6th Grade Math / Science Teacher

MISSION The mission of the Christa McAuliffe Charter School is to cultivate within each member of a diverse student body an intense commitment to self and community, the courage and insight to set high standards for academic and personal success, and the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to achieve those standards. ABOUT THE SCHOOL The Christa McAuliffe Charter School is an EL Education school for 300 scholars in grades 6-8 with a hands-on curriculum that inspires achievement through active learning, character growth, and teamwork. The school is committed ensuring that all students grow as learners and as ethical people through meaningful work and a strong community, WHAT IS EL EDUCATION? EL Education (formerly Expeditionary Learning) is a national school transformation organization operating in 165 schools in 30 states and reaching over 45,000 students. EL partners with schools to improve student achievement through an inquiry and project-based approach. EL schools inspire the motivation to learn, engage teachers and students in new levels of focus and effort, and transform schools into places where students and adults become leaders of their own learning. POSITION OVERVIEW Everything that we do at McAuliffe is intended to meet the needs of students in their early adolescence. This means that you must be someone who finds sixth, seventh, and eighth graders much more entertaining than aggravating! You must be compassionate, have the ability to develop meaningful connections with students, have strong classroom management skills, and feel confident in your ability to create a psychologically safe classroom culture in which individuals are respected and valued for what they bring to the group. As a science teacher, you'll teach three sections of science. You’ll create rich learning experiences that guide students to develop an in-depth understanding of scientific concepts. We emphasize students doing the real work of scientists via inquiry-based activities, simulations, and differentiated lessons that guide students to develop background knowledge from a variety of texts. As a math teacher, you'll teach one section of math. As a math teacher, we are looking for educators that have experience facilitating students "doing math" through exploratory and complex problems, use of manipulatives/hands-on lessons, or guided/independent practice. We expect that you understand middle school math concepts in such a way that you anticipate confusions that naturally arise and that you have tricks up your sleeve to help clarify confusions. As a crew leader, you'll lead a crew, similar to an advisory, of about 12 students. You will be the mentor/advocate for each student in your crew -- their McAuliffe parent away from home. You'll engage them in team-building activities, facilitate conversations about bullying, guide the development of crew and individual goals, and prepare students for student-led conferences and exhibitions of learning. RESPONSIBILITIES - Collaborate with colleagues to create highly engaging lessons and units. - Employ a variety of teaching methodologies that guide students to engage in critical thinking: use of protocols, simulations, workshops, Socratic seminars, cooperative learning, experiments, hands-on projects, and other inquiry-based activities - Employ total participation techniques to engage all scholars in learning during every moment of class - Implement formative and summative assessments to track student progress; engage students in the assessment and tracking process - Analyze data on student performance to effectively inform instruction - Provide differentiated support including accommodations and modifications to ensure all students are able to meet and exceed standards - Participate in ongoing professional development including peer observations - Implement school-wide positive behavioral systems to effectively manage the classroom - Continually communicate with students families regarding performance and progress - Serve as an Crew adviser to 10-12 students which includes leading a daily advisory, called crew, supporting advisees and regularly communicating with parents - Serve as an active member of the McAuliffe Community including attending evening celebrations of student learning and student-led conferences. QUALIFICATIONS - Appreciation for the EL Education design model -- commitment to develop curriculum and implement EL core practices, including in-depth learning expeditions - Appreciation for the life and mind of the adolescent scholar - Personal qualities that exemplify the school’s emphasis on character development and community - Teaching experience (ideally in grades 5 through 9) consistent with McAuliffe’s progressive, constructivist, exploratory and project-based educational philosophy - Strong subject area background; highly qualified or ready to get qualified; licensed in Massachusetts with relevant content area expertise - Skillful at using a variety of assessment methods and data to pinpoint students’ strengths and weaknesses and skillful at applying instructional practices to address diverse learning needs - Strong interpersonal skills, commitment to teamwork, and readiness to reflect and grow - Values a collaborative approach to working with a diverse population of children and adults - Sense of humor and a high level of energy, enthusiasm, flexibility, and spontaneity -- A belief that all students, including those with special learning needs, can learn and be successful in school