Middle School Grade (6-8) Teacher (Future Opportunities)

The Frances Xavier Warde School•Chicago, IL

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Educators at The Frances Xavier Warde School (FXW) are hired with the invitation and encouragement to be life-long learners. FXW will employ faculty who enjoy teaching, who are progressive and innovative in their craft, who love working with students, who are great colleagues, and who truly find joy in their profession. We expect that an FXW faculty member possesses the necessary knowledge, teaching skills, character, and commitment to be productive members of the FXW community. Additionally, the FXW teacher will adhere to the unique Catholic mission and interfaith values of FXW School. At FXW, we aspire that each teacher is successful. To do so, an FXW teacher will do the following: Utilize effective instructional strategies with students. Be willing to grow in their profession. Create and manage the classroom in a positive manner, respecting the dignity of all. Embrace the FXW Mission and Charisms. Complete annual goals and seek professional development opportunities. Maintain a positive rapport with all members of the FXW community. Fulfill routine duties and expectations in a dependable manner. At the Frances Xavier Warde School, Middle School students are encouraged to take intellectual risks, to broaden their reading and understanding of community and world issues, and to learn to make good decisions and act independently as they prepare for high school. With teacher guidance, students explore content area subjects while developing a repertoire of academic vocabulary, note-taking skills and test-taking strategies. Teachers focus on curriculum integration in the humanities, math and science, and world language. Through intensive training in both oral and written communication, participation in cooperative projects and experiments, and purposeful use of technology, students build young adult learning skills as they broaden their knowledge. During the Middle School years, students are given greater opportunities for extracurricular activities in the areas of sports, drama, music and art. These opportunities, coupled with a rigorous curriculum, help to foster increased independence in students as they progress toward high school. The Middle School Teacher is responsible for facilitating the cognitive development of all learners by providing a quality learning experience to all children in his/her care. The teacher must possess the knowledge and theoretical grounding necessary to instruct the Middle School student, utilizing age-appropriate methods, strategies and procedures. Educators are hired with the expectation that they possess the necessary knowledge, teaching skills, character, and commitment to be productive members of the FXJN community. The following is a list of descriptors: • Adheres to the unique Catholic mission and interfaith values of FXJN School. Articulates a working knowledge of FXWs value-centered mission and academically rigorous curricular goal. Participates in spiritual development activities of the FXJN community, including support for student community service projects and initiatives. Models the importance of daily prayer and worship through active participation with students. Demonstrates a willingness to plan, encourage and participate in community building activities (religious, social and educational) • Utilizes effective instructional strategies and assessment tools that develop higher-level thinking skills. Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of subject matter. Understands interrelationships of content areas. Regularly utilize formative and summative assessment to guide instruction. Employ technology effectively to enhance teaching. Presents lessons and instructions in multiple modalities to address students' various learning styles and abilities. Encourages students to become aware of social issues and current events appropriate to their level of understanding • Creates and manages the classroom in a positive manner, respecting the dignity of all. Respects the rights of students as individuals. Utilizes positive reinforcement strategies. Creates a classroom that is visually stimulating, orderly and safe. Mentors’ students effectively and professionally. • Completes annual goals and seeks professional development opportunities. Demonstrates a sense of professional responsibility by keeping current with recent practice and research in education. Collaborates and works with administration to further yearly goals. • Maintains a positive rapport with all members of the FXJN community. Accept feedback and works to show improvement. Respects the integrity of fellow staff, students and parents by being discreet and tactful when discussing student and school-related issues. Demonstrates flexibility and models collegiality. Fulfills routine duties and expectations in a dependable manner. Demonstrates evidence of prior planning and preparation. Creates lesson plans with clear student-centered objectives, incorporating the principles of backward design, as well as the use of formative and summative assessments. Use instructional time efficiently. Evaluates student progress effectively. Utilizes correct and appropriate written and oral communication in conversations, reports and meetings. Punctual and effective supervisory duties such as dance supervision, music rehearsal supervision, morning supervision, lunch supervision, after- school supervision e.g. study or homework club), and curb or bus duty. Willingly uses and integrates technology into the classroom. Maintains an up-to-date Gradebook, Teacher Website and Lesson Plans Articulates concepts and writes narrative reports in a timely, professional, and grammatically correct manner. Participates effectively in Roundtable Student Evaluation sessions Effectively leads parent/student/teacher conferences on a bi-annual basis Punctual for and actively participates in weekly grade level curriculum meetings Fulfills additional coverage duties as requested by Administration. The teacher evaluation program is an ongoing process designed to recognize and encourage the work of a teacher. The process will provide an ongoing opportunity for professional growth and renewal, to recognize strengths and to provide an open climate for new ideas. The overall goals of the evaluation plan are to positively enhance FXWs instructional program as well as support the teacher's professional growth. This process will challenge the teacher to build on talents; to recognize and reflect upon present practices; to articulate and reflect on difficulties and seek solutions. The success of the program is predicated on the following conditions: conscientious self-evaluation, mutual respect and trust, and confidentiality between teacher and supervisor.

Requirements

A bachelor's or master's degree in education.
A valid, issued State of Illinois teaching certificate is preferred.
Required current State of Illinois Teaching Certificate Type 03/Type 09.
Ability to plan and teach effectively within the Block Scheduling model.
Ability to teach courses within a Religion Curriculum -either Catholic or Interfaith in subject matter.
Ability to lead a Club and/or Extra-Curricular Activity of interest to Middle School students (e.g. yearbook, a sport, an academic team, etc.).
A candidate must demonstrate: The ability to establish collaborative relationships with co-teacher/teaching staff.
Strong interest to teach in an inclusive faith-based school and comfortable teaching a Religion Curriculum- either Catholic or Interfaith in subject matter.
Compliance Although FXW is an Independent Catholic School, all faculty and staff comply with the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Protecting God’s Children Requirements.
Complete the required new hire paperwork and mandatory Archdiocese training.
Must clear Background Check/Fingerprints.
Monitor and enforce compliance with internal policies.
Required to attend additional training classes as designated by the Security Operations Manager/ Security Lead or Security Supervisor and/or FXW administrative staff.

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree in a curriculum area is preferred.
Familiarity with ISACS criteria and standards of excellence.

Responsibilities

Facilitating the cognitive development of all learners by providing a quality learning experience to all children in his/her care.
Instructing Middle School students, utilizing age-appropriate methods, strategies and procedures.
Adhering to the unique Catholic mission and interfaith values of FXJN School.
Articulating a working knowledge of FXWs value-centered mission and academically rigorous curricular goal.
Participating in spiritual development activities of the FXJN community, including support for student community service projects and initiatives.
Modeling the importance of daily prayer and worship through active participation with students.
Demonstrating a willingness to plan, encourage and participate in community building activities (religious, social and educational)
Utilizing effective instructional strategies and assessment tools that develop higher-level thinking skills.
Demonstrating comprehensive knowledge of subject matter.
Understanding interrelationships of content areas.
Regularly utilizing formative and summative assessment to guide instruction.
Employing technology effectively to enhance teaching.
Presenting lessons and instructions in multiple modalities to address students' various learning styles and abilities.
Encouraging students to become aware of social issues and current events appropriate to their level of understanding
Creating and managing the classroom in a positive manner, respecting the dignity of all.
Respecting the rights of students as individuals.
Utilizing positive reinforcement strategies.
Creating a classroom that is visually stimulating, orderly and safe.
Mentoring students effectively and professionally.
Completing annual goals and seeking professional development opportunities.
Demonstrating a sense of professional responsibility by keeping current with recent practice and research in education.
Collaborating and working with administration to further yearly goals.
Maintaining a positive rapport with all members of the FXJN community.
Accepting feedback and working to show improvement.
Respecting the integrity of fellow staff, students and parents by being discreet and tactful when discussing student and school-related issues.
Demonstrating flexibility and modeling collegiality.
Fulfilling routine duties and expectations in a dependable manner.
Demonstrating evidence of prior planning and preparation.
Creating lesson plans with clear student-centered objectives, incorporating the principles of backward design, as well as the use of formative and summative assessments.
Using instructional time efficiently.
Evaluating student progress effectively.
Utilizing correct and appropriate written and oral communication in conversations, reports and meetings.
Performing punctual and effective supervisory duties such as dance supervision, music rehearsal supervision, morning supervision, lunch supervision, after- school supervision e.g. study or homework club), and curb or bus duty.
Willingly using and integrating technology into the classroom.
Maintaining an up-to-date Gradebook, Teacher Website and Lesson Plans
Articulating concepts and writing narrative reports in a timely, professional, and grammatically correct manner.
Participating effectively in Roundtable Student Evaluation sessions
Effectively leading parent/student/teacher conferences on a bi-annual basis
Being punctual for and actively participating in weekly grade level curriculum meetings
Fulfilling additional coverage duties as requested by Administration.