[Full-time] First Grade Lead Teacher at Berkwood Hedge School

First Grade Lead Teacher

A Rare & Wonderful Opportunity
Berkwood Hedge School is seeking excellent candidates for a full-time first grade lead teaching position for the 2019/20 school year.
Berkwood Hedge School?s pedagogy is based on the understanding that children construct their knowledge of the world through hands-on, integrated, and active child-centered learning experiences, their environment needs to be positive and joyful, and; play and creativity are essential to healthy development. The strength of our school is our community. Each individual is valued and significant. We cultivate our children?s creative participation in their own learning. Our teachers support this development across the cognitive, physical, social and moral domains. Our teachers collaborate to make our entire school strong.
The successful candidate will:

• Enthusiastically plan and implement all aspects of a project based first grade curriculum
• Collaborate effectively with colleagues in all aspects of student learning and school culture
• Maintain active and open communication with parents/guardians of the children and with all members of the Berkwood Hedge School community
• Wholeheartedly support and manifest the Berkwood Hedge mission of social justice and equity.
• Be creative, innovative, agile, flexible, and responsive
• Have a sense of humor and a growth mindset

Required Qualifications:

• Five years classroom lead teaching experience at the elementary level
• Deep understanding and appreciation for progressive education
• Teaching credential, master?s degree preferred
• Strong communication skills (speaking, writing) with both children and adults

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Experience planning and implementing a differentiated project based learning curriculum
• Ability to develop and align a constructivism curriculum
• Ability to articulate the first grade program
• Capacity to focus on the whole child, intentionally developing each individual academically, physically, emotionally, and socially.
• Ability to exercise daily flexibility by wearing many hats, prioritizing and problem solving while maintaining a poised professional demeanor.
• Willingness to seek opportunities that grow students? cultural competency.
• Ability to utilize sound and developmentally appropriate educational practices related to technology to enhance teaching and learning

PERSONAL QUALITIES

• Love of children and understanding of child development
• Collaborative, creative, and curious nature
• Maturity, professionalism, and good judgment
• Willingness and capacity to assume a wide range of responsibilities
• Interested in learning new skills and engaged in continuous improvement of practice
• Excellent organizational and time management skills

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintain and support a climate of mutual respect which encourages students to take healthy risks: asking questions, sharing opinions, and making mistakes necessary to learn.
• Accurately assess each student’s progress; inform student, parents, lead teacher, and the Head of School immediately of any relevant information.
• Cultivate each student’s creativity, intellectual curiosity, social-emotional development in an academically rich and relevant context.

At Berkwood Hedge, a teacher’s engagement includes various activities in addition to teaching and classroom duties, such as giving extra help to students who need it, communicating feedback directly to the Head of School, encouragement of the efforts of colleagues, concern for the appearance of the classroom and of the grounds, promptness in meeting all school obligations and flexibility and cooperation in supporting our school?s advancement. Attendance at school events and activities, such as plays, concerts, festivals, and fairs, staff meetings, and open houses is required.
We look for candidates who thrive on ownership, service, creativity and collaboration. For more information about Berkwood Hedge School, please visit us at berkwood.org. Salary and benefits are competitive. We will accept applications until the position is filled. Interviews will begin immediately. We hope to hire someone immediately so they can begin to get to know our learning community before starting in the fall. Submit cover letter and resume to employment@berkwood.org.
Berkwood Hedge School actively seeks to build a diverse student, staff and parent community. We are an avid equal opportunity employer and seek applicants who reflect the rich diversity of the Bay Area. We do not discriminate on the basis of basis of age, ancestry, citizenship, ethnicity, family-care status, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, disability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.