LS Assistant Teacher - Sidwell Friends School

Sidwell Friends, a coeducational Quaker day school, seeks to find an Assistant Teacher to join our kindergarten community. In Kindergarten, we have 3 classrooms, each with a lead teacher, assistant teacher and 16 students. The position is designed to support teachers newer to the field, those working on an advanced teaching degree, as well as for those who are looking to stay fully engaged with students but may need less demands on their outside-of-school hours.

The Teaching Assistant program provides aspiring teachers with training and experience in a kindergarten classroom under the guidance of a lead teacher. Teaching Assistants are immersed in the daily life of the classroom through observation, supervised teaching, and small group work. Teaching Assistants receive a competitive salary with full benefits; they can also apply for funding for graduate school coursework.

While the Lead Teacher holds ultimate responsibility for the learning of the students, the Assistant Teacher is a “full teacher” in the classroom and is focused on supporting the learning of all students. Roles include:

Teaching Roles:

• Developing strong, supportive relationships with students, families and teachers.

• Working with the lead teacher to implement instruction, including 1:1 work with students, small group work, etc.

• Collaborating with lead teachers to support students who need additional support academically or in the social-emotional realm

• Collaborating with the Lead Teacher to document student progress and communicate growth to families

• Supporting the Lead teacher in creating unit and lesson plans when appropriate

• Taking over for the Lead Teacher as needed (during meetings, etc.)

• Attending all faculty meetings, professional development, conferences, etc.

Supervisory Roles:

• Overseeing students during non-classroom times, including transitions, lunches, recesses, etc.

• Supporting with carpool and dismissal

Clerical Roles

• Assisting teachers with lesson preparation and planning, including setting up and taking down materials and equipment

• Ensuring the classroom environment is clean, safe and inviting

• Assisting the lead teacher with attendance

• Assisting the lead teacher with checking of daily work

• Assisting the lead teacher with keeping Canvas, etc. up-to-date

The Lower School program seeks to foster a love of learning, provide children with a firm grounding in the core academic subjects (reading, writing, social studies and math), and educate for goodness, kindness and community. The academic program is built around rigorous intellectual exploration and joyful discovery. Students are challenged to think deeply about concepts and ideas, to make learning personal and relevant, to ask questions and to look for broader truths and understanding. The kindergarten year is an especially important one, as we welcome new community members at this grade level, and it marks a shift from a fully play-based, emergent curriculum in PK to a more traditionally academic program in 1st grade.

We are looking for candidates who have a student-centered approach to teaching and learning, who look to see the “Light” in each child, and who have strong culturally-responsive teaching practices. Risk taking, collaboration, a positive community spirit, flexibility, a sense of humor and strong communication skills are important characteristics for this position.

A BA degree in Elementary Education (or comparable degree) is preferred.

Salary

• Salary Range $40,000-$50,000. Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

To Apply

To be considered, qualified candidates must upload a cover letter, resume, and three references through our online application system (ClearCo). To learn more about our school, please visit https://www.sidwell.edu.

Diversity Statement

Sidwell Friends School affirms the centrality of diversity and inclusion in all aspects of academic and campus life. Honoring a multiplicity of voices, we celebrate shared joys and address tensions productively. Together, we are guided by Quaker testimonies and seek to answer the question, “How do we nurture a sense of belonging in our community and demonstrate our commitment to a just world