Associate Teacher

Philadelphia School•Philadelphia, PA

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Philadelphia School (TPS) is seeking a full-time Associate Teacher for our Preschool-4s class. We are a Preschool - Grade 8 progressive, independent school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with an enrollment of approximately 420 students. Since our founding in 1972, The Philadelphia School has grown in size, complexity, and diversity. This growth has been rooted firmly in the progressive values with which our founders began: immersive learning, responsive pedagogy, and meaningful engagement with the world. The Philadelphia School seeks educators who possess a deep interest in progressive pedagogy, social justice, and place-based learning and who demonstrate a commitment to personal and professional growth. We hire experienced educators who have excellent classroom management and communication skills, as well as a flexible approach to teaming. All our teachers build respectful and supportive relationships with their students, develop strong home/school partnerships with parents and caregivers, participate in school wide initiatives, and work closely with their supervisor to develop their craft. Our teachers have strong interpersonal and communication skills. They are grounded in the practices of progressive education with a demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity and social justice as well as environmental education. All our teachers bring a rich range of interests and expertise to their work. Position Summary: The Associate Teacher for Preschool-4 plays an important and collaborative role in the classroom and works directly with students, classroom teachers, and specialists to plan and support implementation of curricula. The role of the Associate Teacher works with lead teachers and specialists to provide additional support while building their own capacity as an early childhood educator.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field (or equivalent work experience)
Enrollment in a teacher preparation / certification program
Experience working with younger learners
An interest in progressive philosophy and teaching methods
An ability and commitment to create a warm, nurturing, and supportive classroom for young children
Strong writing, editing, and communication skills both at the student and family levels

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with or interest in outdoor education, Responsive Classroom, the Project Approach, and Reggio Philosophies preferred
Spanish fluency a plus!

Responsibilities

Collaborate with the co-teacher, associate teacher, the Learning Resource team, and specialists to meet the needs of diverse learners
Develop strong supportive and culturally sensitive relationships with students and their families
Partner with lead teachers to develop an engaging thematic curriculum and interdisciplinary projects as needed
Support students’ transition into ASEP and lead related activities as outlined by the Auxiliary Programming department
Participate in weekly off-campus outdoor days in fall and spring
Participate in the planning, preparation, and delivery of instruction with the mentoring of lead teachers
Accompany students to specialist subjects and provide student support as needed
Foster a classroom atmosphere that supports respect and inclusion
Engage in a range of activities for school-sponsored and individually-sought professional development, including a periodic process of growth-oriented feedback and evaluation
Faculty are encouraged to partner with the Auxiliary Programming team to deliver up to two weeks of summer camp instruction, as well as extra-curricular club facilitation throughout the academic year.
Participation in auxiliary programming supports the educational mission and helps sustain resources that benefit the entire TPS community.
We value the unique expertise our teachers bring to these programs, and additional compensation is generally provided in recognition of this additional commitment.