Middle School Language Arts Teacher

Overview

Position Title: Middle School Language Arts Teacher
Division: Middle School (MS)
Supervisor: MS Principal

Position Summary:
Concordia Hanoi is seeking an exceptional language arts teacher who is committed to the learning, well-being, and success of every student. Our belief is that a middle school language arts education should equip students with not only the skills but also the curiosity and habits of mind needed to succeed. This position is an opportunity to belong to a caring and collaborative professional community dedicated to the continued development of our middle school and secondary humanities program. Ideal candidates will be able to teach a range of middle school language arts courses and be skilled in the use of reading and writing workshop. While prior experience teaching middle school social studies is not required, there is a strong preference for candidates who are able (and excited) to teach both language arts and social studies. Applicants should have experience in effectively delivering high-quality instruction to diverse groups of learners at the middle school level. Strong candidates will have demonstrated a commitment to caring for students as individuals, to standards-based assessment, grading, and reporting, and to communicating and collaborating with colleagues, students, and parents. Additionally, we encourage applications from candidates who believe that social-emotional learning is as important to middle school students as academic learning and who desire to actively support this kind of learning by serving as advisors to small groups of students.

General Expectations:
As a school grounded in the Christian faith, Concordia prioritizes candidates who are practicing Christians who are interested in the complex questions of faith and spirituality and who desire to interact with others around these questions.

On regular school days, teachers are on campus between 7:30 AM and 3:30 PM, not inclusive of activities and meetings. Full-time teachers lead an after-school activity throughout the school year and also participate in student travel and off-campus field experiences.

Concordia Hanoi is committed to the safety of our community and students, and we are proud to be a school where child protection is our top priority.

Position Qualifications:
Education
[required] Bachelor’s degree in education or a field related to this position
[desired] Advanced degree in education or related field.

Professional Experience
[required] Minimum 3 years of successful teaching in a middle or high school setting
[required] Minimum of 5 years of professional experience
[desired] Experience working in an international school setting
[desired] Familiarity with the American educational system
[desired] Experience working successfully with an ethnically diverse population
[desired] Experience working with students with specific learning needs
[desired] Experience working with English Language Learners (ELLs)

Prioritized Experience
[highly desired] Experience developing curriculum using Common Core State Standards
[desired] Ability to teach middle school social studies
[desired] WIDA training and certification

Desired Skills & Program Familiarity:
PowerSchool Learning
Google Suite cloud applications: Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms, etc.
Video conferencing software, including Zoom
Standards-based learning, assessment, grading, and reporting (SBL, SBG, SBA, SBR)
Curriculum development using Understanding by Design (UbD)
Differentiation of instruction to meet students’ individual needs and interests
Online/remote/distance learning
Teacher collaboration (e.g., Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)) leading to clarity, consistency, and improved student learning
Social-emotional learning programs, such as Advisory.

Key Areas of Responsibility:
To help students meet Concordia’s overarching expected student learning results (ESLRs) and our course-specific expectations, our faculty are expected to grow in all of the following areas: Planning & Preparation, Classroom Management, Instruction, and Professional Responsibilities.

Planning and Preparation
Instructional and Curricular Planning
Demonstrates strong organizational and time management skills
Thoroughly prepares resources and lesson plans for all class meetings
Actively seeks to understand, teach, assess, and provide feedback on curricular standards
Documents key (“power”) standards and assessments.

Classroom Management
Class Management
Models positive, respectful, compassionate, responsible, and fair community participation
Sets clear classroom norms and consistently upholds both class and school expectations
Explicitly teaches classroom routines to ensure the effective use of instructional time
Maintains up-to-date and accurate records of student progress and attendance.

Pastoral Care
Intentionally works to ensure the physical, social, and emotional health of every student
Communicates and collaborates with colleagues and parents to care for every student

Instruction
Instruction
Clearly identifies and communicates learning objectives for every lesson
Uses student-centered pedagogical practices that prioritize student voice and participation
Expects and supports students to do meaningful and challenging cognitive work
Uses technology effectively to support student learning
Assessment
Actively develops high-quality assessments in collaboration with colleagues
Makes effective use of formative and summative assessments
Collaboratively examines results from common assessments to support student learning

Professional Responsibilities
Team Facilitation & Participation
Demonstrates humility, a willingness to be coached, and ability to receive feedback well
Embraces opportunity to work in a professional community and learn from peers
Demonstrates respect and compassion for colleagues
Communication
Communicates positively, professionally at all times, both verbally and in writing
Provides parents with timely and clear feedback on student performance and progress
Communicates proactively and positively with parents to support and celebrate students
Goal Setting
Sets and pursues professional goals that advance the school’s goals and student learning
Professional Development
Participates in professional growth experiences such as courses, workshops, or conferences in order to improve in the above areas.