LSE100: The LSE Course is seeking to appoint class teachers for the period January – June 2020.
LSE100 is an innovative interdisciplinary course that is compulsory for all first- and second-year LSE undergraduates. LSE’s flagship course aims to: 1) introduce students to the fundamental elements of thinking as a social scientist by engaging with important issues of public debate from the perspective of different disciplines; and 2) to strengthen their analytical, research and communication skills. As a high-profile initiative of the School, LSE100 is exciting to be part of, but it is also challenging – not least because teachers will spend much of the course teaching outside their subject areas. These challenges are, however, matched by a high level of training and personalised support. Classes are carefully planned, and teachers will receive detailed guidance and supporting notes. Teaching posts with LSE100 are designed to offer outstanding teachers the chance to develop their skills and educational practice in an innovative, dynamic and supportive environment.
Teachers work in teams of two to deliver 80-minute classes to groups of 30 students. A standard teaching load is a total of six co-taught classes, with each teacher responsible for marking, office hours, and administrative duties for three of those classes. In total, a standard contract consists of approximately 20 hours of work per week, including preparation, meeting attendance, office hours, and marking.
Successful applicants who are also current PhD students will be given a reduced teaching load in order to keep their weekly hours below LSE’s 20-hour maximum for students. LSE100 classes are highly structured and task-based, with students working in small groups and teachers facilitating a wide range of activities. The approach to teaching on LSE100 is collaborative and will require excellent teamwork skills. Teachers will also attend pre-term trainings, weekly staff meetings (‘refreshers’), and assessment standardisation meetings that are held prior to marking of each piece of summative coursework. Teachers will also have the opportunity to attend occasional LSE100 events (e.g., panel sessions with academics from around LSE).
The successful candidate will have a commitment to delivering high-quality teaching and to developing a full repertoire of techniques and ideas for student-led learning. They will have demonstrable experience of working in a team, as well as the ability and willingness to work in close collaboration with another teacher to deliver team-taught classes, ensuring that students experience positive and dynamic collaboration between the two teachers. They will have the ability to teach large groups using a task-based approach to education. In addition, holding, or undertaking, a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education or a comparable teaching qualification is essential.
LSE100 is committed to reflecting the range of academic expertise found across the School. While we welcome applications from people who specialize in any social science discipline, we would particularly encourage applications from candidates with a background in quantitative methods.
The appointment will start in the week commencing 20 January 2020. All teachers are required (and paid) to attend two full-day teacher-training sessions just prior to the start of term (20 January 2020), during week commencing 13 January 2020. These sessions will cover both module content and work to prepare for team-teaching large groups, and will serve as the foundation for the work we do in the rest of the term.
If you have any questions about this vacancy, please contact Dr Jessica Templeton, LSE100 Director (j.b.templeton@lse.ac.uk). The closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday, 8 December 2019. We appreciate your interest in this post.
Thank you for your interest this post. The relevant documents and instructions for applications are listed below:
If you wish to be considered for the post of LSE100 Class Teacher, please do the following:
Download and save Application Form Part B from the LSE100 website. This is a reference request form. Send this file, and the Job Description, to someone who can comment on your academic abilities and on your suitability for teaching for LSE100 and ask them to complete and return Part B to the LSE100 Course Office by email (LSE100@lse.ac.uk) or by post to the address below. This should be done separately from your application and, if possible, by the application deadline.
Download and complete the Application Form Part A.
Once you have completed your Application Form Part A, prepare and submit your application as follows:
- Print and sign a copy of your Application Form Part A.
- An essential criterion of the person specification against which the Selection Committee will be shortlisting is “A commitment to high quality teaching that will become evident in the development of an engaging, dynamic, considered and successful teaching style and a repertoire of techniques and ideas for student-centred teaching and inductive learning.” Please include a list of any teaching experience and copies of the associated TQARO reports (these can be obtained from the TQARO office). Where TQARO reports are not available (e.g., for teaching experience at another institution) candidates may submit relevant student feedback survey results or an alternative form of independent evaluation. Please contact LSE100@lse.ac.uk for further details.
- You may include additional references and/or a Curriculum Vitae if you wish.
Please complete, sign and submit this form to the LSE100 Course Office via email (LSE100@lse.ac.uk), or in person or by post to LSE100, Room KSW.4.10, Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE. Applications must be received no later than midnight on Sunday, 8 December 2019.
We hope that you will find it easy to apply for this vacancy and we look forward to receiving your application. However, if you do have any queries about submitting your application or are unable to use the forms (for example, if you have a disability), please contact the LSE100 Course Office to discuss alternative methods of application.