Experience
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
- At least three years of teaching experience in a residential or day school setting is preferred.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Middle School Mandarin Teacher designs and implements the curriculum and program for grades 6-8. The Mandarin Teacher inspires, instructs, and develops middle school students’ passions and curiosities as they learn the essential skills of Mandarin language learning: speaking, writing, reading, and listening. The Mandarin Teacher utilizes varied pedagogical approaches to make these skills relevant and enduring. The Mandarin Teacher crafts curriculum for students to view language through a global perspective and lens.
The position requires maintaining a full teaching load, serving as an advisor to a small cohort of students, and actively supporting various student and residential life activities. The Mandarin Teacher works collaboratively and creatively with colleagues in various curricular areas and divisions.
NEIA encourages collaborative teamwork in the classroom, teaching students to communicate effectively and thoughtfully, justify their reasoning, and consider multiple perspectives when solving problems. Teachers invest in the life of the school by participating in the advising program, social and emotional learning, weekly team meetings, anti-bias training, student and residential life, and any aspects that support the student experience.
Under the general supervision and guidance of the Head of Teaching & Learning, teachers are responsible for preparing lesson plans, educating students, and collaborating with colleagues. Their duties include assessing student work and performance through NEIA’s Competency-Based model, providing feedback, documenting student progress, and assigning learning extensions. Teachers must be able to command their classroom and reach students with an engaging project-based curriculum. Teachers are responsible for creating and maintaining a learning environment that guides and encourages students to develop and fulfill their academic potential and accomplish the learning goals of NEIA. Teachers are expected to understand and utilize Human-Centered Design as a process and develop it as an ethos across our program.
DUTIES INCLUDE:
- Embodies NEIA’s principles of empathy, equity, personalization, authentic work, and collaboration in all work activities and actions.
- Creates daily lesson plans with project-based assignments connected to the human experience that are engaging, educational, and exciting for the students.
- Plans, prepares and delivers instructional activities that facilitate active learning experiences.
- Incorporates goals, competencies, and objectives into lesson plans in ways that directly apply to the student’s life.
- Achieves school and course-wide performance goals for every student in class.
- Assesses student work regularly to keep students updated on how they are doing.
- Identifies students who are struggling with learning, emotional problems, or situations at home, and find them the resources they need.
- Engages in ongoing professional learning and development per the school’s professional growth framework.
- Supports the work of School Leadership in reaching strategic goals.
- Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned and required by the position and the school.
Hours of Work
The responsibilities contained within this section are a guide.
- The expected teaching load for Teaching staff members is 4 classes (every season).
- Teaching staff members are expected to be on campus during the workday which generally begins at 8:00 AM and ends at 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday.
- Teachers should be available from 2:50 PM – 3:30 PM for office hours, most days, unless fulfilling other NEIA commitments.
- Teaching staff members are expected to attend all scheduled Teaching staff members meetings.
- Teaching staff members are required to attend training(s) or professional development sessions, typically held on days when school is not in session.
Explorations
- Contributes to the residential and day community by participating in after-school explorations.
- Teaching staff members are expected to run/lead/support at least one afternoon exploration, two seasons during the academic year (Fall, Winter, or Spring). Explorations run 3-4 days a week from 3:30PM – 4:30PM.
- Participates in extracurricular activities and other school functions as needed. The Head of Teaching & Learning may assign additional duties that meet the needs of the school.
Residential Life Responsibilities:
- Responsibilities include those associated with the residential life program at NEIA, including, but not limited to, weeknight and weekend supervision.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Passionate about teaching middle and high school students.
- Ability to create a welcoming and supportive community for a diverse study body.
- Ability to work with professionalism, discretion, sound judgment, equity, honesty, and personal accountability at all times.
- Proficient knowledge of teaching strategies and methods.
- Ability to incorporate goals, competencies, and objectives into lesson plans in ways that directly apply to students’ lives.
- Ability to use technology effectively in teaching, learning, and administrative functions and willingness to stay current in technology skills and learn emerging technologies as needed.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong administrative and organization skills.
- Strong creative and critical thinking skills.
- Ability to efficiently and effectively manage the time of self and others.
- Understanding of and adherence to applicable laws, codes, policies, regulations, and safety practices and procedures.
Supervisory Responsibilities. The Middle School Mandarin Teacher does not supervise any other employees at NEIA.
Physical Requirements
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Stand/sit for long periods of time.
- Bend, lift, push, kneel, crouch, crawl, stoop.
- Capable of moving around the classroom while teaching a class.
- Capable of adapting to frequent changes in position throughout the workday.
- Hearing and speaking to understand and exchange information in person or on the telephone.
- Speak clearly so listeners understand.
- Use hands and fingers for manipulation, educational tools, play equipment, keyboarding, and performance of first aid and CPR.
- Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and depth perception.
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Nothing in this job description restricts NEIA’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time.
Additional Information
This is a 10-month full-time exempt position with a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- Health Insurance (employer/employee share the cost)
- Dental and Vision Insurance (employer pays 100% of the cost)
- Employer-paid Life Insurance
- Voluntary Disability Plans (employee-paid)
- 401K Plan
- Generous PTO package that includes 10 paid holidays and additional time-off between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Email cover letter and resume to careers@neiacademy.org.
NEIA is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and equal opportunity for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, military service, application for military service, or any other status protected by applicable law. NEIA will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities or pregnancy-related conditions, in accordance with applicable law.