Website The Berkeley School
What we do matters
What matters to you as an educator?
-Having the time and space to build strong relationships with each student?
-Working in a professional culture designed to give teachers and teaching teams the agency that drives effective, culturally responsive instruction?
-Joining a school where civic engagement – equipping students with the academic and social-emotional skills and understanding required to create positive change – is at the heart of the educational program?
At TBS, we do the work required to create a dynamic, inclusive professional and school community where all people who believe these things matter can thrive. If you are one of these people, read on!
The Grade 4/5 Co-teacher advances The Berkeley School’s mission and vision by…
-developing and teaching subjects within the 4th and 5th grade curricula
supporting 4th/5th classroom co-teachers in the instruction of math, cultural studies, literacy, and other subject areas
-creating an instructional environment to meet the diverse intellectual, social, emotional, and physical needs of upper elementary students
-assessing student progress regularly and effectively
-embodying principles of equity and inclusion that promote responsive teaching practices and create optimal educational environments for each of our students
This is the job for you if…
–you appreciate, understand, and care for upper elementary-aged students. We believe that all students deserve to feel seen, supported and known and we strive to be the “warm demanders” that they need to take risks, make mistakes, learn, and grow.
–you’re knowledgeable, passionate, and curious about the ways that children create, adapt, and define knowledge to achieve shared outcomes. You know that the school community can be a space for learning as well as self-expression, community-building, and development of socio-emotional skills.
–you enjoy creating grade 4/5 curricula that aligns with clearly defined learning outcomes, equity and justice standards, and student interests. You look for emergent opportunities that amplify your core curricular structure and resonate with our school value of community engagement.
–you see collaboration with colleagues as essential to your professional growth and fulfillment. You enjoy the autonomy of developing and teaching your own curriculum but you can’t imagine doing it in isolation from other educators, since all of you are working towards a shared purpose.
Job benefits include….
-Working in a positive, diverse, and dynamic environment of caring, curious, and committed colleagues
-Competitive compensation
-Structures and budget to support professional and personal development (we invest in learning/growth!)
-Professional culture that supports everyone in maintaining balance, self-care, and community care
-Student support structures (including small class sizes and academic and social-emotional learning specialists) that promote strong relationships between teachers and students
Preferred Qualifications
-Demonstrated understanding of culturally responsive teaching practices that support a diverse community and a commitment to ongoing growth and tangible advancement in this area
-Demonstrated experience and success teaching developmentally appropriate curricula to upper-elementary students
-Understanding of differentiated instruction as well as diverse assessment practices
-Demonstrated experience with positive classroom management skills with upper-elementary students
-Experience or desire to embed equity, social justice, and civic engagement principles into teaching practices and curriculum
-Demonstrated ability to build positive, appropriate relationships with students and teachers
-Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with students, families, and colleagues verbally and in writing
-Experience or desire to work with a highly collaborative teaching teams
-Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional growth and development
-Familiarity with Google Classroom teaching platform and variety of ed tech (eg. BrainPop, DreamBox, Kahoot, GoNoodle, etc.)
-Bachelor’s degree
A little more about TBS…
Located directly across the bay from San Francisco in a city known internationally for its history of activism, thought leadership, and community-based change, The Berkeley School has been educating East Bay children since 1963. The school’s mission – ignite curious minds, awaken generous hearts, engage a changing world – reflects its founding as a Montessori school and informs its unique, civic-engagement-based educational vision.
TBS teachers and students come together on two beautiful campuses whose connection to local neighborhoods and proximity to public transportation and the University of California campus makes the cultural, educational, and natural resources of Berkeley and the greater Bay Area an integral part of the school’s educational program.
TBS students develop excellent academic and life skills in learning communities that build agency, rooted in two core beliefs: we are interdependent and what we do matters. TBS teachers lead that development by building relationships with and among students, creating culturally responsive learning environments that help students feel seen, supported, and known, and developing curricula and experiences that provide the joyful rigor necessary to help children reach their full potential as scholars, community members, and human beings.
We are committed to human-centered principles that promote effective, inclusive operating practices. We also value the skills, knowledge and experiences that a diverse workforce brings to our school. We are a community of lifelong learners who value social justice and actively participate in civic engagement, and we believe that affirming the cultural histories and identities of all community members is vital to each student’s learning and to our school’s success. If you see this approach as critical to meaningful education, we urge you to apply!
What’s next?
If you’re interested in applying, please submit a cover letter describing your interest in the position and the ways that your professional and personal values and expertise align with our school’s mission and vision, your resumé, and a list of three references to our hiring committee at 45coteacher@theberkeleyschool.org. The start date for this position is August 16, 2022.
The Berkeley School is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination and dharassment. All employment decisions at The Berkeley School are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, age, disability, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, religion, and genetic information. Candidates of color, bilingual candidates, and candidates from other groups traditionally underrepresented in independent schools are encouraged to apply.
