Career Center

The Bennett Day Upper School is hiring a full-time lead teacher. In this role, you’ll be part of the Middle School faculty team and be responsible for implementing the core characteristics of our progressive, project- and competency-based high school.

Reporting to our Director of Middle and Upper School, you’ll bring your experience to the team to lead a cohort of students as part of the upper school team of teachers beginning in the fall of 2023-2024. Most importantly, you’ll act as advisor to the students in a cohort, leading a group of ten as a mentor through all elements of the school experience. As a teacher, you’ll also design and teach courses, both in Project-Based Learning environments and through traditional seminars, based on the needs of our students and in your field of expertise. You’ll act as a mentor to new colleagues as our school grows in future years.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

As one of our teachers, you’ll be intimately involved in every aspect of our growing school, and have input into major pedagogical and/or curricular decisions that the high school makes. You’ll simultaneously develop your pedagogical and design skills free from many outside constraints that you find in traditional schools, as you will be designing and implementing a project-based curriculum in a grade-free (no A’s, B’s or C’s) school. You’ll have the opportunity to develop meaningful educational relationships with students in your work as an advisor, while having a smaller course load (1-2 classes per trimester). You’ll also learn from your colleagues during the 5+ hours per week of professional development, which occur on Wednesdays when students are working with specialists. We are a small team and collaborate constantly on pedagogy, educational design, and student support. This position is ideal for someone who thrives when given the opportunity to make close connections and develop relationships with students, families and colleagues.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• “Polymathness”: having wide ranging interests and experience across different content silos
• Dedication to designing innovative and nontraditional curriculum

YOUR FIRST YEAR:

WITHIN ONE MONTH YOU’LL:

• Learn about all the major elements of the middle school and how they embody the school’s mission and vision
• Learn about our competency-based education model
• Learn about our advisory program and work with your mentor teacher and school counselor to plan your advisory
• Meet with the Middle School design team to coordinate on planning
• Create, in collaboration with the Middle School team, your first Project-Based Learning experience for students
• Plan for and meet your first group of advisees and their families in a series of home visits

WITHIN THREE MONTHS YOU’LL:

• Co-Teach your first cross-curricular Project-Based Learning course with a cohort of students
• Submit monthly reports on student progress
• Participate in our professional development program on a weekly basis
• Teach us about what you believe might be worth changing or editing in those documents to better serve all students
• Lead 30 minute conferences with each of your advisees families
• Maintain a competency assessment of each student in your Project-Based Learning and Seminar Courses
• Attend 1-2 admissions and marketing events as needed to share the school’s story to potential Bennett Day families

WITHIN SIX MONTHS YOU’LL:

• Co-Teach your second Project-Based learning course during Trimester Two
• Write narrative assessments of your students and help them develop their own learning portfolios
• Be a part of the planning for info sessions for prospective families
• Be a part of admissions events
• Attend at least one professional development experience to learn more about at least one area of our pedagogical model with which you feel you need assistance or guidance
• Be the content-area expert and an important voice in development in your field(s) of expertise

WITHIN ONE YEAR, YOU’LL:

• Continue to teach Project-Based Learning and/or Seminar courses during Trimester 3
• Contribute to the interview and vetting process when/if any additional faculty is hired
• Provide input on the full, final curriculum for the 2024-2025 school year

*Responsibilities are not all-inclusive and will include other duties as assigned