Middle School Music Teacher

Maine RSU 21•Kennebunk, ME

3h•$57,392 - $109,152•Onsite

About The Position

As a Music Teacher, you will have an opportunity to serve as a dynamic leader, effective educator, and inspirational and impactful influence within your classroom. You will be expected to deliver measurable results through high-quality and intentional instructional planning, curriculum design, and curriculum delivery to improve student outcomes and transform students’ lives. You will plan instruction using approved curriculum, high-impact instructional strategies, subject matter expertise, and up-to-date data to meet the needs of all students. You will establish expectations, routines, and procedures to provide a respectful, safe, positive, student-centered environment that maximizes opportunities for student learning. You will engage students in learning by using a variety of instructional strategies to meet individual learning goals and needs. You will set ambitious goals; gather, analyze, and use relevant data to measure student progress, guide instructional planning and delivery, and provide timely feedback to students, parents, and stakeholders. You will collaborate with colleagues to contribute to overall district effectiveness; and engage in professional reflection and growth that results in improved instructional practice and student learning. You will serve as a leader in our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at the district, school, classroom and curriculum levels. You will view leadership, professionalism, and effective communication as vital components of classroom teaching.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher
Valid 614 Maine teaching certification or eligibility for the 614 endorsement required
Subject matter expertise
Knowledge of effective teaching practices
Comfort with standards-based curriculum
Ability to design differentiated lessons that meet the educational needs of all students
Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues
A belief that all students can and deserve to learn

Nice To Haves

Prior evidence of strong results on measures of student learning outcomes in relevant subjects
National Board Certification

Responsibilities

Ground planning in in-depth knowledge of subject matter, standards-based content and curriculum, pedagogy, and diverse needs of students to provide meaningful learning experiences
Identify and align lesson objectives to approved standards-based curriculum using student learning data and in-depth, individualized student knowledge to guide planning and differentiated instruction
Plan accordingly for pacing, sequencing content coverage, transitions, and guided practice and application of knowledge
Develop appropriate long- and short-range plans; adapt plans when needed based on real-time student performance and ongoing formative assessment results
Incorporate educational technology into plans strategically and selectively to enhance student learning and instructional effectiveness
Establish and maintain effective behavioral and instructional routines and procedures that maximize student learning time while creating and maintaining a safe physical setting
Establish a climate of trust, collaboration, and teamwork by being fair, caring, respectful, inclusive, and enthusiastic
Promote respectful interactions that challenge and engage all students within the learning environment
Create an environment that is academically appropriate, stimulating, and challenging; encourages student participation, inquiry, and intellectual risk-taking; and treats learning time as a precious commodity
Employ a balance of effective verbal, nonverbal, written, and digital communication tools to foster a positive, culturally inclusive learning environment that features and celebrates diverse voices and perspectives
Engage and maintain students in active, scaffolded, and rigorous learning that meets students where they are while building upon their existing knowledge and skills; differentiate and pace instruction to meet current and evolving students’ needs; address multiple intelligences and multiple learning styles
Employ a variety of effective high-impact instructional strategies that develop students’ higher-level and critical thinking skills
Use real-world content and application, varied methods and materials, primary sources, experiential and proficiency-based learning, strategically selected technology, and thoughtfully sourced supplemental resources to enhance instruction, provide compelling experiences, and deepen student learning
Maintain and communicate clear learning objectives, reinforce learning goals consistently throughout the lesson, communicate content clearly, and check for understanding ongoing through informal checks, and regular use of diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments
Activate prior learning experiences; link present content with past and future learning, other subject areas, and real-world experiences and applications to deepen learning with interdisciplinary connections and perspectives
Ensure that instructional decision-making is driven by the analysis of comprehensive, relevant, accurate, and up-to-date student data
Set, communicate, track, and invest students in both short- and long-term goals that will result in meaningful student growth
Involve students in setting learning goals and monitoring their own data-based progress
Manage with a goals-based approach; create and maintain a classroom culture of ongoing accountability checks to gauge progress towards ambitious data-driven goals
Track outcomes by student sub-groups, with a particular focus on minimizing achievement gaps by various identities
Commit to and develop a deep, functional, and genuine collaborative relationship with colleagues to deepen collective instructional impact
Seek and share feedback and input to ensure collaboration between shared grade teams and across grades, departments, disciplines and schools
Commit to continuous learning and improvement for self, students, school, and district by identifying and scaling successful approaches, and by altering and discontinuing ineffective approaches
Incorporate learning from formal and informal professional growth opportunities into instructional practice; experiment and reflect upon the effectiveness of implemented strategies to continuously refine effectiveness
Identify and evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses; set goals for improvement of skills and professional performance based on self-assessments and in collaboration with principals, coaches, instructional strategists, and evaluators
Apply a strong DEI lens to ensure prioritization of cultural competence and responsiveness, multi-cultural perspectives, and intentional efforts to enhance classroom-based experiences of inclusion
Ensure students see you as their advocate, feel comfortable sharing examples of discrimination and harassment they witness or experience, and trust that discrimination and harassment will be addressed if shared
Develop, recommend and implement improvements to curriculum and instruction with awareness and understanding of their impact on a community of diverse needs and backgrounds; address negative instructional experiences by students that conflict with our stated DEI priorities, values, and beliefs
Demonstrate a commitment to the RSU 21 Equity Initiative by internalizing the district’s DEI priorities and policies; model behaviors to reinforce the equity-based, diverse, and inclusive culture we seek
Reflect on personal biases that may impact your work, decision-making, and/or the culture of the classroom you lead through a commitment to personal DEI growth
Serve as an instructional leader by seeking and applying new and innovative methods when needed to produce the best student outcomes rather than relying on familiar and comfortable approaches; balance classroom autonomy with respect for institutional process to do right by your students
Serve as role model for students in how to conduct themselves as informed, engaged citizens and as confident, intelligent, considerate, and tolerant human beings
Demonstrate behavior consistent with district, legal, ethical, procedural and professional standards and requirements
Collaborate and communicate proactively with students’ families to promote students’ well-being and success; build positive and professional relationships with parents/guardians through frequent communication concerning students’ progress through varied formal and informal communication channels
Communicate in partnership with all family and guardian stakeholders, while engaging stakeholders in ways that convey mutual respect and effective conflict management, when needed