STEAM Integration Specialist

PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL•Philadelphia, PA

1d•$60,000 - $80,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Philadelphia School (TPS) is seeking a full-time Classroom Teacher. We are a Preschool - Grade 8 progressive, independent school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with an enrollment of approximately 420 students. Since our founding in 1972, The Philadelphia School has grown in size, complexity, and diversity. This growth has been rooted firmly in the progressive values with which our founders began: immersive learning, responsive pedagogy, and meaningful engagement with the world. The Philadelphia School seeks educators who possess a deep interest in progressive pedagogy, social justice, and place-based learning and who demonstrate a commitment to personal and professional growth. We hire experienced educators who have excellent classroom management and communication skills, as well as a flexible approach to teaming. All our teachers build respectful and supportive relationships with their students, develop strong home/school partnerships with parents and caregivers, participate in school wide initiatives, and work closely with their supervisor to develop their craft. Our teachers have strong interpersonal and communication skills. They are grounded in the practices of progressive education with a demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity and social justice as well as environmental education. All our teachers bring a rich range of interests and expertise to their work. Position Summary: The STEAM Integration Specialist designs and delivers engaging, interdisciplinary learning experiences that integrate science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. The STEAM Integration Specialist fosters creativity, problem-solving, and innovations through hands-on project and inquiry-based instruction. Collaborating with faculty and staff among various departments, the STEAM Integration Specialist develops a curriculum that reflects real-world applications and supports a culture of exploration and design thinking in The Philadelphia School environment. (This position runs twelve months, with responsibilities for running after-school and summer-based programming.)

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a Science, Engineering, Computer Science, Design or a related field required; master’s degree in education, STEAM, or Education Technology preferred. Or an equivalent combination of education and previous experience that provides required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
At least three years of teaching experience, ideally in a STEAM/STEM or project-based learning environment.
Solid understanding of child development, including the social, emotional, and intellectual domains.
Ability and commitment to create a warm, nurturing, and supportive classroom for young children.
Strong writing, editing, and communication skills at the team, student, and family levels.
Demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging as integral to the curriculum and community experience.
Passion for instilling in children a lifelong love of learning.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in educational technology, makerspace tools and coding platforms, and engineering kits, preferred.
Orientation to progressive philosophy and teaching methods.

Responsibilities

Lead instruction of T&E (Technology & Engineering) classes in upper grades (with immersion specifically in both student and teacher community of Junior Unit), focusing on computer fluency, electrical engineering, computational thinking, robotics, and the engineering design process.
Model, deliver, and craft rich student-centered learning experiences that integrate technology and engineering with core studies across grades, in partnership with classroom teaching teams.
Deliver progressive and intentional instruction within the PBL (project-based learning) framework, driven by student interest and inquiry, and emphasizing design thinking.
Foster a classroom atmosphere that supports respect and inclusion, including use of Responsive Classroom framework.
Create and lead two special programs (i.e. after-school clubs) per semester, inclusive of one semester of a club that prepares students for robotics, coding, or maker challenges or tournaments.
Lead multiple weeks of summer camps for Camp TPS with a focus on robotics, engineering, or computational thinking.
Develop community partnerships to enhance classroom learning and create authentic engineering experiences as part of the School's place-based learning experiences.
In partnership with the Director of Educational Technology, design and own the engineering and robotics scope and sequence for Grades 3–5 with latitude to reimagine it, bring own thematic and disciplinary passions to bear, and shape how it connects to the grade band’s broader curriculum.
Cultivate faculty development on shared best practices and targeted strategies for deep interdisciplinary instruction and learning.
Engage in a range of activities for school-sponsored and individually-sought professional development with curiosity and a commitment to continued growth, including a periodic process of growth-oriented feedback and evaluation.
Co-create and lead community events (i.e., parent education, admissions) centered on STEAM teaching and PBL learning.
Contribute actively to school-wide initiatives, including other duties as assigned, and the broad life of the community.
Perform other duties, as assigned by the School and the Director of Educational Technology.