Language Teacher – Serrano

The Serrano Language Revitalization Project (SLRP) is a group of linguists, educators and specialists working within the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Department of Education to lead language reawakening efforts within the tribal community. Our work is guided by the 2040 Vision, as we endeavor to create more speakers of Serrano within the community. This role works directly with students, children, young adults, parents, family members, and members of the teaching team to provide Serrano language classes and programs at the appropriate level. Under the direction of the Director of Language and Culture, the Serrano Language Teacher takes on an intensive study of Serrano, implements lessons in collaboration with the language and culture team, and delivers immersive lessons.

The 2040 Vision strives to have a best-in-class education experience that empowers Tribal Citizens and their dependents to excel in all areas of life through all life stages. The Serrano Language Teacher implements culturally sustaining pedagogy in order to help meet the needs of individual students as well as strive for the 2040 Vision.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

1. Plans, teaches, and reflects on Serrano immersion language classes for Tribal members in the Serrano language program.

2. Creates lesson plans and relevant instructional materials across various learning platforms to provide appropriate immersion for language instruction.

3. Collaborates with the SLRP team to create, maintain, and refine a unified, culturally- sustaining Serrano language curriculum to include the development of diversified linguistic and curricular materials such as lesson plans, realia, multimedia, etc. delivered in the Serrano language for individual and class use.

4. Maintains the appropriate curricular system consistent with the SLRP team to assess students’ language development and to create units and lessons of study.

5. Maintains a consistent and systematic study of Serrano in order to gain fluency.

6. Meets with parents, guardians and family to discuss student’s progress and needs. Provides thorough feedback by delineating their priorities for the student and suggests ways that they can promote learning and development. Actively seeks and encourages family and community participation wherever possible.

7. Performs all duties associated with the position including attending department meetings, attending conferences, and participating in collaborative spaces.

Education/Experience/Qualifications

• Bachelor Degree required.
• Multiple or Single Subject Teaching Credential required, or enrolled in a credential program
• Minimum of two (2) years classroom experience working with high school and/or college students is required, preferably in language or related field.
• Experience with American Indian language(s) as well as knowledge of local Indian communities and sensitivity to Indian needs preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and progressive, relevant and direct experience may be considered in lieu of minimum educational/experience requirements indicated above.
• Experience working with students of various age ranges and abilities beyond high school and college, preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with school site professionals, parents/guardians, and students required.
• Practical experience in tribal community settings strongly preferred, especially with knowledge of San Manuel, Morongo, or Serrano-speaking communities, their history, culture and political structure.
• Demonstrated capacity for sustained hard work required, including capacity for occasional work on weekends or work outside of traditional hours, as required by the department.
• Working proficiency with online and in-person educational platforms and technologies (i.e. Google Classroom and Smartboard, lesson planning and assessment tools, etc.) required.
• Knowledge and working capacity in a variety of computer programs in both Mac and PC environments required.
• Demonstrated ability in or aptitude for Adobe Creative Cloud suite (or similar multimedia, publishing, and audio/video-related software programs), Microsoft Office suite (email, scheduling, and connectivity tools) and other audio/video recording, editing and production tools preferred.
• Bilingual speakers with experience in language pedagogy or study in multiple languages, preferred.
• Ability to understand and communicate nontraditional uses of academic learning in Native American community settings.
• Must be a self-starter: able to develop and plan program objectives and future initiatives, set priorities that accurately reflect the relative importance of goals and job responsibilities in flux, and source needed knowledge or materials quickly and efficiently.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required: ability to prepare and present professional workshops, panels, presentations, handbooks, handouts, newsletters, and digital materials/applications, as well as to regularly interact with students, faculty, and team members, and members of the San Manuel community/public.
• Demonstrated capacity to work as a team member: ability to establish and maintain effective, collaborative relationships and enlist support at all levels of staff, student, and community constituencies and to accomplish program goals as a team.
• Skill in creative problem solving: ability to analyze situations and define problems or objectives, identify relevant factors, formulate logical conclusions and recognize alternatives.
• Possesses poise in communication by demonstrating values of honesty and integrity.

Certificates/Licenses/Registrations

• At the discretion of the San Manuel Tribal Gaming Commission, you may be required to obtain and maintain a gaming license.
• A qualified candidate/employee must have a valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record as determined by the company’s insurance carrier.
• As a condition of employment with the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Education Department, incumbents are required to undergo and successfully pass pre-employment and annual post-employment background investigation including, but not limited to, Live-Scan fingerprinting, drug screening and criminal history background check.
• Must successfully undergo and maintain a current negative tuberculosis (TB) test.

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and San Manuel Casino will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with applicable law.