What are the responsibilities and job description for the Grades 5-8 Judaic Studies Teacher position at Solomon Schechter Day School?
Description
This position is for the 2025-2026 School Year.
Job Summary
The ideal candidate is an educator who is passionate about T’fillah, Tanakh, Talmud, and Mishna education; is a role model for engaged and thoughtful Jewish living; is committed to the highest standards of reflective pedagogy; is committed to collaborating and growing their teaching practice; and loves to teach adolescents.
This educator will create a stimulating class environment favorable to transformative learning, establish effective rapport with students and colleagues, facilitate the development of high-level text skills, foster personal connections to learning content, teach and fosters high-level havruta skills, establish working partnerships with parents and other staff members, and assist in school programs subject to the Schechter mission which states:
“At Solomon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago, we ignite our students’ Jewish souls, educate them to their highest potential, and empower them to use their knowledge, skills, and creativity to enrich our world. “
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Teach a combination of Tanakh and rabbinics courses in 5th/6th or 7th/8th grade.
- Teach/Lead/Supervise T’fillah.
Duties of this job include, but are not limited to:
- Teach assigned courses using a variety of instructional strategies, following a Standards and Benchmarks model oriented toward skills development and personal meaning making.
- Develop lesson plans and instructional materials, and differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all learners.
- Teach and foster havruta skills using the Pedagogy of Partnership (PoP) framework.
- Establish and maintain standards of student behavior needed to achieve a functional learning atmosphere in the classroom, following the Responsive Classroom/Developmental Designs model.
- Evaluate students’ achievement, keep appropriate records, and prepare progress reports.
- Communicate with parents through conferences, phone calls, emails, and in person and virtual meetings to discuss students progress.
- Maintain professional excellence through in-service and professional growth activities.
- Collaborate with colleagues in curriculum and educational programming.
- Supervise and interact with students in out-of-classroom activities during the school day.
- Participate in curriculum development programs as required.
- Demonstrate a commitment to best practice in all dimensions of effective teaching as defined by the Thoughtful Classroom framework, including: Organization, rules and routines; positive relationships; engagement and enjoyment; a culture of thinking and learning; preparing students for new learning; presenting new learning; deepening and reinforcing learning; applying learning; and reflecting on and celebrating learning.
This position reports to the K-8 Principal.
Faculty values that drive our work together
• Jewish Values and Torah
• Professionalism
• Optimism
• Collaboration
• Respect
• Open Communication
• Innovation and Creativity
• Life-Long Learning
Requirements
Qualification Requirements
- Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in related subject from accredited university.
- Illinois teaching certificate or equivalent.
- Knowledge of and commitment to Jewish practices.
- Knowledge of Bible/Talmud content, Jewish holidays, and Jewish practices
Benefits include medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, short-term disability, accident and other insurance, sick/personal time, 403(b) retirement plan, leave early for Shabbat, professional development opportunities, wonderful leadership team and belonging to an amazing community. Come join us!
Salary : $50,000 - $60,000
