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Posted: 13-Mar-23
Location: Mill Valley, California
Type: Full Time
Salary: $78,000 - $110,000
Salary Details:
Mount Tamalpais School, MTS, a K-8 independent school serving up to 240 students in Mill Valley, California is looking for a Fifth Grade Homeroom & Humanities teacher. The new 5th Grade teacher will be asked to teach academic classes in reading, writing, and social studies and serve as a Homeroom teacher, providing parent communication and support in a complex world.
At MTS, we envision a world in which Education Inspires Action. We get closer to this vision by creating the conditions in which Learning is Revered, and Education is Joyful. Everything we do at MTS is with open arms, hearts, and minds. To this end, we Lead With Kindness, Honor Childhood, Practice Active Inclusion, Celebrate The Journey, Ask, “What’s Possible?”
The new Fifth Grade teacher will help students flourish academically and individually, enabling students to positively contribute in their ever-expanding spheres of influence. They will work with dedicated colleagues and a dynamic leadership team to develop academic and social-emotional skills within our students, critical thinking, and self-confidence. This person will empower our learners and fuel their wonder, big dreams, and academic prowess.
We seek an individual adept in both creating innovative and engaging lessons, and adapting researched-based curricula to best support the whole child within the classroom. We are focused on integrating project-based learning and technology into our curriculum, and seek an educator who values a wide range of teaching and assessment practices. As a Humanities teacher, the focus of instruction includes daily opportunities for students to practice and hone reading and writing skills, engage in critical thinking and analysis, read and write from multiple perspectives and genres, gain self-confidence and experience sharing their voices and ideas. Included in opportunities to engage and learn through high-interest topics and texts, Humanities instruction at MTS incorporates specific lessons in phonics, grammar, vocabulary, and writing mechanics.
MTS is committed to a diverse and inclusive community. We are seeking a person to add to, and enhance our work in diversity, equity and inclusion as well as cultural competency. A successful MTS educator is collaborative, flexible, creative, organized, passionate about their teaching subjects, is a lifelong learner, is a clear communicator, utilizes culturally responsive and identity safe teaching practices, and cares deeply about each individual student.
MTS recognizes that many highly-qualified candidates may not check every criteria listed and that many experiences and qualities that promote exceptional teaching are not included in this list. If you meet many of the requirements and bring authentic passion for teaching upper elementary students, you are encouraged to apply. MTS values opportunities to connect with candidates who bring their individual experiences and perspectives to our teaching team and community.
MTS is an exciting place to be in 2023-24 and beyond, with a phenomenal budget for professional development, an exciting new Strategic Plan, and dedicated leadership. A Lower School teacher will thrive who is ready to strengthen our core and provide an academic environment where students feel seen, valued, heard, loved, and well-prepared for their ongoing endeavors.
Job Responsibilities
Teaching & Learning
- Teach 5th Grade Humanities (reading, writing, phonics, vocabulary, grammar, social studies); utilize lenses of SEL and DEIJB within curriculum design and planning
- Lead a Homeroom and teach lessons specific to social-emotional learning and DEIJB (diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, belonging)
- Collaborate with other academic teachers and specialist teachers to develop engaging, student-centered, differentiated lessons
- Implement differentiated instruction and structures that support diverse learners, and meet the needs of our highly motivated student population
- Provide ongoing, formative assessment, and evaluate to inform instruction
- Formally assess students throughout the year, including preparing and leading parent-teacher conferences and checklist/narrative growth reports
- Lead and/or support fifth grade presentations during assemblies and that may occur outside regular school hours
- Find, lead, organize, and attend off-campus field trip opportunities
- Provide extra help sessions, as needed, after the school day
Student & Family Support
- Serve as a primary point person for fifth grade families and students
- Lead and support other social-emotional learning and grade-level times within the schedule (i.e. Responsive Classroom, Quiet Time, Exploration Time, Assemblies, Learning Choice)
- Attend to the social-emotional needs of 5th Grade students and specific interest in this upper-elementary age group
- Demonstrate a commitment to raising anti-racist, culturally-responsive children
- Communicate regularly with families as partners in child’s academic and social-emotional development
- Give timely, meaningful, caring, and personal feedback to families and students
Professional Community Member
- Participate in a variety of meetings as scheduled (i.e. Student Support, Grade Level, Academic Department, Division, Professional Community, Parent-Teacher)
- Fulfill on-campus duties as assigned to all faculty (i.e. recess duties, lunch duties, monitoring study hall, and internal substitute requests)
- Participate in set-up and take-down for special on-campus events, as supported by all faculty members (i.e. folding/stacking chairs, table decorations, platters/dishes, furniture placement)
- Support the fifth grade Admissions process as an integral member of the team, including weekend events and screenings
- Participate in regular professional development to refine, learn, unlearn, relearn teaching practices
- Example School Hours: 7:45-4:15 (3 days a week), 7:45-5:00 (1 day a week), 7:45-3:30 (Fridays)
Position Requirements:
Education and Experience
- A BA or BS in a relevant field.
- Two years of elementary reading, writing, social studies teaching experience (Lead or Associate), upper-elementary teaching preferred
- Two years of elementary teaching experience that includes social-emotional learning, community building, and effective parent partnership and communication, upper-elementary teaching preferred
- Attend to the social-emotional needs of elementary students, and have a sincere interest in this upper-elementary age group
- Commitment to raising anti-racist children and knowledge of anti-bias, identity-safe, and diversity-inclusive practices
- Confidence with differentiated instruction practices, the utilization of Project-Based learning elements, and innovative technology integration preferred
- Ability to teach concepts from multi-modal approaches, representations, and practice opportunities
- Example Curriculum Resources: Spelling Connections, Membeam Vocabulary, Words Their Way, Facing History and Ourselves, Learning for Justice, Readers & Writers Workshop, Book Clubs, Daily 5 Structures, grade-level standards
- Examples SEL & DEI Curriculum Resources: Institute for Social-Emotional Learning, Responsive Classroom, The Center for Culturally Responsive Teaching & Learning, Pollyanna K-3, Facing History and Ourselves, Learning for Justice
Salary will be determined by education and years of experience and will range from $78,000 - $110,000
To Apply: Send a cover letter and resume to jobs@mttam.org
