Instructor/Assistant Professor of Teacher Education - Early Childhood/Special Education

Job Title:

Full or Part Time:

Hours:

Exempt:

Supervisory Org:

Job Description:

The Teacher Education Department at Saginaw Valley State University invites applications for a full-time faculty position in Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education at the rank of Instructor or Assistant Professor, depending upon qualifications and experience.
 

We seek a colleague who possesses experience working with a broad population of stakeholders from a variety of school contexts and who can engage in the culture of teaching, scholarship, and service within the College of Education, the university, and the surrounding community. Additionally, we seek a colleague who will actively contribute to the success of our students, engage in collaborative and interdisciplinary work with faculty, and advance the mission of our program, college, and university.
 

The primary teaching responsibilities of this position will be undergraduate early childhood general and special education courses. Additional responsibilities include scholarship, service, program development, and collaboration with PK–12 and community partners.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

For Appointment at the Rank of Instructor

• Earned master's degree plus 30 graduate credits in early childhood, early intervention, special education, or a closely related field.
• Dual endorsements in both early childhood and K–12 special education.
• Minimum fifteen years of state-issued certified teaching experience in infant/toddler home visiting and/or early childhood special education (ECSE).
• Experience designing curriculum focused on birth through 3rd-grade teaching and learning.
• Knowledge of Michigan Birth–Kindergarten (General and Special Education) and PK–3 standards for teacher preparation.
• Experience working with ancillary staff and supervising classroom support staff.
• Knowledge of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards and the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices.
• Ability to teach day and evening courses and attend program and department meetings.
• Experience and ability to positively interact with all members of the campus community.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodations.

For Appointment at the Rank of Assistant Professor

• Earned doctorate in early childhood education, early childhood special education, special education, curriculum and instruction, or a closely related field by the time of appointment.
• Dual endorsements in both early childhood and K–12 special education, or qualifications that support teaching in both areas.
• Minimum three years of successful professional experience in early childhood education, early childhood special education, infant/toddler intervention, or a related setting.
• Experience designing curriculum focused on birth through 3rd-grade teaching and learning.
• Knowledge of Michigan Birth–Kindergarten (General and Special Education) and PK–3 standards for teacher preparation.
• Evidence of scholarly activity, research, professional presentations, grant work, or other scholarly contributions appropriate for a tenure-track appointment.
• Ability to teach day and evening courses and attend program and department meetings.
• Experience and ability to positively interact with all members of the campus community.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working with families of young children with exceptionalities in natural environments under Part B and Part C of IDEA.
• Experience teaching undergraduate or graduate coursework in early childhood and/or early childhood special education.
• Experience supervising teacher candidates, interns, or field-based clinical experiences.
• Knowledge of educator preparation accreditation, including CAEP standards and assessment systems.
• Experience with program evaluation, continuous improvement, and data-informed decision making.
• Experience using digital technologies to support teaching, learning, assessment, and candidate performance tracking.
• Demonstrated commitment to collaboration with schools, families, and community partners.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Duties are generally performed inside and not exposed to adverse conditions.

• All work associated with this role must be performed within the state of Michigan.

The above reflects the general details considered necessary to describe the essential functions of the job. It shall not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements that may be inherent in the job.  It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct, and control the work of employees under his/her supervision.  The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty.

APPOINTMENT DETAILS

Appointment rank (Instructor or Assistant Professor) will be determined based on the successful candidate's academic credentials, professional experience, scholarly record, and qualifications.

APPLICATION

Posted through: Open Until Filled

Applicants must apply online at: www.jobs.svsu.edu

Please include:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter
• Unofficial Transcripts (all graduate coursework)
• Additional Supporting Documents (e.g., certifications, licenses, endorsements)

About SVSU:

Saginaw Valley State University is a comprehensive university with more than 100 programs of study for its roughly 7,000 students. Located on a suburban campus in Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region, SVSU is committed to a supportive and empowering environment for students, faculty and staff. SVSU was recognized as a “Great College to Work For” for 9 consecutive years (2016-2024).

SVSU emphasizes undergraduate teaching and learning, and community-based research. SVSU earned the Community Engagement classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a distinction achieved by only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities. By their senior year, 84 percent of students have engaged with community employers and agencies in internships, field placements or some other component of their academic preparation.

SVSU is establishing itself as a leader in STEAM education for the Great Lakes Bay Region, partnering with businesses, foundations and school districts to improve students’ performance in math, science and the arts at the middle school, high school and university levels.  SVSU is constructing the first university research facility on Lake Huron to improve public health and the economy in the Saginaw Bay watershed.
 
More than 70 percent of SVSU freshmen live on campus in student housing that has been rated No. 1 among public universities in the U.S. (2018-2025). SVSU fields 20 varsity sports at the NCAA Division II level. The average class size is 23 students. For more information, please visit our website, http://www.svsu.edu.