Baby Badgers Lead Teacher

The UW Odyssey Project takes a whole family approach to breaking the cycle of generational poverty through access to education. While their parents are in class, children ages newborn through high school participate in one of five Odyssey Junior classrooms.

Odyssey Junior's goals: 1) self-esteem, 2) positive peer interactions, 3) communication skills, 4) creative self-expression, 5) literacy, 6) motor development, and 7) intellectual growth.

The Odyssey Junior Baby Badger Lead Teacher will lead a teaching team every Wednesday evening from 4:30pm-8pm in South Madison from August through April. Lead Teachers can expect to work 3-4 hours on Wednesday evenings with 1-2 additional hours in the week for lesson planning and team communication. The Baby Badger Classroom serves eight infants ages 6 weeks to 24 months.

Principal duties:

• Serve as lead teacher for Odyssey Junior classroom, ensuring clear communication among all staff volunteers.
• Develop weekly lesson plans aligned with the core goals of Odyssey Junior and student interest. Communicate lesson plans to teaching team and Odyssey Junior's director and coordinator.
• Communicate regularly with Odyssey Junior Director and Coordinator.
• Understand and implement the Office of Youth Protection's safety guidelines.
• Create an inclusive classroom community to instill a sense of belonging for all students.
• Uphold Odyssey Junior's behavioral expectations.
• Communicate with parents regarding student successes and challenges.
• Facilitate a welcoming classroom environment for community partners.
• Provide student material for the program newsletter.
• Attend Odyssey Junior staff meetings.
• Communicate supply requests to the Odyssey Junior coordinator.
• Assist with classroom set up and clean up.

• Maintains the safety and physical well-being of children in a designated classroom

• Plans and facilitates classroom programming and schedules daily classroom activities for an early childhood education facility according to established curriculums

• Evaluates individualized and developmental educational plans for children in collaboration with other stakeholders, as needed

• Mentors new teachers and students

• Maintains and documents effective communication with internal and external stakeholders to relay pertinent information and provide updates of child activities per established guidelines and regulations

Continuing Studies, Liberal Arts and Applied Studies

$28.00 HOURLY

• Experience teaching in an infant classroom or community based program
• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills
• Experience creating developmentally appropriate curriculum
• Experience working with children from diverse ethnic, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds
• Experience leading a teaching team or teaching on a diverse team
• Demonstrated knowledge of culturally-relevant teaching, trauma-informed care, and literacy best practices

Relevant Bachelor's Degree or Early Childhood Education credential required. WI Teaching License preferred.

To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply Now" button. You will be asked to upload a resume and cover letter as a part of the application process. Please ensure your resume and cover letter address how you meet the minimum/preferred qualifications for the position.

Zachary Yafai, HR Business Partner (zyafai@wisc.edu)

Gwendolyn Coale, Odyssey Junior Program Manager (gwendolyn.coale@wisc.edu)

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