Middle School Language Arts Teacher

Friends School of Wilmington seeks a dynamic, student-centered Middle School Language Arts Teacher to join our vibrant learning community. This position is ideal for an educator who thrives in an experiential, project-based environment where literature and writing serve as a springboard for deep inquiry, critical thinking, and authentic engagement with the curriculum.

Position Overview

The Middle School Language Arts Teacher will guide students in grades 6-8 through an integrated curriculum that nurtures a love of reading, writing, and discussion. Grounded in Quaker values, our program prioritizes student voice, collaboration, and meaningful real-world connections. From crafting compelling personal narratives to engaging in literary analysis through Socratic seminars, our students don’t just study language—they use it to explore and shape the world around them.

This is not a textbook-and-worksheets kind of classroom. Our ideal candidate will bring literature to life, design hands-on, applied projects, and encourage students to think deeply about storytelling as a tool for understanding identity, history, and social change. Whether students are curating a ‘living newspaper’ inspired by historical texts, crafting persuasive op-eds for local publication, or engaging in interdisciplinary work with the humanities team, this role requires an educator who can make Language Arts come alive in creative and relevant ways.

Areas of Responsibility

Curriculum & Instruction

• Develop and implement a student-centered Language Arts curriculum for grades 6-8 that integrates reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
• Engage students in meaningful literary analysis through diverse texts, Socratic seminars, and interdisciplinary connections.
• Design hands-on, project-based assignments that encourage students to apply their learning in creative and authentic ways.
• Guide students through the writing process, fostering strong analytical, creative, and persuasive writing skills.
• Incorporate experiential learning methods such as simulations, role-playing, and real-world applications of literature and rhetoric.
• Adapt instructional strategies to support a variety of learning styles, strengths, and needs.
• Utilize multiple sources of data to assess student growth and adjust instruction accordingly.

Student Support & Classroom Culture

• Establish and maintain a physically and emotionally safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment.
• Implement routines and structures that maximize student engagement and learning.
• Utilize positive behavioral management strategies that encourage responsibility, collaboration, and respect.
• Provide individualized feedback that nurtures students’ confidence as readers, writers, and thinkers.
• Support students in developing executive functioning and organizational skills related to reading, writing, and research.

Advisory & Community Engagement

• Serve as a Middle School Advisor for a mixed-grade (6th-8th) advisory group, building a strong sense of belonging and trust.
• Lead social-emotional learning activities and discussions that help students develop self-awareness, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Support students in exploring Quaker values such as simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship.
• Plan and participate in monthly field trips that are rooted in curriculum and school values.
• Guide students in leading service-learning projects that connect with local organizations and community needs.
• Act as a mentor and advocate for students, fostering meaningful relationships that support their academic and personal growth.

Collaboration & Professional Growth

• Work closely with the Middle School team to align curriculum across disciplines and foster interdisciplinary learning opportunities.
• Participate in faculty meetings, division planning sessions, and professional development to continuously improve teaching practices.
• Communicate regularly with families to share student progress and foster a strong home-school partnership.
• Seek feedback and engage in reflective practices to enhance instruction and student outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in English, Education, or a related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Prior experience teaching middle school Language Arts, ideally in a progressive or independent school setting.
• Commitment to student-centered, inquiry-based learning.
• Experience or interest in service learning and community engagement.
• A deep investment in the Friends School of Wilmington mission statement and guiding values.

Essential Duties

The essential duties described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the everyday functions of this job. The employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is often required to stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must be able to exert a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Employees in this job must be energetic and flexible and possess the visual acuity to prepare data, work with records processes, and do extensive reading and research. Due to the amount of time spent standing and/or walking, physical requirements are consistent with those for Light work, as defined by the Social Security Administration’s Code of Federal Regulations.

Salary & Benefits

This role is an exempt, salaried, eleven-month position. Salary is commensurate with education and experience. Benefits include retirement, health/dental/vision insurance, paid holidays and time off.

Applicant Information

INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE LEARNING SPECIALIST POSITIONS MUST APPLY THROUGH THE FOLLOWING LINK. ONLY APPLICATIONS RECEIVED THROUGH THE FSOW.ORG PORTAL WILL BE CONSIDERED: www.fsow.org/about/employment

Please be prepared to submit the following:

• Cover letter
• Resume/curriculum vitae
• Contact information for three (3) professional references

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of a criminal background check prior to beginning work. Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate ability to legally work in the United States.

Who We Are

Friends School of Wilmington is a preschool-8th grade independent school, rooted in Quaker values, dedicated to fostering a lifelong love of learning and a drive to act always with courage, integrity, and love. At FSW, our educational mission is grounded in a sustained commitment to academic excellence and moral character; a learning environment where students are equipped to lead lives guided by curiosity and kindness, wisdom and empathy. Starting in our Montessori preschool classrooms, we empower children to explore the world around them through creative, hands-on discovery. Our Lower and Middle School students develop as self-confident critical thinkers who solve problems with authenticity, adaptability, and collaboration.

Our teachers and administrators are the best of the best, the majority of whom hold postgraduate degrees. Through an innovative, robust curriculum that draws upon experiential and service-learning principles, we help each child reach their highest individual potential. Please visit our website at www.fsow.org for more information.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

Friends School of Wilmington is an inclusive, affirming community that values diversity in all its forms. We encourage applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences to apply. If you are passionate about empowering students and fostering an equitable learning environment, we would love to hear from you!

FSW does not discriminate based on age, race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, socio-economic background, family structure, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, or military service in the administration of its policies and program. We are an equal opportunity employer in both policy and practice.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person