5th-6th Grade Language Arts/Social Studies Teacher

This position is for the 2024-2025 School Year

Job Summary

In 5th and 6th Grade, students have the same teacher for Language Arts and Social Studies. The teacher creates a flexible, creative, caring classroom environment where students are motivated to develop skills, attitudes, and knowledge needed to provide a foundation for Language Arts and Social Studies in the middle grades. The teacher uses data to inform instruction and create lessons that meets the individual needs of students, and incorporates a variety of learning experiences. In 5th and 6th grade there is also an emphasis on social-emotional learning, and all teachers are expected to play a key role in these formal and informal lessons. The teacher communicates with parents and works to establish positive relationships with them and other staff members. The teacher works to further the Mission of the school: 

“At Solomon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago, we ignite our students’ Jewish souls, educate them to their highest potential, and empower them to use their knowledge, skills, and creativity to enrich our world. “

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Duties of this job include, but are not limited to: 

1. Teaches language arts and social studies  to students in a classroom, utilizing course of study adopted by the Board of Education, and other appropriate learning activities. 
2. Provides instruction that meets national and state standards in both language arts and social studies.
3. Develops lesson plans and instructional materials and provides individualized and small group instruction in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of each student. 
4. Serves as a Kehillah (advisory) teacher for students and helps students identify, develop, and refine social-emotional skills. 
5. Uses a variety of instructional strategies, such as inquiry, group discussion, lecture, discovery, hands-on activities, movement, etc. 
6. Translates lesson plans into learning experiences so as to best utilize the available time for instruction. 
7. Establishes and maintains standards of student behavior needed to achieve a functional learning atmosphere in the classroom. 
8. Evaluates students’ academic and social growth, keeps appropriate records, and prepares progress reports. 
9. Communicates with parents through conferences and other means to discuss students’ progress and interpret the school program. 
10. Identifies student needs and cooperates with other professional staff members in assessing and helping students solve health, attitude, and learning problems. 
11. Creates an effective environment for learning through functional and attractive displays, bulletin boards, and interest centers. 
12. Maintains professional competence through in-service and professional growth activities.
13. Collaborates with grade-level colleagues about curriculum and educational programming.
14. Selects and requisitions books and instructional aids; maintains required inventory records. 
15. Supervises students in out-of-classroom activities during the school day. 
16. Participates in curriculum development programs as required. 
17. Participates in faculty committees and the sponsorship of student activities.
18. Demonstrates  a commitment to best practice in all dimensions of effective teaching as defined by the Thoughtful Classroom framework, including: Organization, rules and routines; positive relationships; engagement and enjoyment; a culture of thinking and learning; preparing students for new learning; presenting new learning; deepening and reinforcing learning; applying learning; and reflecting on and celebrating learning.
19. Administers group standardized tests in accordance with state testing program. 

Qualification Requirements

1. Bachelor’s degree of related subject from accredited university 
2. Illinois teaching certificate. 
3. Experience is preferred but not necessary for hiring.

Faculty values that drive our work together:

• Jewish Values and Torah
• Professionalism
• Optimism
• Collaboration
• Respect
• Open Communication
• Innovation and Creativity
• Life-Long Learning

Reports To:  K-6 Sager School Principal