8th Grade Humanities Teacher

Are you an experienced, imaginative, and collaborative educator who believes in progressive education? Do you enjoy creating meaningful learning experiences, and being part of a supportive and talented community? If so, please consider joining our team at Tessellations. We are currently accepting applications for an 8th Grade Humanities teacher. In future years this could transition into a high school teaching position if desired by the applicant. Successful applicants start Summer or Fall 2022. Competitive salary and full benefits available.

Tessellations is a blossoming progressive K-8 non-profit school for gifted learners based in Cupertino, CA. Our mission is to provide challenging experiential education that recognizes and nurtures the individual strengths of gifted learners, empowering them to confidently express who they are and pursue a meaningful life. At Tessellations, community is a core value, as it is the reason our small and mighty school was able to form and thrive despite the global pandemic. Our team consists of passionate, qualified, and dedicated staff from diverse backgrounds and includes a nationally renowned giftedness expert. Our first year was online only. In our second year, we moved onto our beautiful campus and quadrupled in size, and we also added our Nature Campus. We’re going into our third year with excellent staff and student retention and extremely high family satisfaction. Our student attrition rate this year is less than 3%, compared to the CA independent school average of 10.8% – i.e., our families are happy.

If you join our team you will help us grow our program and continue designing and delivering a rich, immersive learning experience. You will be heard, respected, and celebrated for your talents and efforts. You will work with students who love to learn, engaged parents who are grateful for your work, and supportive colleagues that will help bring out your best.

Primary Responsibilities

• Create and foster a safe and supportive learning environment where all students feel heard
• With the support of administration, develop thematic curriculum and related content that integrates English Language Arts, Social Studies, Art, and Science
• Implement lessons, activities, and instruction while adapting to the intellectual, physical, and social-emotional needs of students as they arise
• Maintain organizational systems in physical and digital space
• Regularly use and maintain documentation of multiple forms of assessment to gauge student learning and inform next steps in teaching
• Work collaboratively with a co-teacher and/or other staff members to develop the program
• Teach a once/week elective course (many, but not all, of our teachers also teach an elective course once/week). We encourage our teachers to choose subjects about which they are passionate – they don’t necessarily need to relate to their regular subjects, and don’t even need to be academic.
• Attend staff meetings and actively engage with professional development opportunities
• Plan and help organize immersion events, fieldwork, guest speakers, and overnight trips
• Prepare progress reports and report cards
• Attend parent-teacher meetings as scheduled and as needed to support student learning

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• Prior middle school or high school (or related) teaching experience
• Proficiency with technology (GSuite in particular)
• Passing a criminal background check upon hire

Bonus Points

• MA (ideally in Education)
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Social-emotional teaching experience
• Curriculum development experience
• Experience teaching gifted learners
• Familiarity with and commitment to DEIJ issues
• Connection to nature
• Enthusiastic life-long learner
• Openness and flexibility in designing improved learning experiences

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter and resume to careers@tessellations.school. For more information about our school, visit https://tessellations.school

Tessellations is an Equal Opportunity Employer — we do not discriminate against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, or sex.