Position Title: Lower School Lead Teacher

FLSA Classification: Exempt, Instructional Staff, 10-Months

Reports To: Lower School Principal 

Mission

The Howard School celebrates each student, transforming the learning experience and developing lifelong strengths.

School Profile

The Howard School educates students with language-based learning differences through instruction designed to complement and address each student’s individual needs and to help each student understand and advocate for his/her own learning process. The curriculum focuses on depth of understanding to make learning meaningful and therefore, maximize educational success.

Position Purpose

The Lead Teacher is responsible, in collaboration with the teaching team, for creating a vibrant, student-centered,  language rich environment that supports the learning and
personal growth of each student. This individual must be skillful in establishing a strong relationship with students and creating learning opportunities that motivate and inspire students to develop all aspects of their profiles. The Howard School recognizes and celebrates learner passions and strengths, while also addressing their disabilities and weaknesses, and believes that learners are neither defined nor limited by labels. We seek an experienced educator to join an interdisciplinary team who is committed to interactive learning, student self-knowledge and self-advocacy, collaboration, flexibility, and humor. They must possess the insight and skills to participate fully on a team which brings research-based expertise, depth of experience, and enthusiasm to a full and robust academic program that includes the arts, technology and athletics.

Teacher Characteristics

• Committed to best practices for the education of students with language learning differences and disabilities
  • Committed to and skilled in differentiation
  • Committed to designing and adapting instruction to meet a range of student learning needs and interests
  • Committed to multidisciplinary instruction, encouraging students' creative expression, incorporating student interest and passions, and developing critical thinking
  • Curious about the world of ideas across multiple disciplines, and excited to teach across different disciplines.
  • Highly collaborative and excited about generating curriculum and assessment ideas in a team setting
  • Curious, creative, self-reflective, and willing to take initiative and run with new ideas

Essential Functions

• Develops lesson plans and supplementary materials compatible with the division’s
  basic instructional and philosophical standards; provides individualized and small
  group instruction in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of each student and
  subgroups of students
  • Translates lesson plans into learning experiences to effectively and actively engage
  students in small groups with language, literacy, writing, and math
  • Guides students to know their own learning profile and to advocate for their learning
  needs
  • Seeks regular field experience opportunities for students that extend the
  classroom into the broader community
  • Works collaboratively with the teaching team on behalf of students, and seeks the ideas, feedback or advice of colleagues as an integral part of effective planning
  • Integrates instructional and assistive technologies, media and other tools into
  instruction
  • Establishes and maintains standards of student behavior through relationships, positive
  reinforcement and support
  • Evaluates and documents academic and social growth of students, and keeps required records. Writes required narrative reports.
  • Effective and regular verbal and written communication with parents or guardians
  conferences and other means to discuss student progress
  • Supervises and monitors students in class and during transitions so that students
  are safe physically and emotionally
  • Models non discriminatory practices in all activities
  • Responsible for supervision of assistant teacher
  • Performs other duties as assigned
  • Regular and predictable attendance as well as timeliness are essential functions of the job

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
  • Advanced degree and 3-5 years of classroom experience working with
  students with language learning disabilities and differences preferred
  • Desire to plan and work collaboratively on a team is essential
  • Ideal candidates have the attributes of flexibility, humor, collaboration,
  creativity, and passion for current  research and pedagogy
  • Flexible teaching background and interest in teaching electives,
  coaching and/or advising clubs is a plus
  • Fully vaccinated for COVID-19 preferred

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Must have the ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time; exhibit manual
  dexterity to enter data into a computer; to see and read a computer screen and printed
  material with or without vision aids; hear and understand speech at normal classroom
  levels, outdoors and on the telephone; speak in audible tones so that others may
  understand clearly in normal classrooms, outdoors and on the telephone; physical
  agility to lift up to 50 pounds; and to bend, stoop, climb stairs and reach overhead.
  • Work primarily in a traditional climate-controlled office environment
  • Work intermittently in outside weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold
  • Duties may be occasionally performed on field trips away from school. The noise level
  in the work environment is usually moderate.

The Howard School is an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, age, pregnancy, disability/handicap, genetic information, uniform service member status or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, veteran or disability status. 

About The Howard School

The Howard School educates students with language-based learning disabilities and learning differences through instruction designed to complement and address each student’s individual needs, and to help each student understand and advocate for his or her own learning process. The curriculum focuses on depth of understanding to make learning meaningful and therefore, maximize educational success.

Connections working at The Howard School