Afterschool Lead Teacher

Description:

Role

The After-School Lead Teacher works with other faculty and staff to implement our after-school program with students ages 2-9. 

We ask After-School Lead Teachers to be the leader of their classroom team. This means holding space for all the teachers on his/her team, ensuring that they feel safe and welcome as a part of the classroom community. As with everybody on the team, they are both an active observer and listener, expressing ideas and being open to discussing our differences.  As empathetic and proactive members of the classroom, the After-School Lead Teachers supervise and support the team, holding themselves and others accountable for creating an honest, welcoming environment. They promote an environment in which we can communicate about conflicts, and find solutions together that align with OWP’s mission and best practices. 

The After-School Lead Teacher will receive direct supervision, as well as ongoing support and feedback, from the Education Director. Beyond this, the After-School Lead Teacher will have the opportunity to meet individually with the Executive Director to build their teaching skills, and to ensure their classroom and team are moving One World Project’s mission and vision forward. 

All teachers are also asked to participate in frequent paid professional development opportunities that will continue to build their teaching and leadership skills.
The position also offers opportunities to learn and grow: the After-School Lead Teacher will gain a deep understanding of early childhood development and language acquisition, as well as the skills to lead Spanish-immersion programs for children ages 2 to 9 years old.

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities

Mindset & Attitude

• Authentic commitment to OWP mission and goals;
• Personal investment in Spanish-immersion education; 
• Positive attitude, an energetic “can do” approach to student learning;
• Genuine appreciation for diverse experiences and perspectives;
• Commitment to collaboration and supporting colleagues;
• Proactive approach to challenges and problem-solving;
• Fundamental belief that teaching and learning should be fun;
• Personal responsibility and professionalism in all areas.

Teaching & Advancing Progressive Practices

• Building respectful, strong, and caring relationships with children that make their growth possible.
• Building and maintaining an engaging and nurturing environment that ensures safety and healthy development;
• Implement One World Project’s interactive, hands-on, and play-based after-school curriculum in accordance with OWP’s mission and values;
• Observing and recording students’ actions, interactions, and development in relation to the curriculum;
• Supporting the development of the children and program by working in collaboration with the rest of the classroom team and the support of the Education Director, to prepare and maintain a classroom environment that responds to children’s skills, interests, and needs.
• Creating the classroom routines and planning for smooth and meaningful transitions.
• Asking questions and engaging in ongoing dialogue with peers and supervisors about how to be responsive to the children's interests and needs.

Curriculum Design & Collaboration

• Designing – in collaboration with the rest of the classroom team –  units of study and lessons that are developmentally appropriate, and connected to both the OWP mission and children’s interests and needs;
• Creating opportunities for the classroom team to develop curricular material, and critically analyzing units of study with the Assistant Teacher(s);
• Leading the weekly team meetings and planning efforts for the classroom that allow ample time for reflection between units of study to consider areas of improvement, discuss student observations, and incorporate opportunity in the next cycle (i.e. parent resources, new materials, possible trips);
• Promote the participation of the team in the weekly staff meetings to share ideas, best practices, and challenges that ensure a strong connection between classrooms and programs. 
• Designing – in collaboration with the rest of the classroom team – a clear distribution of the responsibilities (zoning), both inside and outside the classroom. The system should reflect and maximize the strengths of each member of the team.
• Developing – in collaboration with the rest of the classroom team – a contingency plan for absences, so the whole team feels confident and ready when any member is absent.

Administration & Outreach

• Building relationships with parents and the broader community that foster participation, and contribute to our students’ and organization’s development.
• Using Google Classroom to communicate and coordinate important information with parents and caregivers, as well as participating in the creation of a weekly class email to keep families informed and involved.

Personal Development & Growth

• In collaboration with the Education Director, articulating strengths, areas for improvement, and realistic goals to guide growth and reflection;
• Seeking and being open to regular feedback from the Education Director as well as other colleagues;
• Proactively seeking and engaging in relevant professional development opportunities aligned to personal and professional goals and interests, including necessary certification requirements;
• Thinking big regarding his/her own growth and future in the One World Project family.

Qualifications: