
• Understanding and practice of student-centered pedagogy
• Experience working with high school-aged students
• Expertise and depth of knowledge in advanced high school-level English and Humanities subjects
• Eagerness to engage in conversations analyzing the historical and continued causes of societal ills and challenges.

Preferred: 

• Secondary Education Degree and Certification
• Knowledge and experience with Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
• Certifications, PD course completions, and/or tertiary education in Instructional Technologies

COMPENSATION

Associate Instructors are compensated on a competitive hourly rate scale at $40/hour. This position averages 8 hours per week. The compensation listed reflects what SEO believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and SEO reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time.

This position is benefits ineligible in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations.

EEOC Policy   

At SEO we are committed to cultivating a team that embodies the backgrounds and experiences of the constituencies we serve and the communities we live in, and a workplace that reflects the impact we make in the world. Candidates from all communities – including people of color, women, members of the LGBTQIA+ Community, veterans, and people with disabilities – are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Equal Employment Opportunity is not just the law, it is our commitment. 

Sponsors for Educational Opportunity is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer – M/F/D/V. We will consider all qualified applicants for employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information or characteristics, or any other legally protected status. 

If you need accommodation while applying for a role with SEO, due to a disability, please email SEO Talent. 

THE ORGANIZATION 

Established in 1963 by Michael Osheowitz, SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity) is an educational non-profit founded on the belief that talent is everywhere; but opportunity is not. Our programs are designed to educate, train, mentor, and amplify the voices of our participants to give them a seat at the table – every table. We propel human potential. 

SEO is an innovator in education, mentorship, and creating educational career opportunities that maximize the full potential of our participants. Each year SEO serves 7,000+ participants nationally, and the organization is widely recognized for developing best-in-class programs with exceptional results. 

Not every SEO participant is on the same journey, but all are hungry for opportunity and SEO creates an ecosystem of excellence. Learn more about SEO's programs here: https://www.seo-usa.org/our-programs/.