Preschool – 3rd Grade Music and Movement Teacher

Chinese American International School seeks a Preschool – 3rd Grade Music and Movement Teacher (2020-2021). No Chinese language proficiency required. Exempt, full-time position.

WELCOME!

Join the vibrant community at the Chinese American International School at the Waller and Oak campuses as our Pre-K – 3 Music and Movement teacher. Help us to ignite passion and joy for the musical, dramatic, and performing arts in our young students! Become part of a team striving to be the world’s most innovative, inspiring, and influential Chinese English dual-language immersion school.

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate finds resonance with CAIS’s mission to Embrace Chinese, Become your Best Self, and Create your Place in the World. CAIS aims to empower independent, effective, and inspired learners. The arts are essential to a CAIS education as a foundation for critical thinking, collaboration, wonder, and creativity. While CAIS has historically implemented an Orff-Schulwerk program that emphasizes a balance of skills, concepts, and creative engagement, we are open to other exciting and innovative pedagogical approaches that allow our students to explore expression through song, dance, and the development of instrumentation skills. Performances are a valued opportunity to share creative work with the school community, and a variety of casual to formal performances are presented throughout the year. The candidate will enter an environment that values social emotional learning alongside skills development. The school supports its Music and Movement faculty by giving them the freedom to design projects and curriculum that they feel best support the students’ growth as artists and individuals.

CAIS offers a dynamic dual culture setting, in which faculty are immersed in a culture of language learners. We look for a candidate who will embrace CAIS’s work to create an equitable, inclusive environment where all faculty, students, and families are supported in their individual identities. We welcome all applicants who aim to actively support and participate in our diverse and inclusive community. Mandarin language
capacity is a plus.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Position responsibilities include (but are not limited to):
● Facilitate exploratory, engaging, and age appropriate experiences in the arts, building musicianship in every student while they create, collaborate, and develop personal expression.
● Help our youngest students to develop enthusiasm and interest in music, movement, and creative expression.
● Develop learning experiences that meet the students’ varying needs and interests.
● Demonstrate teaching excellence, a growth mindset, professionalism, and integrity.
● Successfully teach all assigned classes in accordance with grade appropriate best practices.
● Develop a positive intellectual, emotional, and social environment within the classroom and a class community in which all children feel valued and a sense of belonging.
● Work collaboratively and maintain standards of respect, courtesy, and mutual consideration with the school community, including students, staff, and parents.
● Communicate effectively , promptly , and proactively with families.
● Prepare grades and progress reports according to school procedures.
● Attend faculty and division meetings including required meetings/events before the beginning of the school year and during the term of employment.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

● Strong knowledge of pedagogy in music instruction
● Bachelor’s degree in music, or equivalent performing arts background
● Music and movement teaching experience with demonstrated success
● Early childhood teaching experience and interest in working with young children
● Ability to work collaboratively
● Strong classroom management skills and a positive discipline approach to guiding student behavior
● Commitment to meeting the needs of individual learners and promoting social and emotional development
● Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
● Commitment to school mission, policies, and initiatives
● Dedication to equity and inclusion and ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds

VALUED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

We value, but do not require, the following attributes:
● Teaching credential, Master’s in Education (M.Ed.), or equivalent
● Proficiency and/or interest in Mandarin language
● Personal experience with second language acquisition
● Piano accompaniment and choral directing skills

ABOUT CAIS

As the nation’s first dual language Chinese and English Pre-K through 8th grade school, CAIS embodies this mission by working continuously to maintain our role as a leader in immersion education. At CAIS we value honest self-assessment, thoughtful self-reflection, intentional planning and focused implementation. We are known as an ambitious school, and we have just embarked on a multi-year vision to reimagine immersion, reimagine our culture of learning, reimagine character and community, and reimagine our learning spaces.

Our three campuses are located in the heart of San Francisco and are accessible by public transportation in San Francisco. The lively neighborhood echoes the school’s vital energy and provides ready access to cultural treasures such as the Asian Art Museum, SF Jazz, the San Francisco Symphony, and more. For more information, visit https://www.cais.org/about-us/employment and the CAIS Lower School Website.

TO APPLY

CAIS’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is central to our mission. People of color and LGBTQIA candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Email cover letter, resume, and list of references to b_pells@cais.org. In the subject line please indicate: “Music and Movement Teacher.” Please no calls.