"Assistant Instructor - Early/Elementary/Middle Physical Education"

Assistant Instructor - Early/Elementary/Middle Physical Education

Company: University of Central Missouri

Job Location: Warrensburg, 64093

Category: Teacher Education - Early Childhood

Type: Full-Time

Salary: Depends on Qualifications

Location: UCMO - Warrensburg, MO

Job Type: Faculty Full Time

Job Number: 997281

Division: Elementary Education

Description

Faculty within the College of Education at University of Central Missouri support the university's mission of providing student-centered, quality education and are committed to the success of students. This includes quality teaching, advising, collegiality and communication. In addition, faculty provide service to their program, department and university, engage in research, scholarship, and professional development activities. During contractual employment, faculty members are expected to be available to assist, engage, and respond to students, colleagues, departmental, college, and institutional needs.

Teaching - The primary responsibility of the faculty is quality teaching in their respective content areas, regardless of delivery format. This entails adequate preparation for courses, effective course design and instruction, and fair and timely evaluation/feedback of student progress. To ensure quality teaching, faculty must be committed to the success of students as well as ongoing assessment of curriculum and of student learning.

• Keep current in your discipline.
• Organize courses to facilitate quality student engagement and high impact practices.
• Assist department/school chairs with scheduling of classes that meet the needs of students.
• Comply with departmental, college, and university standards concerning the academic quality and integrity of their classes.
• Keep current in their use of technology by attending university training sessions and other professional development opportunities.
• Be available to meet students outside the classroom by being available before or after classes by scheduling office hours both in a physical and electronic format to include in person and virtual office hours.
• Assist with department and college assessment and be proactive with modifications to curriculum based on assessment feedback.

Scholarship/Professional Development - The strength of a university rests on the knowledge and skills of its faculty. Faculty must stay current in their field of expertise/teaching area.

• Authoring academic writings.
• Presentation of work at local/state/regional/national conferences.
• Active membership and/or office holding in professional organizations at the local/state/regional/national level.

Service - An expectation of a professional faculty member is to serve the department, college, and university community.

• Attending department/college/university meetings
• Engaging in committee work that will advance the department/college/institution.
• Assisting with student recruitment.
• Participating in graduation and convocation ceremonies.

Advising - A primary responsibility of faculty is the proper, timely, competent and professional advising of students.

• Be knowledgeable of the requirements of their degree programs as stated in the appropriate catalog(s).
• Meet/advise students on academic and non-academic matters (e.g. curriculum mapping, internships, graduate/professional school options and career preparation).
• Provide leadership and promote excellence in student organizations.

Communication - Faculty should communicate effectively and in a timely manner with students and colleagues at all levels of the institution. This implies an understanding of the communication hierarchy within departments, colleges, and administrative levels. Timely communication with students supports other faculty responsibilities (teaching, advising).

• Cultivate a collegial atmosphere when interacting with other faculty/staff within their own department, the college and the university.
• Be responsive and timely. Respond to student phone calls and email messages within university guidelines.

Examples of Duties

The faculty member will teach a full-time course load (typically a 4/4 load) across both the Early Childhood and Elementary Education programs. This position plays a key role in expanding access to teacher education through the development and implementation of Non-Traditional pathways to teacher preparation, including the Paraprofessional-to-Teacher Pathway program.

Responsibilities:

• Deliver engaging instruction across varied modalities to meet the needs of working adult learners, including in-person evening classes on campus (Summit Technology Campus and/or Warrensburg) as well as online and hybrid courses.
• Serve as a faculty mentor for non-traditional and paraprofessional teacher candidates, providing academic, professional, and career guidance from admission through graduation and into initial employment.
• Coordinate the Paraprofessional-to-Teacher Pathway program, collaborating closely with academic advisors, program coordinators, and partner districts to ensure smooth transitions and strong outcomes for candidates.
• Contribute to the design and enhancement of innovative, flexible pathways to teacher certification that address workforce needs and promote educational equity.
• Participate in departmental service, assessment, and curriculum development efforts to support program excellence and accreditation standards.

Typical Qualifications

Education:
Master's degree or higher in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Curriculum & Instruction, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of successful teaching experience in a P-6 classroom setting.
• Demonstrated experience and/or expertise in teaching, mentoring, and advising adult learners and non-traditional students.
• Proficiency with online learning technologies, and evidence of effective digital pedagogy across varied instructional modalities.
• Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule, including regular evening classes and meetings with candidates to accommodate working adult learners.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience or direct involvement with a Paraprofessional-to-Teacher Pathway program, whether as a candidate, instructor, or coordinator, is strongly preferred.
• Documented success in teaching or mentoring non-traditional adult learners in higher education or professional development settings.
• Familiarity with alternative, accelerated, or non-traditional teacher preparation models.
• Proven commitment to inclusive, accessible, and equity-minded educational practices that support diverse learner populations.

Supplemental Information

Review of applications will begin January 2026 and continue until the position is filled. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We accept applications from qualified applicants regardless of race, gender, or abilities. Minorities, women, the disabled, and veterans are encouraged to apply.

Candidates must complete the online faculty profile (99721) by going to https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/ucmo. Candidates must attach a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and copies of transcripts showing all degrees completed to their online application. Later in the process, candidates should be prepared to submit three letters of recommendation.

Please direct inquiries regarding this position to Dr. Ken Bias, Department Chair for Early, Elementary, Middle, and Physical Education at bias@ucmo.edu or 660-543-4256.

For information about the online application process, contact Human Resources at jobs@ucmo.edu or (660) 543-4255 and note position #997281 in the request.

Special Instructions:

Full-time staff & 12-month faculty benefits-eligible position: Benefits include competitive salary; health, dental, vision, life insurance, AD & D, long-term disability; 3 weeks paid vacation per year; 3 weeks of accrued sick leave per year; 13 paid holidays; retirement; and generous education assistance for an employee, spouse and dependent children taking classes at UCM.

9-month faculty benefits-eligible position: Benefits include competitive salary; health, dental, vision, life insurance, AD & D, long-term disability; 3 weeks of accrued sick leave per year; 13 paid holidays; retirement; and generous education assistance for an employee, spouse and dependent children taking classes at UCM.

Part-time benefits-eligible positions: Benefits include generous education assistance for the employee.

Temporary, adjunct, student employment, or graduate assistant positions: Benefits are not included.

Completed UCM online application for employment required. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

A review will begin immediately and continue until filled unless indicated otherwise.

NOTE: A background check is required for the selected candidate of all staff, faculty, adjunct, and temporary positions and any job offer is contingent on the results of this check. Student employees and graduate assistants do not require a background check to be conducted prior to employment.

The University of Central Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.