+ What kind of timeline should I expect after submitting my application?

Great question! See here for a detailed explanation of the BEAM Summer Away hiring process.

+ Can I work at Summer Away for only part of the program duration?

No, given the short and hands-on nature of the program we require staff to be available for the entire duration (barring any unexpected circumstances such as illness that may arise during the program itself).

+ What does the course planning retreat entail? Is it required?

The course planning retreat will take place virtually (synchronously) on May 21 and 22 in 2022. Junior Faculty, their mentors, and the BEAM’s Math and Pedagogy Lead get together for 3 to 4 hours each day to help Junior Faculty get immersed in the world of teaching at BEAM. During this time Junior Faculty learn more about the work that our students do, ways to scaffold and prepare their classes in a way that helps students grow, and interact with other experienced BEAM faculty. Junior Faculty are required to attend the course planning retreat.

+ What can I expect the classroom environment to be like at BEAM Summer Away?

BEAM classrooms are generally explorative and collaborative in nature. Students are encouraged to dig into why things are true and focus on the process of understanding mathematics as opposed to focusing only on the answer. Students are curious about mathematics and generally eager to figure things out.

+ What are the BEAM students like?

They are generally mature, polite, and friendly, and our host campus staff have often complimented our students on these traits. (Of course, they’re kids, and sometimes they do act out, but this is the exception rather than the rule.) In general, they are high achievers who see themselves as good kids who do well in school, and they want to live up to that.

+ What are the extra-curricular activities staff are expected to do?

One of the more special things about BEAM is the community that students and staff build. This community is built when everyone participates in activities beyond classes. Faculty are expected to dine with students two times a day and to participate in an activity each day. These activities vary, some examples are board games, playing the guitar, basketball, soccer, quiet time and really anything that interests you. Staff are expected to eat, on average, 2 meals per day with the community. All dietary restrictions can be accommodated.

+ Can I choose between LA and NY?

Yes, in the application we ask for your preference between LA or NY.

+ How do I know whether I’m a good fit for Junior Faculty, Faculty, or Senior Faculty?

We’re interested in understanding the pedagogical backgrounds, mathematical expertise, middle school exposure, and DEI competencies of all of our summer teaching staff. Applicants with an extensive, demonstrated track record in all of these areas are generally considered for Senior Faculty positions. We don’t expect applicants to be perfect in all areas or necessarily have demonstrated experience in all areas. Junior Faculty vs. Faculty distinctions are typically based on the amount of experience in each of our competency areas.

+ What are the opportunities for advancement and professional development support?

The Summer Away environment is collaborative amongst staff; staff generally want to help each other and discuss ways to improve teaching amongst each other. Summer Away staff have their classes observed at least once during the summer and receive tailored, thoughtful feedback on what they’re doing well and what they might consider changing. A mentoring program is also in place for Junior Faculty. We want to see our staff succeed, and staff who return for multiple years and show continued growth are likely to be considered for advancement to a higher level (e.g., Junior Faculty to Faculty). You can read more about what our past Summer Away teaching staff have learned from working for us here.

+ What have been the experiences of other Junior Faculty who have participated in the mentoring program?

In the words of one of a former Junior Faculty, Siddhi Krishna, Ph.D., postdoc at Georgia Tech and Columbia:

“My first two summers at BEAM, I was assigned a designated mentor — an experienced senior faculty member to guide me through the process of designing and teaching my original BEAM courses, both before and during the summer. Though I had prior enrichment and college teaching experience, the guidance of my mentors was indispensable. I learned to develop purposeful mathematical storylines for my courses, and how to design flexible, engaging, yet open-ended exploratory activities for my students. I am grateful for the time, advice and perspective of my experienced BEAM colleagues. Thanks to them, I've learned innovative teaching techniques and pedagogical perspectives for BEAM, college-level teaching, and general mathematics communication.” – Siddhi Krishna

+ How do you select students?

Our goal is to work with students who are both underserved and show considerable mathematical aptitude. To address this, we partner with schools that we generally consider to be more underserved than their affluent, or even average, peers. Those schools then nominate students who show promise in mathematics. BEAM then holds an admissions day at those schools where we do mathematics with students and give them more information about our programs. From there, we evaluate each student’s mathematical skills and enthusiasm for the program. Students can also apply to our programs directly without attending a partner school, and the admissions process is similar once they make contact with us.

+ Is the program free for students?

Yes! BEAM is completely free for students. In the instance that we have to run virtually, students are given all the technology they need to participate in virtual summer programs.

+ What is housing like?

Housing (as well as transportation) is free for summer staff. Staff live on campus and get single rooms. Usually, this is in the same building as students/counselors but not always; it depends on how the host campus wants to organize our accommodations. We aim to provide either two banks of bathrooms or banks of bathrooms for different genders.