Upper School Lead Teacher (STEM Focus)

Agreement Start Date: August 1, 2021

Bennett Day School is a progressive independent day school looking for passionate educators with innovative spirit and rich background in adolescent learning and school experience.  We are a new type of independent school; unabashed believers in the values of progressive education, we put students at the center of the process of learning.

The Bennett Day Upper School is hiring a full-time STEM teacher. In this role, you’ll be part of the Upper School faculty team and be responsible for implementing the core characteristics of our progressive, project- and competency-based high school.

Reporting to our Lead Designer and Director of the Upper School, you’ll bring your experience to the team to lead a cohort of students as part of the upper school team of teachers beginning in the fall of 2021-2022. Most importantly, you’ll act as advisor to the students in a cohort, leading a group of ten as a mentor through all elements of the school experience. As a teacher, you’ll also design and teach courses, both in Project-Based Learning environments and through traditional seminars, based on the needs of our students and in your field of expertise. You’ll act as mentor to new colleagues as our school grows in future years. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

As one of our teachers, you’ll be intimately involved in every aspect of our growing school, and have input into major pedagogical and/or curricular decisions that the high school makes. You’ll simultaneously develop your pedagogical and design skills free from many outside constraints that you find in traditional schools, as you will be designing and implementing a project-based curriculum in a grade-free (no A’s, B’s or C’s) school. You’ll have the opportunity to develop meaningful educational relationships with students in your work as an advisor, while having a smaller course load (1-2 classes per trimester). You’ll also learn from your colleagues during the 5+ hours per week of professional development, which occur on Wednesdays when students are released early. We are a small team and collaborate constantly on pedagogy, educational design, and student support. This position is ideal for someone who thrives when given the opportunity to make close connections and develop relationships with students, families and colleagues. 

THE SKILL SET

• “Polymathness”: having wide ranging interests and experience across different content silos (you would be interested in and capable of teaching both science and history, for example)
• Dedication to designing innovative and nontraditional curriculum 

YOUR FIRST YEAR:

WITHIN ONE MONTH YOU’LL

• Learn about all the major elements of the upper school and how they embody the school’s mission and vision
• Learn about our competency-based education model 
• Learn about our advisory program and work with your mentor teacher and school counselor to plan your advisory
• Meet with the Upper School design team to coordinate on planning
• Create, in collaboration with the Upper School team, your first Project-Based Learning experience for students
• Plan for and meet your first group of advisees and their families in a series of home visits

WITHIN THREE MONTHS YOU’LL

• Attend 1-2 admissions and marketing events as needed to share the school’s story to potential Bennett Day families
• Co-Teach your first cross-curricular Project-Based Learning course with a cohort of students
• Submit monthly reports on student progress
• Participate in our professional development program on a weekly basis
• Teach us about what you believe might be worth changing or editing in those documents to better serve all students
• Lead 30 minute conferences with each of your advisees families
• Maintain a competency assessment of each student in your Project-Based Learning and Seminar Courses

WITHIN SIX MONTHS YOU’LL

• Teach a seminar  course determined in concert with the Upper School Team
• Co-Teach your second Project-Based learning course during Trimester Two
• Write narrative assessments of your students and help them develop their own learning portfolios
• Be a part of the planning for info sessions for prospective families
• Be a part of admissions events 
• Attend at least one professional development experience to learn more about at least one area of our pedagogical model with which you feel you need assistance or guidance
• Be the content-area expert and an important voice in development in your field(s) of expertise 

BY THE END OF THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR, YOU’LL

• Continue to teach Project-Based Learning and/or Seminar courses during Trimester 3
• Help make enrollment decisions to finalize our next cohort of students for admission in the fall of 2022
• Contribute to the interview and vetting process when/if any additional faculty is hired
• Provide input on the full, final curriculum for the 2022-2023 school year
• Work with our adjunct faculty to onboard them as they teach individual courses at the school