Woodshop & Design Teacher, Grades 5–8

Greenwich Country Day School • Greenwich, CT

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Greenwich Country Day School seeks a thoughtful, creative, and student-centered Woodshop & Design Teacher for Grades 5–8 to start in August, 2026. This educator will introduce students to woodworking and design through developmentally appropriate, hands-on experiences that strengthen fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, and foundational measurement concepts while nurturing curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving. This position is a member of the Creative Applied Technologies (CAT) department. Woodworking is used as a primary learning medium to help students develop precision, coordination, tool awareness, and confidence working with materials, with an emphasis on process over product and growth over perfection. The ideal candidate understands how children learn best at the elementary and middle school levels and can translate measurement, tool use, and material exploration into engaging, age-appropriate projects. Excellent classroom management and a strong commitment to safety are essential.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Design, Industrial Arts, Technology Education, Fine Arts, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Experience teaching or working with elementary and/or middle school students, preferably in hands-on, project-based settings
• Understanding of child development and best practices for teaching Grades 5–8
• Strong classroom management skills grounded in clear routines, relationships, and care for students
• Ability to communicate clearly with students, families, and colleagues

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree or relevant professional experience in a design, making, or applied arts field. A combination of education and relevant experience may be substituted for an advanced degree.
• Experience managing student behavior and classroom dynamics, including through Responsive Classroom strategies
• Comfort and competence with woodworking tools and materials, with a strong commitment to safety, or a desire to learn
• Experience building inclusive classroom communities and positive student culture
• Experience developing partnerships or projects that connect student learning to the broader community

Responsibilities

• Design and teach a Creative Applied Technologies curriculum for Grades 5–8 that emphasizes fine motor development, basic measurement skills, and safe, intentional tool use
• Introduce students to woodworking tools, materials, and techniques in a carefully scaffolded, age-appropriate sequence, building independence over time
• Teach students how to measure, mark, cut, assemble, and finish materials accurately, reinforcing math connections such as units, fractions, angles, and scale
• Guide students through hands-on projects that develop hand-eye coordination, planning skills, patience, and attention to detail
• Support students in moving from ideas to physical objects through sketching, measuring, prototyping, testing, and revising
• Encourage creativity, perseverance, and confidence by normalizing mistakes as part of the learning process
• Create a warm, structured, and inclusive workshop environment where students feel safe to take creative risks
• Teach and consistently reinforce tool safety, material handling, and shop routines, with clear expectations appropriate to each age group
• Model and support teamwork, shared responsibility, and respectful use of tools and workspace
• Maintain an organized, well-functioning workshop designed for younger learners and developing motor skills
• Assess student learning through observation, project work, skill development, and reflection
• Provide feedback that supports growth, effort, and problem-solving
• Differentiate instruction to meet a wide range of developmental levels, learning styles, and abilities
• Collaborate with classroom teachers and specialists to create cross-curricular connections, particularly with math (measurement), science (materials and forces), and art
• Participate actively in grade-level teams, faculty meetings, and professional development
• Support opportunities for students to share their work through exhibitions, classroom showcases, or school events
• Contribute positively to the culture of the school and the Creative Applied Technologies program

Benefits

• GCDS is fortunate to have built a large endowment that helps to fund competitive salaries and benefits, a robust professional development program, and reimbursement for graduate school tuition.
• GCDS offers a substantial need-based financial aid program to support students from a range of socio-economic backgrounds.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level