The Department of Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at the University of Oklahoma (OU) - Norman Campus is pleased to invite passionate, creative, innovative, and dynamic individuals with practical and scholarly experience to be part of a robust program and academic community. We seek nominations and applications for a full-time (nine-month), rank-renewable term, assistant professor position in early childhood education (birth – grade 3). This individual would serve as the director of OU’s Institute of Child Development (ICD) laboratory preschool.

This faculty member would be responsible for teaching, directorship of OU’s Institute of Child Development laboratory preschool, and will serve as the school’s liaison for university initiatives, program development and implementation, and community outreach and engagement. Their distribution of effort will be 50% teaching and 50% service. 

We seek candidates who are devoted to promoting positive learning experiences for young children, are well-grounded in current theories of early childhood education, and committed to developing a vision for and growing community access to early childhood educational experiences at the ICD.

OU is a comprehensive research institution serving the educational, cultural, economic, and health care needs of the State, the region, and the nation and has been instrumental in helping Oklahoma become a leader in Early Childhood Education. OU’s ICD provides high quality early childhood experiences for children from six weeks to five years of age. The ICD teachers facilitate a developmentally appropriate curriculum meant to support the whole child. Children at the ICD learn as they engage in play and project-based experiences. The ICD also serves as an educator preparation site for preservice teachers and graduate students.

The ICD strives to become a more accessible resource to families in and around the OU and Norman community. The responsibilities of the assistant professor position consist of but are not limited to leadership and directorship of the ICD, teaching courses primarily in early childhood education (e.g., Integrated Curriculum, Field Supervision, Family Engagement, Teaching and Learning) and other related courses each regular semester with opportunities to teach during summer months; managing daily operations at the ICD; assisting in program development and coordination in collaboration with program area faculty; mentoring teachers; maintaining ICD accreditation; working with ICD children and families; promoting and facilitating research projects at the ICD; advising and mentoring graduate students and directing master’s theses, with potential for directing doctoral dissertations; collaborating with centers and programs within the college and across the university to continue the ICD’s vision; leading ICD community outreach; attending and presenting ICD work publicly; supporting teachers to assess and document children’s learning; and other job-related tasks; creating a positive social climate and culture at the ICD and supporting the ICD staff well-being, competence, and personal and professional growth; providing service to the department, college, university, and profession; and participating in other job-related activities as appropriate.

Required qualifications include an earned doctorate in early childhood education by August 2023, or a closely related field from an accredited university, demonstrated leadership experiences and capabilities, demonstrated ability to work as part of a collaborative team with various stakeholders (e.g., researchers, families, community resources), knowledge of and/or experience in university-based lab schools, and at least three years of experience teaching (birth – grade 3).

Desired qualifications include experience teaching courses in early childhood education at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels; familiarity with current teacher accountability requirements and best practices in early childhood education; experience in or capacity for advising and mentoring teachers; experience in or capacity for interdisciplinary collaboration; experience with and/or knowledge of school-based management (e.g., facilities, accreditation, budget, enrollment, staff/staffing); experience with or opportunity to grow in grant writing (i.e., non-profit support); knowledge and experience with child-centered curriculum (i.e., Reggio Emilia approach, project-approach, emergent curriculum, play-based approach), culturally responsive and trauma-responsive practices; and knowledge of procedures for ethical research practices.

Applicants should refer to https://apply.interfolio.com/123000 and submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, the names and contact information (telephone numbers and email addresses) of at least three professional references, unofficial graduate transcripts (must have official transcripts if invited for interview), and up to three samples of professional writing. Candidates invited for a campus interview will be expected to make a presentation on their work and vision for the ICD. Please direct questions to Search Committee Chair, Dr. Courtney Dewhirst. Her email is [email protected].