Middle School Social Studies Teacher & Advisor – Seventh & Eighth Grade

About Keys School

Keys School, a K-8 of approximately 320 students, 50 faculty, and 20 staff, seeks an experienced  Seventh & Eighth Grade Middle School Social Studies Teacher & Advisor starting  August 13, 2026.

Founded more than fifty years ago, Keys offers an inquiry-based education concerned with students’ academic, social, emotional, identity, and physical growth. Today, Keys is known for helping students to become compassionate and empathic community members while developing the confidence to find their voice and advocate for themselves and others, with realized agency in their world.

The school is situated on two campuses, about a mile apart. The Lower School campus houses grades K-4, approximately 176 students, and 40 faculty and staff members. The Middle School campus houses grades 5-8, approximately 140 students, and 30 faculty and staff members.

With cross-divisional buddy and house programs, ice skating lessons, classes in self-science, and extensive outdoor education experiences beginning in kindergarten, the school offers an array of distinctive programs. These explorations, in concert with a strong academic program, prepare students to matriculate to the region’s highly selective independent secondary schools and rigorous public high schools.

Middle School Social Studies Teacher & Advisor  – Seventh & Eighth  Grade Position

The Seventh & Eighth Grade Social Studies Teacher designs, delivers, evaluates, and updates the social studies curriculum for Grades 7 and 8  in alignment with the School’s mission and culture. Reporting to the Head of Middle School, they create a dynamic, developmentally responsive  curriculum that intentionally weaves social-emotional learning and culturally responsive, equity-centered practices into daily instruction, content, and classroom culture.

The ideal candidate will possess a deep and nuanced understanding of curriculum design, pedagogy, middle school development, social-emotional learning, identity-conscious practice, and a personal commitment to growth and development. This educator cultivates an environment that provides students with a foundation for lifelong learning, the development of self-advocacy skills, and resilience while demonstrating empathy and compassion for others. This educator is committed to collaborative, reflective practice that centers student agency, authenticity, and learning.

All employees are a part of a vibrant community of engaged, dedicated, and caring students and colleagues.  They participate in the broader life of the school, including other duties, as assigned. This opportunity requires collaboration, strong communication skills, and a sense of humor.

Qualifications

• Passion for working with middle school age children and a solid commitment to the teaching profession, and social-emotional learning
• Deep understanding and a clear value of children’s social-emotional and academic developmental trajectories
• A commitment to identity-conscious practice, belongingness, and advocacy for an inclusive community
• A dedication to centering student thinking, communication, and agency in learning experiences
• Experience interfacing with families and the larger school community
• Strong organizational, verbal, and written communication skills
• A commitment to continuous improvement, lifelong learning, and professional development, demonstrated through initiative, self-motivation, and a willingness to take on responsibilities beyond those explicitly defined
• An educational philosophy consistent with that of the school
• Knowledge of curriculum and skill-based standards for social studies, as well as developmentally appropriate instructional strategies and differentiation for middle school grade levels
• The ability to foster strong student connections
• Facility with a wide array of thematic, interdisciplinary, project-based pedagogy and assessment practices
• The ability and willingness to work in teams and collaborate extensively with colleagues, and work across differences (intellectually and socially)
• Embrace a growth mindset and value feedback as a tool for growth
• Communicate joy and maintain a respectful sense of humor
• A Bachelor’s Degree and completion of a teacher education/associate teacher program

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education or related field
• Five years of related professional experience
• Familiarity with CASEL and Learning for Justice frameworks, and Responsive Classroom approaches
• Experience in interfacing with families and the larger school community in culturally responsive ways
• A deep understanding of how emotion science impacts learning, e.g., work and practices influenced by Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Dweck’s Growth Mindset, Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence, etc.)
• Experience with curricular mapping and scope and sequence development using Understanding by Design (UbD) / backward planning and Project-Based Learning (PBL) principles

Expectations

• Contextualize developmentally-appropriate classroom experiences around essential understandings, interdisciplinary integration, and antiracist pedagogy.
• Lead an inquiry based social studies curriculum with a strong focus on project-based learning, research skills and collaborative group work.
• Serve as a 7th grade advisor, guiding students’ social-emotional growth, organization, as well as transition into final middle school years.
• Integrate community resources and/or partnerships into learning experiences.
• In collaboration with the grade-level team and the Assistant Head of Middle School, develop research- and skills-based yearlong and unit learning plans.
• Use a variety of formative and summative assessment data to differentiate instruction and maintain an up to date gradebook where students firmly grasp feedback and personal growth.
• Actively engage in and support daily operations of the school community by participating in weekly assemblies (Openings), recess and lunch duties, and additional school activities and events as needed.
• Participate in department, grade-level, and advisory planning meetings, to ensure interdisciplinary collaboration, curriculum development, and communication.
• Communicate about the classroom program and learning with families through face-to-face conversations, emails, and other electronic communication.
• Lead and support intake, fall, and spring conferences with students and families.
• Actively participate in professional development with a growth mindset and a healthy sense of humor.
• Use classroom management approaches that develop intrinsic motivation, student agency, and self reflection. Frame mistakes as opportunities to learn while ensuring the safety, social-emotional learning, and well-being of all classroom community members.
• Engage in ongoing and essential work to foster a culture of respect, equity, belonging, and inclusion.
• Maintain professional collegial relationships that encourage sharing, planning, and working together toward improved instructional skills and student success.
• Model positive behaviors for students and colleagues that align with the school’s core values, emphasizing critical social and emotional skills.
• Monitor own beliefs and behavior to make certain that high expectations are held for all teachers and students regardless of socioeconomic status, race, gender, or other personal characteristics.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific abilities required include close vision, the ability to adjust focus, sound hearing, and the ability to speak clearly and coherently. Regularly, the employee is required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, run, and/or jump.

To Apply

To complete your application, please apply directly to Strategenius using the link provided below and upload the following:

1. Cover letter addressed to Larry Purcell (he/him), Head of Middle School. The letter should describe your interest, experience, alignment with the role and commitment.
2. Statement of educational philosophy.
3. Curriculum vitae.
4. List of three references with contact information.

Salary:  $90,000 +  depending upon years of experience

Health and retirement benefits, including TIAA-CREF, are part of the compensation package.

Keys School is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, orientation, or veteran status.  For more information on the school, please visit www.keysschool.org.

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