Band Instrumental Teacher, DVUS

Cambridge Public Schools•Cambridge, MA

22h•Onsite

About The Position

Darby Vassall Lane Upper School, in partnership with the Visual and Performing Arts Department, seeks a confident, creative, social-justice oriented, and compassionate music teacher to lead and enhance the vision for a vibrant, culturally responsive music program. The Band Instrumental Music Teacher (winds, brass, percussion) will teach grades 5-8 classes and report both to the Principal and the Director of the Visual and Performing Arts Department (VPA). The Band Instrumental Music teacher works also with another Band teacher, the Strings/Orchestra teacher, and the other General Music and Chorus teachers. The goal of our music classroom is to provide students with the opportunity to explore the power of music to express the human condition. Students will gain perspective on diverse cultures and history as they study, listen, and perform music from diverse genres around the world. As students engage in the musical process of critical listening, analysis, and performance, they will answer the essential question: How is music a powerful way to communicate one’s culture, beliefs, and life experience? The teacher will provide both opportunity and support to develop a course of choral study that allows students to experience the excitement of creating and performing music, as well as developing a strong curriculum for music proficiency through an instrumental music lens. The Band Instrumental Music Teacher will be responsible for teaching various wind and percussion instrument techniques, developing the concert band, presenting concerts, distributing and collecting school-owned instruments, and providing a culturally responsive, academically rigorous, and joyous instrumental music class. In addition to music proficiency, the candidate must possess classroom management skills, use appropriate authentic assessment strategies to monitor student progress, have the ability to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners, and employ pedagogical methods that motivate students to pursue music study. The selected candidate must be computer literate, organized, must be able to play woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments, be able to responsibly meet professional obligations, be willing to participate in school, district, and state-level music performances, contribute to department and school-wide curricular projects and other initiatives, and be able to steward the careful use of supplies, equipment, and teaching resources.

Requirements

Experience designing and teaching engaging music curricula, leveraging culturally responsive pedagogy
Ability to teach both band and individual instruments- wind, brass, and percussion in large and small ensembles and individual instruction via pull outs
Strong commitment to social justice and equity
High degree of comfort working with colleagues to build and refine engaging, standards based learning experiences
Belief in the power of reflection and openness to feedback and support
Collaborative disposition, eager to partner with classroom teachers, VPA staff, and other team members
Excellent classroom management skills
Ability to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners and adjust practice to meet the needs of all students
Strong organizational skills
Proficiency on brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments
Computer literate

Nice To Haves

Interest in optional after-school programs with added stipend

Responsibilities

Teach grades 5-8 classes
Lead and enhance the vision for a vibrant, culturally responsive music program
Teach various wind and percussion instrument techniques
Develop the concert band
Present concerts
Distribute and collect school-owned instruments
Provide a culturally responsive, academically rigorous, and joyous instrumental music class
Use appropriate authentic assessment strategies to monitor student progress
Employ pedagogical methods that motivate students to pursue music study
Play woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments
Meet professional obligations
Participate in school, district, and state-level music performances
Contribute to department and school-wide curricular projects and other initiatives
Steward the careful use of supplies, equipment, and teaching resources