Middle School History Teacher

Uncommon Schools, Inc.; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job description

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing, public charter schools providing an outstanding K-12 education in historically under-resourced communities. We have proudly built schools that reflect our student population, with more than 60% of our teachers and staff across our network identifying as a person of color. Uncommon currently manages 52 schools serving more than 20,000 students in five cities: Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark, and Rochester. We are proud that Uncommon graduates persist in and graduate from college at five times the rate of their peers nationally. We achieve this by offering strong academic, co-curricular, and social-emotional learning that prepares students for success in college and beyond.

Roxbury Prep consists of four schools serving students in grades 5 through 12. We believe in strong authentic relationships between teachers and students, supported by effective school systems and an engaging instructional model that enables students to flourish academically and personally. Roxbury Prep students have an impressive 98% college acceptance rate and collectively earned 1.3 million dollars in scholarships last year.

Job Description

Uncommon Middle School History teachers work in grade level teams and departments to push students towards being self-guided learners. Our teachers develop subject mastery and have a keen sense of the socio-emotional changes middle school students experience. History classes aim to empower students' voices and develop them into global citizens by emphasizing textual analysis, analytical writing, and discourse. Teachers also use engaging instructional strategies to make history come alive! At the conclusion of eighth grade, students are prepared for the academic autonomy and college preparatory focus of our high schools.

Responsibilities

1. Instruction

1. You'll facilitate student-led discourse of historical topics, where students grapple with open-ended guiding questions, engage in peer-to-peer debate, and synthesize arguments.
2. You'll guide students to understand the author's claim and the power of sourcing while developing the skills of argumentation, corroboration, inquiry, and historiography through primary and secondary source analysis.
3. You'll teach an in-house curriculum that prioritizes the diverse histories of Indigenous peoples, African Americans, women, ancient cultures, and the impact all of these groups have had on the development of the United States.
4. You'll build an inclusive and safe environment where students are empowered to use their voices to express evidence-based opinions and perspectives.

2. Data Analysis

1. You'll meet weekly with your principal and/or instructional coach to analyze and respond to trends in student work samples and assessments.
2. You'll learn and implement strategies to differentiate instruction for all learners in your classroom.

3. School Culture

1. You’ll build positive relationships with students to ensure they feel seen, loved, and heard.
2. You’ll partner with students’ families to ensure appropriate resources are available to support their child's learning needs.
3. You'll engage in practice-based professional development, mentorship, and coaching sessions.
4. You'll participate in weekly, school-wide meetings to cultivate community, model our core values, and encourage student achievement.
5. You'll partner with your grade level team to develop academic goals and practice instructional strategies.

Qualifications

• A commitment to the mission of Uncommon Schools and investment in our vision for being an anti-racist organization.
• A demonstrated commitment to supporting students’ social emotional and academic development.
• An enthusiasm for collaborating with internal and external partners in the best interest of students.
• A self-directed learner who solicits and implements feedback to improve outcomes and achieve objectives.
• Required Experience:
• A demonstrated interest in impacting K-12 students in urban schools and communities (1-2 years experience preferred).
• Academic expertise in Humanities, English, Social Sciences, or other related fields of study.
• Prior to the start of employment, you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and have earned a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher by the time employment begins. You do not need to be certified to be hired; however, if hired you will need to pass state teacher certification tests to meet the MA state requirements.