Middle School Social Studies Teacher

Westtown School seeks a full-time Middle School Social Studies Teacher to begin in August 2024. The Middle School Social Studies position will involve teaching four classes each semester and serving as an effective member of a grade-level team to develop an innovative curriculum. In addition, the Middle School Social Studies teacher is a member of the core Middle School team. Core activities include advising, supervision of study halls and recesses, chaperoning field trips, and related activities that contribute to the Middle School community and the educational experience of our students. Core teachers engage in at least one additional co-curricular commitment, such as a season of athletic coaching or leading the robotics team.

As Westtown strives to fulfill our commitment to becoming an anti-bias, anti-racist (ABAR) school, we are seeking culturally competent educators with a demonstrated commitment to equity, justice, and belonging who are eager to engage in ongoing professional development in these areas. This will be evidenced in their approach to curriculum and pedagogy, their ability to foster and develop inclusive communities, and through their personal and professional interactions with diverse groups of students, families, faculty, and staff.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Teaches 3 sections of 6th Grade Social Studies: Geography and Culture and 1 section of 7th Grade Social Studies: US Studies;
• Develops culturally competent and responsive lessons and learning activities that promote problem-solving, creative thinking, collaboration, and effective communication skills while encouraging risk-taking in learning;
• Actively involves students in the classroom through group work, project-based learning, exploration, questioning, discussion, and other cooperative teaching techniques;
• Helps students hone the essential skills of critical thinking, communication, and empathy, and empowers them to draw out those skills in other people;
• Supports students’ social-emotional and identity development;
• Contributes to building and sustaining an inclusive community and a program that embodies diverse cultures and perspectives;
• Communicates effectively with all constituents – students, colleagues, administrators, and parents;
• Contributes to students’ development of Quaker values;
• Engages in decision-making aligned with Quaker process in service to the school community;
• Integrates technology seamlessly into teaching strategies and practices, including the use of a learning management system;
• Contributes to students’ development outside the classroom through co-curricular and student-life activities;
• Supervises/facilitates divisional duties (e.g., study hall, recess, lunch, arrival/dismissal);

• Enthusiastically seeks out and participates in both school-sponsored and self-selected professional development opportunities to grow as an instructional leader and community member.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of relevant classroom teaching experience at the middle school level, including an understanding of their unique developmental, social, and academic needs;
• Enthusiasm for full participation in the coaching, advising, and core duties required of a full-time Middle School faculty member;
• Familiarity with Google products and the integration of a learning management system, Canvas, into best teaching practices;
• A demonstrated commitment to enhancing an inclusive school community based on cultural competence, commitment to social justice, and respect for all voices;
• A strong character with a team-oriented spirit, and the ability to connect meaningfully with students throughout our diverse community;
• Strong affinity for the mission of Westtown School and an educational philosophy consistent with the school’s Quaker values;

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

For additional information about Westtown School and to explore current career opportunities, please visit our website westtown.edu/careers. Interested applicants can apply online by submitting their resume, cover letter, and three professional references, directly to the specific job posting on the faculty employment portal.