About the Schoolhouse:
The schoolhouse is an experiential, democratic learning environment where youth have the freedom to pursue meaningful learning, joy, and connection guided with strong and loving mentorship. Please learn more about our free-school inspired learning community at 9thstreetschoolhouse.org.
Position Overview:
The 9th Street Schoolhouse is hiring a teacher for the 2014-2015 school year. We are seeking a new team member who cares deeply about children, who is inspired by collaboration with other teachers, and is motivated to design innovative learning experiences. We are looking for someone who is visionary, creative, flexible, and hard-working in their approach to supporting life-long learners.
Primary Responsibilities:
Teach
Develop strong relationships with kids based on love and trust. Encourage their strengths and find ways to guide them to master challenges through Coyote Mentoring and inquiry-based interactions. Record observations of children through anecdotal records and photos. Share a love of the outdoors and encourage connection with nature. Provide opportunities for children to develop equally all parts of themselves, including social skills / conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, self awareness, and physical development, in addition to academic learning. Give meaningful feedback to students on their work through written, verbal, and visual means. Be light on your feet!*
*As Chris Mercogliano explains it: “Teachers who are light on their feet are able to see the goodness in every child and we continue to love them even when they are at their most annoying. We don’t get plugged in and instead we try to tease and use humor to change the channel. We respond in unexpected ways if at all possible and try to approach each situation as if it were brand new. This is because responding in patterned ways encourages children to try to drag us into power games… We are flexible and able to tolerate disorder and think on the fly.”
Design curriculum and build the learning environment
Identify children’s growing edges and design appropriate hands-on activities to help them progress. Use information from observations of students to prepare the learning environment and maximize student initiation of learning activities. Seek out community resources and non-traditional ways to encourage learners to follow individual and authentic learning paths.
Collaborate
Work as a team with other teachers through open, honest, and effective communication. Possess self-awareness, self-compassion, and a willingness to examine inner assumptions and patterned actions to continue personal growth as a mentor. Lead and take part in democratic decision making processes with students and staff. Contribute to building the program and give input about school decisions.
Work in partnership with parents
Spend time getting to know families through informal and formal channels. Communicate what’s going on at the schoolhouse and seek info about what’s happening at home. Identify parent skills and connections that can be utilized for learning opportunities and collaborate with parents to incorporate those talents into the school day.
Assist with outreach
Contribute to schoolhouse blog and facebook page, and table at events such as the ETA school fair. Be a positive representative of the schoolhouse and build community connections.
Requirements:
★ Minimum 3 years teaching experience in a classroom, outdoor education, or other learning environment.
★ Experience teaching project-based learning and developing curriculum or activities tailored to student interests.
★ Working knowledge of child developmental stages.
★ Ability and willingness to cultivate real relationships with children and parents.
★ Excellent verbal and written communication skills including being able to give and receive feedback.
★ A self-starter who can learn on the job, identify opportunities for creativity, take initiative, and follow projects and responsibilities through to completion.
Preferred qualifications:
★ Bilingual English/Spanish speaker.
★ Experience or trained in working with special needs students.
★ Experience using positive behavior support.
★ Experience teaching in multi-age settings, free schools, or Montessori schools.
★ Experience working with emergent readers.
★ Experience teaching student-centered or project-based mathematics.
★ Familiarity with Coyote Mentoring.
Start date
Mandatory paid training / planning / preparation weeks begin August 18th
First day of the schoolhouse Tues Sept. 2nd.
Pay and benefits
This is a full time position, with a salary range of $15,000-$20,000, depending on experience. Benefits include professional development opportunities, great coworkers, and the opportunity to contribute your voice, time, and talents to a growing, mission-driven radical learning community. Work in a beautiful building with lots of natural light and spend plenty of time outdoors. The potential for health insurance is being developed. Tuition waived for children of teachers. We take 3 months off June-August, one week at Thanksgiving, two weeks for Winter Holidays, and one week at Spring Break.
How to apply
Send your letter of interest including a statement of why you are drawn to work with us, your resume, and letter of references to caitlin.macklin@gmail.com. Please reference Teacher in the subject line. Position closes May 15th.
