Certified- Temporary High Ability Teacher
About The Position
The high ability specialist’s role is to work one-on-one or in small-group settings with K-6 elementary students who are identified as high ability in one or more academic areas. High ability specialists coach teachers on methods of differentiating instruction in the classroom for reading, mathematics, and social/emotional learning. A high ability specialist shares responsibility with teachers for assessing students’ academic abilities and works alongside the high ability coordinator and elementary curriculum director to gather and analyze high ability identification data. The high ability specialist will promote the NLCS vision for high ability instruction and will support teachers in differentiating their core curriculums in English Language Arts and mathematics. With a primary focus on instruction, they will work closely with teachers, administrators, and families to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of our high ability students.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in elementary education from an accredited college or university.
- Excellent oral & written communication skills
- Knowledge of exceptional learners and their particular educational and social/emotional characteristics and needs
- Ability to collaborate well with teachers, parents/guardians, administrators, and other stakeholders to ensure quality implementation of the high ability program
- Ability to work well with all ages of K-6 students
- Demonstrated teaching, data management, technology and leadership skills.
- A strategic and critical thinker with a proven ability to respond to individual student needs.
- Knowledge of instructional design & highly interactive or innovative instructional methods.
- Deep knowledge of instructional best practices.
- Knowledge of Indiana academic standards.
- At least two years of teaching and evidence of teacher-leadership experience.
- Experience in effective instructional design and professional development.
- The advanced ability to set and meet goals and priorities, as well as work with colleagues to implement and drive results-oriented systems.
Nice To Haves
- High ability master’s degree and license preferred.
- A candidate without a current high ability license will be considered under the following conditions: The candidate is willing to attain a high ability master’s degree through an NLCS approved program and pass the Praxis test for Indiana high ability licensure within two years of accepting the high ability specialist position.
Responsibilities
- Building Instructional Capacity
- Develop and enhance knowledge of evidence-based instructional practices, e.g. modeling, dialogical coaching, researching, training, co-teaching, observation and feedback
- Guide teachers & instructional leaders in using data to inform instructional practice
- Support teachers in implementing ELA and math high ability curriculum K-6 across the district
- Support teachers in differentiating their core curriculum to meet students’ needs K-6
- Assist in creating and maintaining the high ability page on the NLCS website and school website
- Planning & Professional Learning
- Deliver ongoing professional learning opportunities within the building and across the district K-12
- Organize and disseminate high ability identification data K-8
- Attend the annual two-day Indiana Association of the Gifted conference in Indianapolis each December with a team of NLCS teachers and administrators
- Participate and contribute to the NLCS High Ability Broad-Based Planning Committee
- Attend regular meetings with the NLCS High Ability Coordinator
- Commit to continuous high ability program evaluation and development
- Student Support
- Provide one-on-one and small group instruction to high ability students in ELA and math K-6
- Assess and progress monitor students’ growth
