Instructor, Art

Job Summary

Faculty are professional educators who have the primary responsibility of fulfilling the Texas Southmost College’s ( TSC ) mission, vision, values and goals of providing a quality education for all students enrolled at the College. The relationship of the faculty member to the student is one of leader, teacher, advisor, and facilitator of learning. Faculty members are responsible to the College President through a chain of command and accountable to the College’s policies and procedures.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Strive for continual improvement of student success by planning an optimal learning environment; providing high quality instruction and advising; participating in the development of learning outcomes and in the assessment of students as well as of self and applied teaching techniques in order to increase effectiveness; and engaging in ongoing professional development. Manage learning environments by ensuring that accurate syllabi are developed that incorporate college, departmental, and instructor requirements; maintaining attendance records, submitting grades, and providing constructive feedback as well as other relevant information to students throughout the semester; and conducting classes punctually and in accordance with the prescribed meeting schedule. Deliver effective instruction by assuming primary responsibility for curriculum development in conjunction with the College’s policies and procedures, ensuring both rigor and the quality of instruction; by considering individual differences of students in order to design and support a range of appropriate learning activities; by using the College’s digital learning solution to meet the objectives of courses; and by communicating clearly to students the expectations concerning the use of the College’s digital learning solution and other available technologies. Enhance the student’s learning experience by integrating concrete, real-life situations into learning experiences to encourage critical thinking, interdisciplinary skills and teamwork; by employing methods that develop student understanding of discipline-specific thinking, practices and procedures, as well as interdisciplinary applications, to create academic literacy; and by working with students and employers in occupational settings as required by or appropriate to the academic discipline. Collaborate with colleagues across the College in the construction and continuous improvement of measurable learning outcomes to include the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board ( THECB ) core curriculum objectives and additional Texas Southmost College’s objectives. Assess student learning by designing assessments that measure or demonstrate student growth; by sequencing learning opportunities throughout advising, courses and programs to build student understanding and knowledge; and by aligning assessment with learning opportunities. Promote continual improvement as part of the cycle of teaching and learning by developing and revising curriculum as needed; using defined student learning outcomes to plan, develop, document and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching activities; participating in TSC’s institutional effectiveness program including the preparation and evaluations of Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)completing all mandatory performance evaluation measures within specified time limits; sharing best practices with colleagues in formal and informal settings; and participating in instructional, departmental or institutional research to improve educational effectiveness. Support learning through student engagement by creating a positive classroom atmosphere that encourages active and collaborative learning, student effort, academic challenge, student and faculty interaction, and support for learners. Maintain a learning-centered environment by being available to students during posted office hours. Support student learning by making students aware of and referring them to the appropriate student and academic support services available at the College. Pursue professional development by staying current in academic fields, e.g., belonging to professional societies, reading discipline-specific journals, studying pedagogy, attending conferences, or making presentations; maintaining required professional credentials, licensing, and continuing education hours as disciplinary standards dictate; engaging in professional education which enhances both disciplinary and pedagogical knowledge, e.g., by taking graduate courses or internal classes offered by the College or professional development organizations; and contributing to the academic discipline through research of publication or other endeavors as appropriate. Participate collegially in department, discipline-specific, college, and community service activities by serving on and playing an active role in department, discipline-specific, or college committees; participating in service through appropriate discipline-specific organizations, educational organizations, statewide boards/committees, and community activities. Accept and teach classes based on varied schedules (morning, afternoon, evening and weekends) and all modalities to accommodate diverse student needs and external stakeholders’ expectations of the College, and accept assignments as necessary at other sites such as for dual credit courses, as specified by designated supervisor. Demonstrate sensitivity toward, and respect for, the myriad of diversities represented in the student population, colleagues and service area. Attend the workplace regularly, report to work punctually and follow a work schedule to keep up with the demands of the worksite (which may be on campus or at an off-site location). Understand that working hours may include evenings or weekends. Use interpersonal skills and makes sound judgments to decide how duties and responsibilities are completed between coworkers, the supervisory chain, faculty, staff, students, and the public. Complete all required training and professional development sessions sponsored by the College. Support the values and institutional goals as defined in the College’s Strategic Plan. Complete duties and responsibilities in compliance with college standards, policies and guidelines. Perform other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand. The employee is occasionally required to walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; and taste or smell. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.