Overview
Learning ROCKS! is an original Aspire program, serving 100 3rd-5th grade students each day after school across four sites, as well as 100 students during the six-week, full-day summer camp. The Learning ROCKS! Curriculum focuses heavily on language arts and reading, as well as the following three themes: academic and study skills; life-skills; and community and culture. Finally, Aspire emphasizes arts and creativity as a means of self-expression for students as well as accessing and internalizing academic content in new and meaningful ways. The Learning Links AmeriCorps Program provides a critical link across the three main aspects of a child’s daily experience: at school; after school and in the summer; and at home/in the community. Toward this end, Aspire partners closely with and supports both schools and parents. Each AmeriCorps Member will work closely with their team to implement the Learning ROCKS! Program, providing expanded learning opportunities to students. Corps Members are an integral part of the Learning ROCKS! Program, actively planning weekly schedules, implementing lesson plans, leading literature circles and homework groups, and more.
Responsibilities
• Plan and implement Learning ROCKS! program themes in coordination with other AmeriCorps Members and Learning Rocks! Program Manager by creating daily lesson plans;
• Provide direct support and services to approximately 20 - 40 students each day, including appropriate supervision and assistance during homework completion time and recreational activities;
• Plan and implement full-day summer camp lessons, activities, guest speakers, and field trips;
• Provide meaningful guidance and support for Learning ROCKS! volunteers;
• Communicate with parents/guardians and visitors in a professional and meaningful manner;
• Achieve program goals in close collaboration with other AmeriCorps Members, Program Coordinator, Program Manager, and Assistant Director;
• Actively contribute to a Community of Practice that identifies and refines best practices in children and youth programming;
• Help in daily maintenance of the Aspire program sites;
• Complete monthly AmeriCorps Great Stories, and service reflections
• Participate in required AmeriCorps and/or National Days of Service projects; and
• Comply with all applicable rules, regulations, and agreements of the organization.
Minimum Requirements
• U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien;
• High school graduate or equivalent, at least 17 years old;
• Commitment to local, community-based organizations;
• Self-motivation, independence, resourcefulness, and flexibility;
• Creativity, dependability, and flexibility;
• Excellent time management and communication skills;
• Professional communication skills – ability to interact well with children, parents, teachers, volunteers, and program staff; and
• A great sense of humor!
Ideal candidates would also have
• College degree and/or course work in Education, Social Work, or similar field;
• Bilingual (Spanish/Arabic/Amharic/other and English) skills, including reading, writing, and conversation preferred;
• Experience in and/or knowledge of child development and primary education fields;
• Experience in positive behavioral modification practices for individuals and groups of children; and
• Experience working with linguistically and culturally diverse populations.
Service Activities
By serving in four distinct sites where children spend their lives (at school; after school; home/community), members will serve a unique function that simply cannot be met by staff or other volunteers, truly adding value to and positively impacting the community. Toward this end, 15 full-time members will divide their time and effort across three sites and serve as a primary link across key aspects of children’s lives.
(1) AT SCHOOLS (15% of time and effort) - Improving educational outcomes
a. Providing direct support to students during the school day, onsite at their schools two mornings each week for a total of six hours, under direction of teachers;
b. Exchanging relevant, appropriate information regularly with teachers /school personnel; and
c. Serving as a liaison among the school and parents, as relevant and appropriate.
(2) AFTERSCHOOL / AT ASPIRE! (70% of time and effort) - Increasing capacity to better serve children each day after school, and to do so in a way that is complementary to and well-aligned with school priorities, by:
a. Providing 15 hours of direct academic and social support to children in 3rd-5th grades each week, at the direction of Learning ROCKS! Program Manager and/or Site Coordinator; and
b. Developing lesson plans and activities to support learning and enrichment, in collaboration with Learning ROCKS! Program Manager and/or Site Coordinator; and
(3) AT HOME/COMMUNITY (15% of time and effort) - Supporting the Parent Connection Program by:
a. Recruiting parents as volunteers to increase parent engagement in the afterschool program; and
b. Implementing child-enrichment activities on a rotating basis to ensure that parents are not limited in their ability to participate due to childcare barriers.
Community Need Addressed
Aspire! serves children and families in the Columbia Heights West and Pike Village Center neighborhoods of Arlington. The organization’s original afterschool program was established in 1994 through a grassroots effort of community organizers in response to widespread concern about the well-being of children in Columbia Heights West during out-of-school time hours. Twenty years later, Aspire! is well-rooted in the community where it originated, including expanding its services to two affordable housing developments at the request of local affordable housing organizations and neighboring schools in response to community demand. It consistently operates at maximum capacity and is oversubscribed by 115% with waiting lists at all of its sites and a steady pipeline of referrals from local teachers and schools.
Position Outcomes
Short Term
At least 80% (80) 3rd-5th grade students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds will improve their reading proficiency per school-based, standardized assessments of reading instructional levels at the beginning and end of the school year. This is critical in these years as third grade is when you stop learning to read and begin reading to learn. Students who do not keep pace with literacy quickly fall behind in all their schoolwork.
Mid Term
Students’ improved reading proficiency will ensure that they can fully participate in school and keep up with academic content in middle and high school and successfully graduate from high school.
Long Term
Students will have better opportunities to live healthy, successful lives and enjoy an increased lifelong earning potential.
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance, Stipend, Student loan forbearance, Training
We offer year-round, comprehensive professional development that includes topics such as:
Teacher-led trainings around linguistics, literacy, math skills and more
Lesson planning
Behavior management (emphasis on positive)
Trauma informed care
Communities of practice
Teacher shadowing as a part of school-based service
Bridges out of Poverty
Skills you will gain
Aspire! is committed to strengthening Corps Members’ professional and personal development. Corps Members will receive training in a variety of topics including: content areas, tutoring skills, child development, behavior management, education theory, leadership skills, and team building. Additionally, AmeriCorps Members will have significant autonomy and ownership over many aspects of programming and service.
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Speak clearly, in precise language and in a logical, organized and coherent manner, Turn taking, Write cleary and effectively
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
Derive consensus, Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, Consistently choose the best tool or technological solution for the problem at hand, Seek opportunities to improve knowledge of tools and technologies that may assist in streamlining work and improving productivity
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Drive decision making, Effectively delegate tasks, Facilitate group planning, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Evaluate customer or client satisfaction, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization, Understand the significance of maintaining a healthful and safe environment