Lower School (K-5th Grade) Chinese Teacher

Chinese American International School

seeks an

Lower School (K-5th Grade)
Chinese Teacher

 This is a Chinese language position, proficiency in Chinese required.

The teacher leads an immersion classroom in Chinese in learning language arts, math, and social studies content.

Exempt position

OPPORTUNITY

 Join the vibrant community at the Chinese American International School’s 150 Oak campus as our Lower School (K-5th Grade) Chinese Teacher. Become part of a team striving to be the world’s most innovative, inspiring, and influential Chinese English dual-language immersion school. 

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate finds resonance with CAIS’s mission to Embrace Chinese, Become your Best Self, and Create your Place in the World.  As CAIS aims to empower independent, effective, and inspired learners, we look for a candidate adept at student-centered pedagogy such as differentiation, use of assessment to inform teaching, and application of best practices in language, literacy and content instruction. Our new team member will collaborate with grade level Chinese and English partner teachers and enjoy a wealth of professional development opportunities. The candidate will enter an environment that values social emotional learning alongside academic challenge. Within the framework of a strong curricular vision supported by English and Chinese directors, the candidate will enjoy considerable autonomy in developing the classroom curriculum.

 

CAIS offers a dynamic dual culture setting, in which faculty are immersed in a culture of language learners. We look for a candidate who will embrace and participate in CAIS’s work to create an equitable, inclusive environment where all faculty, students, and families are supported in their individual identities.

 

BENEFITS

The CAIS Board of Trustees and administration are expressly dedicated to ensuring that CAIS is a great place work. As a critical component of our Strategic Vision, the school has committed to attracting, developing, retaining, and rewarding top-tier faculty and excellent educators with a benefits package including:

 

• Salary scale benchmarked to the Bay Area’s competitive standards
• Robust opportunities for professional development, support, and growth
• Comprehensive insurance package (covering 100% of premiums for individual employee)
• Numerous opportunities to participate in international travel
• Commuting cost assistance
• Consideration for relocation

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

 

Position responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Demonstrate teaching excellence, a growth mindset, professionalism, and integrity.
• Support the educational program by challenging, supporting, and engaging students.
• Successfully teach all assigned classes in accordance with grade appropriate best practices.
• Encompass a positive discipline approach in guiding student behavior.
• Develop a positive intellectual, emotional, and social environment within the classroom and a class community in which all children feel valued and a sense of belonging.
• Actively support and collaborate on school initiatives, such as events and committee work.
• Work collaboratively and maintain standards of respect, courtesy, and mutual consideration with the school community, including students, staff, and parents.
• Communicate effectively, promptly, and proactively with families.
• Prepare assessments, grades, and progress reports according to school procedures.
• Implement and integrate technology into curriculum.
• Attend faculty and division meetings including required meetings/events before the beginning of the school year and during the term of employment.

 

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

 

• Bachelor’s degree
• Language requirement: native or near native Mandarin language proficiency
• Teaching experience with demonstrated success
• Commitment to meeting the needs of individual learners and promoting social and emotional development
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Dedication to equity and inclusion and ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Commitment to school mission, policies, and initiatives

 

VALUED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

We value, but do not require, the following attributes:

• Teaching credential, Master’s in Education (M.Ed.), or equivalent
• Teaching experience in an immersion environment

 

 

THE CAIS CHINESE PROGRAM

 

Our team is a large, collaborative and supportive team of 29 Pre-K through 8th grade Chinese language lead and associate teachers who are experienced and highly professional. CAIS is regarded as a leader in Chinese immersion teaching and learning, a role we deliberately strive to earn and maintain, and our teachers are expected to engage in ongoing, school-supported professional development.

 

CAIS Chinese language teachers frequently present at regional and national conferences such as ACTFL, CLTA, National Chinese Language Conference, STARTALK, CLEF and Computer Using Educators, to name a few. In addition to teaching, CAIS Chinese teachers work collaboratively with one another and with teachers of other disciplines to design and implement innovative thematic curriculum units that integrate multiple disciplines, Project Based Language Learning (PBLL), use of instructional technology, application of 21st century skills and that support the school’s extensive international learning programs. The school runs STARTALK programs for teachers and students as well as a separate immersion summer camp each year.

 

Chinese curricula at CAIS are aligned with ACTFL Proficiency guidelines, and each year the school administers WPT, OPI, STAMP and AAPPL assessments – most CAIS teachers are trained and certified in the administration of these tests.

 

Chinese language teachers enjoy the support of a Chinese program director, a MS Chinese language and technology specialist, two full-time Chinese language support specialists, and an international and experiential learning coordinator. CAIS has formed the Chinese Learning Innovation Collaborative (CLIC), a school-based center whose purpose is to integrate curriculum, technology, and international travel to advance language and cultural learning and meet world readiness standards for language learning.

 

Please see the detailed profile of CAIS’s Chinese program on the Asia Society’s website.

 

ABOUT CAIS

The nation’s first dual language Chinese and English Pre-K through 8th grade school, CAIS’s three campuses are located in the heart of San Francisco and accessible by public transportation in San Francisco. The lively neighborhood echoes the school’s vital energy and provides ready access to cultural treasures such as the Asian Art Museum, SF Jazz, the San Francisco Symphony and more.

 

For more information, visit https://www.cais.org/about-us/employment

 

TO APPLY

CAIS’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is central to our mission. People of color and LGBT candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Email cover letter, resume, and list of references to lower_school_jobs@cais.org. In subject line please indicate “Lower School Chinese Teacher”  Please no calls.