Teaching Assistant, Certificate in Christian Ministry - Non Student

CLASSIFICATION: Part-time, hourly (5 - 10 hours/week when classes are in session)

REPORTS TO: Faculty, Academic Director, or Academic Dean

LOCATION: Grand Rapids, MI

SUMMARY

This Teaching Assistant position is part of a Certificate in Christian Ministry program, which is a partnership between Cornerstone University and Ada Bible Church (ABC) focused on training ministry leaders. A teaching assistant and/or grader position may be hired from the student body, or from outside the university to assist the assigned faculty member with the logistics of the course delivery, providing equal access for all students to the in-person or online curriculum. Knowledge of the subject matter of the course(s) and prior ministry experience are preferred but not required. The TA may provide tutoring support (e.g., how to write a paper), but the TA is not expected to have extensive ministry experience or be able to teach the content themselves. This is a support role for the instructor. The core of Cornerstone University is defined and driven by its Christ-centered mission and Biblical confession.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Attend all class sessions, engage with students, and support the teaching and learning process.
• Mentoring and writing support: Partner with the instructor to field questions and provide support for students related to understanding and applying the course content, writing papers, etc.
• Feedback on papers: Partner with the instructor in reading and providing feedback on student papers (sharing the load equally). Generally, feedback on papers should be provided within two weeks of the end of the course.
• Track attendance and coordinate with instructor and ABC staff to encourage students to attend/engage regularly and progress through the course sequence.
• Teach consistent with the Cornerstone Confession and the nine core doctrines of the ABC Constitution (pp. 5-19).
• Facilitate the classroom set up and recording as needed:
  • Generally, classes will use technology provided in the classroom to record the class session. Occasionally, a Kandao camera/mic system will be used instead. The instructor and TA should work together to provide a laptop to facilitate the recording.
  • Work with the instructor to connect to and set up equipment as needed, launch the video conference, turn on/off the recording throughout the class session, and address technical issues.
  • If an issue arises the TA cannot address, the TA should work with the instructor and CU tech support to find a solution.
  • The goal is for the instructor to be able to focus on teaching, and the TA to focus on supporting the classroom and student experience.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES:

• A bachelor's degree in a relevant curriculum is preferred.
• One to two years' experience of directly related work experience is preferred, and/or a similar amount of administrative, customer service, or technology support roles.
• Strong organizational skills
• Capacity to maintain a welcoming atmosphere, particularly in stressful situations
• Capacity to work effectively and efficiently in a self-directed environment
• Ability to maintain focus and prioritize tasks in the midst of interruptions
• Computer skills (MS Office, Google Suite, ability to learn practice management software)
• Proven discretion and capacity to maintain a high level of confidentiality under HIPAA/FERPA

COMPENSATION: A modest stipend is available for the work provided.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• A personal relationship with Jesus Christ and an active Christian commitment.
• A theology that supports the values and mission of Cornerstone University core commitments evidenced by an ability to affirm and sign the university’s doctrinal statement, “The Cornerstone Confession.”
• Four other foundational pillars, along with the university’s mission and confession, form Cornerstone’s Core Commitments.
  • The Cornerstone Christian World View
  • The Cornerstone Academic Vision
  • The Cornerstone Beautiful Christian Community
  • The Marriage and Human Sexuality Position Statement

These core commitments convey who we are, what we believe and how we live and work together in community. Employees are expected to faithfully attend an evangelical and biblical church whose core beliefs and practices are consistent with Cornerstone’s confession and core commitments.