About BEAM

The mission of BEAM is to create pathways for students from low-income and underserved communities to become scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists. Led by staff with these same technical backgrounds, BEAM believes that pathways to STEM careers are created through community, individual support, and access to advanced work that typically lies outside most school curricula. We work to directly support students and to transition them to other supportive enrichment programs that enable their future success.

BEAM's model provides continuous support from middle school through college graduation, including intense academic summer programs for middle school students (after 6th and 7th grade), weekend classes and mentoring, and STEM-focused support through college. Our program includes not just access to learning advanced math but also support finding and applying to other opportunities, including support with college admissions and financial aid. In addition to our academic content, bringing students into community is a key part of our mission and all of our work is designed to support that goal.

BEAM has grown from a small summer program serving 17 students in the summer of 2011 to a year-round, national program, serving 420+ students at six summer program sites and 600+ students in year-round programming in New York City and Los Angeles this school year. In addition, our BEAM National pilot program now reaches over 500 elementary-aged students in seven different states, working to create a new nationwide pathway modeled on our local work.

With our strategic plan, our team has committed to transforming the organization from a successful startup to a more mature and scalable organization that can drive change across the country.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PROGRAM

BEAM is expanding our national reach to provide thousands of students access to math enrichment in under-resourced communities. Entry Points (EP) is an elementary math exploration program that fosters positive math mindsets for students through creative challenges and collaborative problem-solving. EP is part of BEAM’s national initiative to provide advanced enrichment learning to students who would not otherwise have such opportunities. We inspire joy in kids who hunger for more challenge and provide support so they can excel. BEAM provides a curriculum of activities and pedagogical support for teachers, and gives all EP students accounts on Beast Academy (an online math platform). 

The EP program is run by teachers in their classrooms or as afterschool clubs, serving approximately 1,000 students in 4th and 5th grades. Teachers meet with students weekly for 40 minutes to run activities and games from the BEAM curriculum, and give students time to use Beast Academy (demo here) when possible. As the program grows in the coming years, we plan to allow interested students to continue to other BEAM programs after 5th grade. 

DESCRIPTION OF ROLE 

Instructional Coaches have a dual role of developing teachers’ math knowledge and pedagogy, and supporting teachers as they develop their students’ positive math identities. Coaches also serve as the main point of contact between teachers and BEAM.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Meet individually with 12-15 Entry Points teachers via a monthly video call to support their implementation of the EP curriculum by building their math content understanding and discussing pedagogy. Check-ins should support and encourage regular moments of reflection for teachers. In addition to regular monthly check-ins, coaches will:
• Support teachers in a timely manner via email, text, and/or phone calls depending on teacher preference.
• Prepare for meetings by reading program-related BEAM emails, viewing previous meeting notes, checking on student activity in Beast Academy, and familiarizing themselves with upcoming curriculum activities.
• Submit notes from each coaching session for visibility with the rest of the team.
• Provide logistical support to teachers, especially at the start of the program.
• Proactively communicate with the BEAM team regarding teacher progress and concerns, if any.

• Attend regular BEAM meetings (2x a month):
• All-coach meetings to resource and knowledge share.
• One-on-one meetings with the Elementary Math and Pedagogy Manager to discuss each teacher and get support with coaching.

• Host activity workshops for teachers:
• Activity workshops are a virtual space for teachers to work through the Entry Points curriculum, as students, together.
• There will be 3-4 date and time options for each of the four Activity Workshops, and hosting responsibilities will be split with another coach.
• Activity workshops are 80 minutes and are held between 4-9:30pm Pacific Time.

Additional expectations include:

• Attend Entry Points teacher orientation (2-3 hrs) and four activity workshop sessions (1 hr each) to support teachers implementing the program effectively.
• Participate in school visits to learn about the school and classroom culture and potentially demonstrate activities. Able to travel to visit 12-15 teachers once or twice throughout each school-year.
• Support BEAM staff in hosting virtual game nights with students and families, working directly with small groups of students in breakout rooms.

QUALIFICATIONS

We understand that there are many paths to acquiring experience and therefore welcome candidates from diverse and nontraditional backgrounds for this role who have demonstrated equivalent transferable skills to carry out the major duties outlined in this job description. 

• Alignment with BEAM's teaching philosophy: We want to empower students to be doers of mathematics in a joyful, collaborative setting that fosters curiosity and question-asking. Rather than prioritizing correct answers and speed, we focus on reasoning and problem solving. Our aim is to develop a positive relationship with math for our students, preparing them for future experiences in STEM.
• 2+ years math teaching experience in 4th or 5th grade, preferably in a low-income, historically-marginalized school or district.
• 1+ year experience coaching teachers with a preference for math coaching.
• Experience supporting adult learning such as facilitating professional development (PD) sessions or conducting training.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly and effectively in a virtual setting.
• Attention to detail, including calendar management in order to maintain a calendar that involves connecting with 10+ individuals on a monthly basis.
• Possess strong listening skills, actively engaging with and responding to teacher needs, concerns, and feedback.
• Facilitate meetings effectively, ensuring productive discussions while working with teachers’ busy schedules.
• Exceptional organizational skills, particularly in a remote setting; specifically, meeting documentation, such as agenda building and note taking, such that team members can easily identify key points and action items.

HOURLY PAY AND OTHER DETAILS

The expected hourly pay range for this position is $35-$42, depending on experience and background. 

Weekly schedule: Monday-Friday, flexible hours (depending on teacher schedule, including occasional evenings), 8 hours per week. Preference for Pacific or Mountain Time

APPLICATION PROCESS

• The initial step is to submit your application, including resume and responses to a few short application questions, via our online portal. When your application is complete, we will follow up with next steps,
• Next steps in our process will include a short 30-minute phone interview and/or sample projects so we can get to know you and you can show us your work. We believe in the importance of demonstrated ability and providing opportunities that allow candidates to demonstrate their relevant skills for the role throughout our process. The final step of our process is a final interview with the team. 
• We will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. 
• We believe strongly in communication and collaboration. In the spirit of that collaborative atmosphere, we strongly encourage you to ask questions about the position! You can contact hiring@beammath.org.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Beyond a commitment to nondiscrimination, we are committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY 

BEAM is an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of an individual’s race (including traits historically associated with race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protected hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists), ethnicity, religion (including clothing or facial hair worn in accordance with the religious tenets), color, sex, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, breastfeeding, gender (including actual or perceived sex, gender identity, and gender expression including a person’s actual or perceived gender-related self-image, appearance, behavior, expression, or other gender-related characteristic, regardless of the sex assigned to that person at birth), sexual orientation, sexual and reproductive health decisions, national origin, immigration or citizenship status, status as a veteran, active military service member, or uniform service member, marital or partnership status, familial status, caregiver status, age (18 or older), predisposing genetic characteristics, disability, creed, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking, unemployment status, salary history, credit history, an individual’s status as having a known relationship or association with a member or members of a protected category, or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. This policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, compensation, promotion, discipline, and termination. 

All personnel decisions will be made in accordance with the principles of equal employment opportunity and subject only to valid (job-related) requirements for employment, benefits, or promotional opportunities.