Company Description

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing, public charter schools providing an outstanding K-12 education in historically under-resourced communities. We have proudly built schools that reflect our student population, with more than 60% of our teachers and staff across our network identifying as a person of color. Uncommon currently manages 53 schools serving more than 20,000 students in five cities: Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark, and Rochester. We are proud that Uncommon graduates persist in and graduate from college at five times the rate of their peers nationally. We achieve this by offering strong academic, co-curricular, and social-emotional learning that prepares students for success in college and beyond.

Job Description

Uncommon Pre-K Teachers cultivate a love for learning in every student from the very start. Our teachers and students engage in a learning environment that fosters curiosity, achievement, respect, and empathy (CARE). Our classrooms are engaging, intentional and playful.  We have built a community where teachers encourage our core values of respect and hard work while celebrating the uniqueness of each student and laying the academic foundations that carry students to and through college. Our classrooms are led by teaching teams that consist of a lead teacher and apprentice teacher.

Instruction

• You’ll co-teach and build an engaging and joyful classroom environment that encourages mastery and empowers students to learn through exploration and purposeful play.
•  You’ll co-teach literacy (phonics, language development, vocabulary, and writing), mathematics, core knowledge (science and social studies).
• The teaching team (lead & apprentice teachers) work together to facilitate our free-choice centers and small group instruction.

Data Analysis

• You'll meet weekly with your director to analyze and respond to trends in student work samples and assessments.
•  You'll learn and implement strategies to differentiate instruction for all learners in your classroom.

 Classroom Culture

• Implement instructional model and collaborate with instructional coach/director to ensure students are achieving academic goals
• Use multiple data sources (assessments, classroom quality observations, and other data collections) to make day-by-day decisions about instruction (reflective) 
• Provide early-learning experiences that contribute to children’s positive feelings about school, teachers, and their communities (nurturing)
• Support children’s development across social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and academic competencies (balanced)
• Apply a variety of strategies to promote both concept and skill development
• Provide modeling and support for children’s expressive and receptive language throughout the school day

School Culture

• You’ll build positive relationships with students to ensure they feel seen, loved, and heard.
• You’ll partner with students’ families to ensure appropriate resources are available to support their children’s learning needs.
• You'll engage in practice-based professional development, mentorship, and coaching sessions.
• You’ll support morning arrival, lunch duty, student assemblies, class transitions, and after-school dismissal.
• You'll participate in weekly, school-wide meetings to foster community, model our core values, and encourage student achievement.
• You'll partner with your teaching partner and grade level team to develop academic goals and practice instructional strategies.

Qualifications

• Drive to improve the minds and lives of students in and out of the classroom
• Evidence of self-motivation, willingness to be a team player, and has a strong sense of personal responsibility;
• Ideal candidates are hard-working, urgent, energetic, and are willing to learn and adapt;
• Is extremely reflective and constantly wants to improve;
• is flexible and enjoys dealing with unpredictability;
• Strong time management skills; ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and meet tight deadlines;
• A strong candidate will possess strong organizational skills, communication skills (particularly with children), and problem solving skills;
• Interest in performing a critical support role and the ability to excel in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, results-oriented environment;
• Prior experience working in schools and/or urban communities is preferred but not required;
• Relentless commitment to mission of educating urban students. Belief in and alignment with Uncommon’s core beliefs and educational philosophy is non-negotiable.
• By the time that employment begins, candidates must have received a Bachelor's degree from a College or University. For teaching roles in New Jersey, the candidates must have earned a cumulative 2.75 GPA (for candidates graduating before September 1, 2016) or 3.0 (for candidates graduating on or after September 1, 2016)

Additional Information

Uncommon Schools offers salaries commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package. All staff members receive extensive professional development, and are equipped with a laptop computer and all necessary supplies.

Uncommon believes in the importance of being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization that enables our students and staff to thrive. We are committed to building an exceptional team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. We also strive to ensure an inclusive community by creating a space for meaningful dialogue about issues of race and identity for our staff and students. As an equal opportunity employer, Uncommon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We also ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all privileges and benefits associated with employment and are provided reasonable accommodations for the interview process and to perform core job functions. If you would like to request an accommodation, please email recruitment@uncommonschools.org.