Call for Applications for Teaching for Equitable Democracy Fellow at CIRCLE

Thank you for your interest. The deadline to apply has passed.

The Teaching for Democracy Alliance (TFDA) is a coalition of national and regional organizations working to strengthen student learning about elections and informed voting. Founded in 2016, the Alliance creates and aggregates high quality resources for K12 teachers and administrators to prepare students for democratic participation. It also builds energy for this work within and beyond the education community through support of school and district leaders, conference presentations, and press outreach. TFDA consists of 19 member organizations and is coordinated by CIRCLE, which is part of Tufts University’s Tisch College of Civic Life.

To Apply: Please send cover letter and resume to Sarah Keese, CIRCLE Project Manager, at sarah.keese@tufts.edu.
Application Deadline: March 25, 2022
Start Date: April 1, 2022
End Date: January 31, 2023 (with potential to continue beyond)
Time commitment: An estimated 26-32 hours per month with the expectation that all responsibilities below would be completed in that time
Compensation: $1,300/month to be paid via monthly installments
Location: Virtual; location in DC or Boston is helpful

TFDA’s Core Principles

An informed citizenry and equitable election participation is important and can be cultivated early through civic learning.
ALL students have a right of access to opportunities to learn about core democratic processes like elections and voting.
A variety of high quality and culturally relevant resources are needed to reach all teachers and students.
It’s important for student learning to acknowledge political actors and to model informed and equitable democratic practice.

Responsibilities of the Fellow

Represent CIRCLE’s values and mission in the Alliance and through Alliance efforts
Participate in regular meetings with key CIRCLE staff members (likely Deputy Director and Senior Researcher)
Correspond with internal staff and external partners in a timely and professional manner
Lead all aspects of Alliance coordination to fulfill principles in 2022 election year, including communication with Alliance members on a bi-weekly basis
Coordinate decision-making processes among Leadership Group (made up of Fellow, 4 member representatives and another CIRCLE team member), and in doing so coordinate and host monthly Leadership Group meetings
Implement internal Alliance learning and networking with input from members, including but not limited to 4 Brown Bag Lunch sessions with visiting academics focused on related research evidence, and co-create a Brown Bag evaluation looking back on full year
Support leadership group, ad-hoc TFDA initiatives, and plan/activity implementation
Envision and implement website adjustments, updates, and other communications with member input
Provide input, as needed, on other related CIRCLE efforts

Required Qualifications

Experience in K12 civics education or other related education field
Experience managing partnerships or a coalition
Ability to communicate with a wide diversity of stakeholders, including non-researchers
Evidence of ability to design and facilitate meetings and workshops
Unwavering commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and understanding of how these commitments apply to work
Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and partners from varied backgrounds and to interact with practitioners of diverse backgrounds, views, and positions.

Because of CIRCLE’s explicit focus on improving civic education and engagement for young people of color and other underserved youth, and because of Tisch College and Tufts University’s foundational commitments to diversity and inclusion, candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences are especially encouraged to apply.

The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) is a research-based think tank that studies how young people in the United States learn to become active participants in our democracy. CIRCLE studies a broad range of topics, from K-12 civic education, youth organizing, youth and civic media, to community characteristics that promote civic development. The central focus of its work is on expanding access to civic learning and engagement opportunities, especially for marginalized youth.

The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life prepares students in all fields of study for lifetimes of active citizenship. Tisch College promotes new knowledge in the field and applies this knowledge to evidence-based practice in programs, community partnerships, and advocacy efforts. Central to the university’s mission, the college offers Tufts’ students opportunities to engage in meaningful community building, civic and political experiences, and explore commitments to civic participation.