Preschool Specialist (Music, Spanish, and Sci

REPORTS TO:

Preschool Director

FLSA JOB CLASSIFICATION:

Exempt, 10 Month Position, Part-Time

JOB PURPOSE:

Greensboro Day School seeks an experienced teacher for a Part-Time (10 hours per week) Preschool Specialist (Math, Spanish, and Science) position for the 2024–25 school year.

Greensboro Day School teachers are mission focused, human-centered and experts of their craft. They are responsible for supporting the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional growth of their students and facilitating a classroom community of respect, kindness, integrity, and responsibility. GDS teachers are lifelong learners, field experts, and most of all, champions of children. They design and develop effective learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate, engaging, and guided by evidence-based practices and cognitive research.

The Part-Time (10 hours per week) Preschool Specialist (Music, Spanish, and Science) Teacher designs and implements engaging and developmentally appropriate lessons that promote learning and exploration in music, Spanish, and science for three-year-old students. The Preschool Specialist (Music, Spanish, and Science) develops lessons with the following skills in mind:

• Music: Develop an appreciation for music through singing, listening, and instrument exploration. Gain an introduction to expressive qualities of music. Practice responding to music through movement. Demonstrate vocalization with sung and spoken voices in a group.

• Spanish: Develop basic pronunciation, vocabulary, and phrases in Spanish through songs, stories, games, and activities. Learn about Spanish-speaking cultures and traditions.

• Science: Explore the natural world through hands-on activities and observations. Learn about basic scientific concepts such as cause and effect, observation, and classification. Develop an appreciation for the environment and living/non-living things.

This is a 10-month, on-campus position, several days per week as determined by the Preschool schedule, and requires some evening work. The position is part-time (10 hours per week).

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Effectively plans, implements, and assesses student learning

• Designs curriculum and applies a pedagogical approach that are aligned with appropriate child and adolescent developmental stages

• Uses varied methods of instruction and assessment that are in accordance with the School’s mission, Diversity Statement, educational philosophy, and departmental curriculum and competencies

• Aligns curriculum with teachers of the same grade level or course

• Implements a variety of brain-based teaching strategies including movement, interleaving, and other effective strategies informed by the learning sciences to maximize each student’s learning potential

• Effectively implements best-practice pedagogical strategies that include a variety and balance of direct instruction, individual student practice, whole-class discussion, collaborative learning, inquiry-based learning, experiential, and hands-on learning

• Clearly defines and communicates expectations for student success

• Uses assessments as a student learning tool by providing clear and timely feedback so students can learn from their mistakes and improve their long-term learning

• Understands the strengths and growth areas of each student

• Reflects on lesson design, implementation, and student outcomes and makes adjustments to ensure student success

• Manages the classroom to ensure a physically and emotionally safe climate at all times for self and students

• Responds to needs of the whole class and individual students and collaborates with the counseling and learning support staff to understand and implement teaching strategies recommended in learning plans

• Cultivates in each student an understanding of and appreciation for a wide range of perspectives, approaches to learning, and content

• Develops and regularly updates the curriculum framework and syllabi in collaboration with the Associate Head of School for People & Program, division directors, department chair, colleagues, and/or consultants on an annual basis and during the curriculum review cycle

• Participates in the Professional Growth and Development Program focusing on Planning and Preparation, Instruction, Classroom Environment, and Professional Responsibilities (Danielson Framework) as outlined in the Employee Handbook

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Shares in the day-to-day life of the school community, which includes serving as an advisor, organizing clubs, attending assemblies, participating in committees as necessary (i.e., Grade Level Team, Student Services Team, division-based Leadership Team), and fulfilling assigned duties (such as lunch supervision, carpool, and bus duty)

• Is active and present as a GDS community member by participating in school functions and students’ extracurricular life (such as admission events, attending arts and athletics events, and planning and/or serving as a chaperone on day and/or overnight field trips)

• Communicates in a timely manner with students and parents to inform them about successes, progress, and/or concerns

• Performs other duties as assigned by the Head of School

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Daily work requires supervising students both indoors and outdoors. Faculty are required to participate in regular safety drills, learn CPR, learn how to apply a tourniquet, provide basic first aid, administer epi-pens when needed, and be able to support other student-specific health-related needs. Some weekend, evening, or early morning work may be required from time to time.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Teachers of young children must be able to assist the children in toileting, hand washing, nose-blowing, etc. They must be able to move quickly and frequently from standing to sitting with ease, lift up to 50 pounds, and sit on small chairs and the floor. Teachers must also be able to traverse the classroom and adjust one's tone and height, by bending or leaning, in order to teach each child. All teachers must be able to provide adequate supervision indoors and outdoors, and they must be able to ensure the safety of students during drills and emergencies that may arise from time to time. This position has frequent exposure to loud sounds and high noise levels on a weekly basis.

DIRECT REPORTS:

There are no direct reports for the Part-Time Preschool Specialist Teacher.