Grade 8 Language Arts Teacher

JOB TITLE: Teacher

FLSA CLASSIFICATION: Exempt (Professional), salaried employee

WORK DAYS: 184 days (does not include holidays)

STANDARD HOURS PER DAY: 7 hours per day

WORK YEAR: The work year for the Teacher is set annually in a school calendar adopted by the Board of Education. Teachers work in schools that operate on one calendar; blended school year calendar.

SALARY SCHEDULE & BENEFITS: The Teacher is paid on the “Teachers” salary schedule, and is eligible for benefits on the “Teachers” benefits schedule. Starting salary $50,500 (BS)/$51,500 (MS) with 0 years of experience.

REPORTS TO: The Teacher reports to the building Principal and/or other building administrators.

SUPERVISES: The Teacher supervises the instructional assistants who may be assigned to the Teacher’s classroom for that given period of time.

GENERAL SUMMARY: The Teacher is responsible for teaching groups of students in a classroom setting, based on a curriculum and supported by instructional materials adopted by the Board of Education. The Teacher is responsible for developing daily lesson plans to ensure that the Teacher covers the curricular content in a timely manner throughout the semester or school year. The Teacher uses a variety of instructional methods and techniques to meet the unique needs of the individual students and to assess their learning; the Teacher modifies instruction, re-teaches and remediates to ensure the students’ success.

Essential Functions

• Works with administrators, other Teachers, and/or instructional teams to plan and implement instruction according to the District approved and adopted curriculum;
• Develops daily lesson plans and presents lessons, using a variety of instructional methods and techniques, to ensure that the Teacher effectively covers the curriculum in a timely manner throughout the semester or school year;
• Understands and implements the use of the adopted curriculum, instructional materials, and digital platforms;
• Prepares instruction, using a variety of techniques and strategies, assignments and assessments for learning;
• Monitors, assists, corrects, re-teaches and remediates student performance to ensure student progress;
• Diagnoses and analyzes student progress and programs for the purpose of providing appropriate instruction based on the developmental stages and needs of students;
• Evaluates and consistently provides feedback to students during instruction, small group sessions and via other digital platforms;
• Utilizes classroom management techniques conducive to an effective classroom climate;
• Effectively manages student behavior in the classroom and throughout the building, and administers appropriate discipline when necessary to achieve proper behavior;
• Shows sensitivity to students, parents and the community and promotes student self-esteem;
• Counsels students when academic difficulties or behavioral problems arise, seeking assistance for problems which are beyond the Teacher’s skills or expertise;
• Maintains professional relationship between school and parents;
• Maintains contact with parents through parent-teacher conferences, telephone, written communications, and District approved platforms;
• Encourages parental involvement through school and online/virtual activities, connecting home and school;
• Participates in an active and cooperative effort with other faculty and staff to plan, implement and evaluate instruction and instructional programs for continuing school improvement;
• Participates in faculty meetings, staff development activities, and personal professional growth activities focused on the acquisition of new and improved skills and knowledge;
• Conducts standardized tests in accordance with State guidelines, District policies, the Principal’s expectations;
• Maintains all records as required, including but not limited to grade books, attendance records and student progress reports;
• Assigns grades, recommends promotion or retention, and/or participates in decisions regarding students’ placement in appropriate classroom situations for the ensuing year;
• Assists in the protection of students both on campus and online/virtually, and student’s property when on campus;
• Supervision of students;
• Responsible for keeping up to date on current technology, as job appropriate, being used in the District. With the support of the District, attends training to ensure skill level in various technologies is at the level required to perform in current position;
• Responsible for timely and accurate information they maintain as part of their job responsibilities.
  
  

Non-essential Functions

• Shares, with other Teacher/teachers and school staff, the responsibility for monitoring halls, study areas, and the lunchroom;
• Performs related duties, such as sponsoring a student club or organization, coaching a team, or supervising after school activities;
• Performs other duties as assigned by the building Principal.
  
  

Entry-level Requirements

• EDUCATION/TRAINING: Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university is required.
• EXPERIENCE: Satisfactory completion of student teaching and all coursework required by the college/university and required by the Division of Professional Standards (Indiana Department of Education) for an Indiana Teacher’s License.
• CERTIFICATIONS &/OR LICENSES: Current and valid Indiana Teacher’s License in the grade level and/or subject area for which the teacher is being employed is required (or eligibility for an Emergency Permit, if the District is willing to submit a request for an Emergency Permit).
• OTHER: Ability to perform the essential functions and to fulfill the physical/sensory/ environmental requirements of the job (with or without reasonable accommodations) is required.
  
  

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The duties and responsibilities of the Teacher primarily involve talking to, listening to, and interacting with students. Physical movement throughout the school building and classroom to personally engage with students and staff is very important.

This job typically involves some combination of walking, standing and sitting, and may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of moderate weight (l2-20 pounds). However, this job does not require heavy lifting or other physical abilities often associated with manual labor.

Proficient use of technology is important in order to effectively provide instruction and communicate with families in order to effectively accomplish job responsibilities.

SENSORY REQUIREMENTS: The ability to communicate verbally in person/virtually, is very important. The ability to present instructional lessons and to explain ideas in ways that are readily and fully understood by students is very important. Monitoring student behavior may require visual and/or auditory perception and discrimination.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: Tasks are regularly performed without significant exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, rain, fumes, temperature and noise extremes, machinery, vibrations, electric currents, traffic hazards, animals/wildlife, toxic/poisonous agents, violence, disease, or pathogenic substances.