Teaching Fellowship
Join our playful learning community! We make learning a joy-filled experience for students and educators alike.
What is a Teaching Fellowship?
The Words in the Wild Teaching Fellowship is a 1 or 2-year paid teaching and learning experience designed to immerse educators in the world of teaching reading as a science. Fellows receive specialized training from our staff and well-respected early literacy researchers and educators outside of our organization. Our teaching fellows receive continual professional development and weekly opportunities for goal-setting, reflection, guidance, and support within our tight-knit learning community.
Teaching Fellows work with elementary students, families, community members, and fellow professionals from a strengths-based perspective, even adopting this skill to use for self-reflection and evaluation.
Fellows deliver reading and writing instruction in several learning environments including small group enrichment programs (WordLab and WonderLab), 1:1 tutoring and educational therapy sessions, and our unique Summer Camp program. Under the supervision of staff learning specialists, Fellows gain direct experience delivering 1:1 intensive reading and writing intervention for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, processing disorders, and other special needs which make learning to read and write particularly challenging.
Fellows create, lead and participate in public programs (like Storytime) and outreach campaigns that bring free, fun, and meaningful literacy experiences and resources to families in our community.
In short, Fellows grow within our community of learners as they foster positive early literacy experiences for students and their families, forming a strong foundation for life-long learning for these young readers and writers.
“I felt totally welcomed into this practice, supported, and guided in my learning. It’s hard to overstate how grateful I have been to have a professional learning community I could collaborate with, talk with in-depth about instruction, and feel safe and supported to try something new – something I knew had been fiercely vetted, researched, and practiced with fidelity by trusted colleagues. I have valued this fellowship so much, and am so grateful for the opportunity!”
- Bethany Hilliard, Former Teaching Fellow
What You Do
First-Year Teaching Fellows
Participate in internal training on strengths-based teaching, science of reading including Structured Word Inquiry, and early literacy development
Attend external SWI, nature journaling, and other professional development workshops
Lead our free Storytime on a rotating basis
Co-teach our summer program
Participate in planning and implementation of our small group programs with creative input and increasing independence
Shadow and train with staff Educational Therapists as they provide 1:1 reading intervention services and work towards independent practice
Organize and disseminate reading-specific and broader educational research
Second-Year Teaching Fellows
Prepare professional development for incoming Fellows and volunteer staff
Independently run one or more small group programs
Work in collaboration with the program coordinator to plan and implement new programs based on community need
Train new summer staff and first-year Fellows for implementation of our summer camp program
Plan and lead one summer camp group
Take on 1:1 tutoring clients to provide intensive reading intervention under the supervision of staff and Dr. Fillippini
Co-author academic papers to disseminate research findings
Lead community programs like Storytime, activities at nature festivals, etc.
Create new resources for educators
Design and implement action research
Click the button below for an application to join our playful learning community!
“Being a Teaching Fellow for Words in the Wild has given me the unique opportunity to practice educational therapy and learn valuable skills that I wouldn’t have the chance to learn elsewhere. I have gained so many skills, experiences, and knowledge about teaching and I love this organization with my whole heart!”
— Ella Holton-McCoy, Teaching Fellowship Graduate
What you get:
Intensive, ongoing training on teaching reading as a science, especially to emerging readers
Experience leading literacy enrichment programs for small groups of elementary students
Experience delivering 1:1 intensive intervention for students with special needs
Emphasis on teaching through a strengths-based and anti-racist approach
Access to resources, activities, and lessons which focus on both literacy and nature studies
Support and guidance within a friendly community of professionals
Competitive hourly wage
Who we are looking for:
Bay Area grad students interested in becoming Educational Therapists, Reading Specialists, Special Educators or Educational Researchers. Experienced teachers looking to improve their practice and make an impact for students who struggle with reading and writing. Naturalists and outdoor educators who want to extend their practice by integrating a literacy component into their teaching. Word-nerds of all stripes who are excited about language and want to learn how to teach word science. Anti-racist teachers who are open to continual self-reflection and who value inclusion, diversity, and strengths-based teaching. Voracious learners who are curious about the world around them who work to turn everyday experiences into meaningful learning opportunities. Self-motivated professionals who are eager to share their creative ideas and innovative teaching methods with our highly collaborative, supportive community.
In our commitment to build a more inclusive teacher pipeline that better reflects the beautifully diverse racial, cultural, linguistic, economic, and ethnic make-up of our students, we strongly encourage BIPOC educators and grad students to apply for our upcoming Teaching Fellowships.
For more information, download our Teaching Fellow job description here or reach out to our team with questions at team@wordsinthewild.org.
Eager to get started teaching reading as a science? Check out our Educator Resources page where you can download ready-to-use literacy activities for your students.
“I’ve been a teacher for 16 years, but working as a Teaching Fellow with Words in the Wild has forever changed the way I approach literacy instruction. This program challenged me to look at reading instruction through an entirely different lens, one that is truly strengths-based, inquiry-driven, and absolutely joyful for students and teachers alike.”
- Lindi Shepard, Teaching Fellowship Graduate