Middle School English Language Arts Teacher

Galapagos Rockford Charter School•Rockford, IL

About The Position

Galapagos seeks driven educators who believe all children can succeed at the highest levels. Instructors deliver rigorous, individualized, data-driven, and explicit instruction. They plan units, assessments, and lessons aligned with the Common Core Standards while meeting scholars’ individual needs. Instructors are expected to pursue personal and professional growth and to continually revise and improve curriculum, assessments, and instruction as part of the Galapagos team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Drive to stay focused on scholar achievement and growth, including when challenges arise.
Grit to remain solution-focused and persist until desired results are achieved.
Growth mindset and willingness to learn from and overcome failures and setbacks.
Evidence of self-motivation and willingness to be a team player.
Belief in and alignment with Galapagos’ core beliefs and educational philosophy; this is non-negotiable.

Nice To Haves

At least one year of teaching experience in an urban public school or charter school setting is preferred, but not required.

Responsibilities

Maximize time on task by ensuring classroom lessons and activities are directly tied to standards.
Participate in collaborative curriculum development, frequent professional development, and feedback and coaching meetings.
Design and implement targeted daily whole-group and small-group lesson plans and assessments that measure progress toward academic standards.
Use assessment data to refine curriculum and inform instructional practices.
Be accountable for scholars’ mastery of academic standards.
Maintain a structured, orderly, and calm classroom environment using Teach Like a Champion, Calm Classroom, and Responsive Classroom techniques.