Middle School Theme Teacher

MONTCLAIR COOPERATIVE SCHOOL (MCS)

Job Description

JOB TITLE: Middle School Theme Teacher DATE: December 2024

FUNCTIONAL AREA: Instructional Faculty

REPORTS TO: Head of School

The Montclair Cooperative School is seeking a progressive energetic Middle School Theme Teacher to join our dynamic team beginning September 1st 2025. Theme study merges the disciplines of history geography and cultural anthropology broadly defined as Social Studies.

Founded in 1963 the Montclair Cooperative School (the Coop) is an independent progressive coeducational school serving approximately 125 students from Early Ages through eighth grade. We are a community of students teachers and parents dedicated to creating a diverse and nurturing environment where children flourish intellectually creatively and emotionally while developing exceptional social skills and a deep sense of community responsibility. The Coops wholechild curriculum is interdisciplinary emphasizing inquiry diversity critical thinking and deep understanding while supporting individualized social and emotional growth.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Plan and design developmentally appropriate educational theme curriculum and differentiated instruction for students in grades 68;
• Support students with their socialemotional development;
• Work closely with learning specialists to create and implement both learning support and enrichment activities;
• Provide opportunities that encourage curiosity exploration problemsolving and the use of technology;
• Create and provide a supportive and caring classroom environment in which students can learn and interact positively with one another;
• Conduct informal and formal learning assessments to be responsive to an individualized approach for student growth;
• Assess students academic and social growth keep accurate records and prepare progress reports;
• Communicate with families about students learning through frequent updates parentteacher conferences and student progress reports;
• Continue to develop professionally by actively participating in professional development opportunities within the independent school community;
• Develop lesson plans and instructional materials that support individualized and small group instruction in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of each student;
• Use a variety of instructional strategies;
• Participate in faculty and curriculum development meetings and committees as requested;
• Assess students academic and social growth keep accurate records and prepare progress reports;
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree/ Masters Degree in education with a specialization in History/Social Studies or equivalent.
• At least 5 years of successful experience as a classroom teacher with middle school students
• A deep understanding of effective Theme instruction and content
• Effective organizational skills including but not limited to lesson planning implementing units of study differentiating instruction designing and implementing assessments
• A working knowledge of and an embracing of a progressive educational approach
• An understanding of child/adolescent development and how social emotional factors impact learning
• A clear commitment to the mission of the Montclair Cooperative School
• Excellent time management skills and be detail and goal oriented
• Excellent interpersonal skills; must be a strong team player and have some experience working collaboratively with peers to implement an academically robust engaging and integrated curriculum
• Solid organizational and problem solving skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Highly resourceful and motivated a selfstarter with initiative energy and enthusiasm and the ability to thrive in a fastpaced and changing environment
• Ability to interact well with people from a wide diversity of backgrounds and cultures