3/4 Grade Teacher

Job Title: 3/4 Grade Teacher, Ten month, Full-time, Salaried

Department: Lower School

Reports to: Lower School Head

Friends Community School (FCS), founded in 1986, is a progressive, co-ed Quaker K-8 day school serving a diverse student body from the greater Washington, D.C. area. FCS’s LEED-certified building is situated on 17 acres surrounded by Greenbelt National Park, nine minutes from the University of Maryland, College Park, and thirty minutes from Washington, D.C.

Educators at FCS nurture lifelong learners, courageous risk takers, and joyous peacemakers through the expression of our commitments to Quakerism, Progressive Education, equity, and inclusion. Our progressive pedagogical approach emphasizes depth over breadth, creativity and innovation over memorization, and hands-on collaborative projects over rote schoolwork. Our curriculum engages students in the exploration of values rooted in our Quaker Heritage – simplicity, peaceful conflict resolution, integrity, community, equality/equity, and stewardship – from a range of perspectives.

Job Summary

FCS seeks a full-time Third/Fourth Grade Teacher. The qualified candidate should possess and demonstrate an understanding of child development and progressive pedagogy. We seek an individual who is knowledgeable and experienced with project-based and experiential learning. The qualified candidate will possess strong classroom management skills and the ability to create a welcoming and supportive classroom environment using Responsive Classroom. We seek an individual who respects and understands issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion and incorporates them into their practice and the curriculum.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Teach 16-18 students in a multi-disciplinary program of Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, and Science
- Teach TERC Investigations 3 and Reading and Writing Workshop
- Plan and update engaging lessons and units of study that consider multiple learning styles and differences
- Work collaboratively with the Learning Specialist and grade-level colleagues to provide differentiated and interdisciplinary learning experiences for students
- Provide remediation and enrichment as needed
- Maintain regular communication with parents about class activities, topics of study, and special events through the class web page
Contribute to the FCS school-wide community
- Organize daily morning advisory activities
- Participate in weekly Meeting for Worship
- Facilitate non-violent conflict resolution
- Participate in scheduled school events such as parent-teacher conferences, Back-to-School Night, and field trips
- Attend major school-wide events including Fall Fair and the Spring Auction
Ensure communication across constituencies
- Work in partnership with all members of the teaching team and the administration
- Communicate proactively and responsively with individual families
- Complete all progress reports and student recommendations in a professional and timely manner, emphasizing the individual strengths and challenges for each student
Continuously integrate the school’s commitment to Quakerism, Progressive Education, and Equity in your classroom
- Participate in weekly staff meetings
- Engage in continuous, ongoing professional development
- Collaborate with colleagues in professional learning communities
- Work with the humanities curriculum coordinator and the other language arts and social studies teachers to ensure lesson and units cover desired learning outcomes
- Partner with a teacher in the lower school to facilitate cross divisional peer-to-peer relationships among middle and lower school students
- Other duties as assigned

Qualifications Desired and/or Required

Genuine love for children, especially upper elementary aged students
Bachelor’s degree (required)
Minimum of three years of classroom experience
Understanding of child development
Commitment to Progressive Education
Commitment to equity and inclusion
Knowledge of Quaker beliefs and practices
Experience integrating technology within the language arts curriculum
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Ability to collaborate with coworkers and other school community members

Commitment to Diversity
FCS is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive educational community and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or a person's status as a qualified candidate with a disability in administration of its educational program, admission policies, financial aid program, staff hiring, and other school-administered programs.

In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, we actively seek faculty and staff of varied backgrounds and encourage them to share their unique gifts to cultivate a rich educational experience. We strive to create a learning environment that exposes students to the value and breadth of differences, informs their perspective, and prepares them to shape the world.

Please send a cover letter, résumé, educational philosophy, and the names and contact information of three professional references to jobs@friendscommunityschool.org.

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