TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS PROJECT 

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP MENTORS 

OVERVIEW

Inspire, Educate and Empower Rwanda (IEE) is a Rwandan local Education Not-For-Profit Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). Since 2005, in collaboration with partners, IEE has complemented efforts of the Ministry of Education/ Rwanda Basic Education Board, contributing to educational implementation. IEE designs and delivers innovative programmes to address challenges to provision of quality education.

IEE programmes range from: teacher development training and technical assistance, teaching and learning, curriculum and material development, research and evaluation, education policies and systems reform.

CONTEXT 

In the context of Mastercard Foundation- funded Leaders in Teaching (LIT) initiative, IEE is implementing the Teaching Assistantships Project (TAP) under the LIT “Recruit” pillar. TAP is aimed at supporting Rwanda with skill-nurturing for passionate young people, with an interest in education, attracting them to join the teaching profession, or support education.  Through capacity building and exposure to teaching through teaching assistantships, a young, skilled teaching force could hence be nurtured to contribute to Ministry of Education priorities in the current Education Sector Strategic Plan (2018/19- 2014/25).

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

Teaching Assistantship Mentors will be responsible for implementation of project activities in support of Teaching Assistants. Using a mentorship approach, Teaching Assistantship Mentors will provide school-based day-to-day technical support and guidance to Teaching Assistants, in addition to facilitating on-going Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities.

TARGET APPLICANTS FOR THE ROLE

IEE seeks qualified female and male candidates to apply for the role of Teaching Assistantship Mentors.

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Key accountabilitiesFacilitate Teaching Assistants’ understanding of career preparation in their transitional year to higher learning.

• Facilitate Teaching Assistants’ understanding of English language for teaching.
• Facilitate Teaching Assistants’ understanding of planning for teaching and methodology.
• Facilitate Teaching Assistants’ understanding of study strategies and personal development.
• Provide moral support to Teaching Assistants to be determined to strive against any obstacles, in determination to succeed professionally.
• Provide moral and technical support to Teaching Assistants, interesting them to join the teaching career.
• Provide moral support to Teaching Assistants for empowerment, participation and decision-making.
• Support Teaching Assistants as they facilitate peer support sessions with their peers.
• Mentorship for Teaching Assistants to collaborate with host teachers to facilitate teaching and learning.
• Mentorship for Teaching Assistants to develop skills, values and attitudes for effective knowledge searching and sharing.
• Facilitating Teaching Assistants’ appreciation of requisites for quality learning.
• Facilitate Teaching Assistants’ understanding of the main domains of CPD: Professional Knowledge, Professional practice and Professional ethics, values and behaviors in support of quality teaching and learning.
• Build pedagogical skills of Teaching Assistants as effective facilitators of teaching and learning.
• Equip Teaching Assistants with knowledge and skills for preparation for and facilitation of teaching and learning.
• Support Teaching Assistants’ work with teachers to ensure they: 

1. Know and effectively support learners and the learning process.

2. Know subject and curriculum content and appropriate ways to teach it.

3. Plan and teach effectively and set high expectations for learner achievement.

4. Assess to improve learning and teaching.

5. Create and sustain an inclusive, learner-friendly learning environment.

6. Engage in school-based professional development.

7. Establish professional relationships with the community to support student learning.

• Undertake any other project implementation roles and activities as may be requested by IEE Management.

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

Qualifications and Experience: 

Essential: 

• Minimum of a Bachelors’ Degree in Education with at least 3 years continuous experience in education delivery, education monitoring, capacity building in education and mentorship. 

• Master’s Degree in education is an added advantage.

• Demonstrable skills and experience in teaching.

• Strong professional mentorship experience including planning, initiating and delivering activities within agreed time scales.

• Demonstrable experience in curriculum development and delivery.

• Understanding and experience of school-based mentorship, Training of Trainers and capacity building is an advantage.

• Demonstrable experience in program Monitoring, Evaluation and reporting is an advantage.

• Good presenter with experience of presenting complex ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

• Experience of working in the NGO sector in education is an advantage.

• A clean criminal record.

Work Based Skills and Competencies: 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Kinyarwanda.

• Able to analyse teaching data and convert it to reportable formats.

• Ability to clearly accurately articulate complex information to a wide range of audiences.

• Cognitive flexibility, professional curiosity and initiative, and interpersonal sensitivity as a member and builder of CPD teams.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Demonstrable mentorship experience.

• Ability to enthuse and engage a diverse range of stakeholders internally and externally.

• Agent of change, knowledgeable about personality and power dynamics, and community issues while continually identifying the best ways to move forward.

• Time management skills, task management skills, and organizational skills. The ability to meet deadlines is essential.

• Able to work flexibly as part of a small team and to work independently.

• Good IT skills including proficient knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

• Demonstrable supervisory experience.

• Ability to research and quickly disseminate relevant, emerging and existing evidence-base practices and models.

• Proven experience managing a team.

• Demonstrable skills and experience in project implementation.

• Good presenter with experience of presenting complex ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

• Trustworthy, ethical, and authentic in all situations.

• Extremely well-organized multi-tasker.

• Self-motivated, ambitious, goal oriented.

• Adaptability and willingness to work in rural areas.

• A role model for young people.

OTHER KEY INFORMATION 

Please place “Teaching Assistantship Mentor” in the subject line of the email when applying.

*Not heeding to this instruction will lead to disqualification.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

No late application or telephone inquiries will be considered.

IEE upholds commitment to gender balance and diversity without distinction as to race, gender or religion and without discrimination of persons with disabilities.