The SALA Classroom Teacher Job Description:
The SALA Grade Level teacher is key to ensuring rigorous and meaningful learning in both literacy and math at SALA sites. Grade level teachers will be paired with a highly skilled teaching artist to provide arts-integrated instruction daily. Teachers (Grades 3-5) will team-teach with their teaching artist partner either two blocks of arts-integrated literacy or two classes of arts-integrated math each day. Artist/teacher pairs are required to co-plan and co-teach each lesson together. Teachers teaching in Grades K-2 will team-teach one class of arts-integrated math and one class of arts-integrated literacy to the same students each day. All teachers, regardless of grade, are expected to lead a morning meeting or CREW session each morning. Teachers have the option of teaching a half day (8:30 am-1:30 pm daily), or a full day (8:30 am-3:30 pm daily).
About the Summer Arts & Learning Academy:
Baltimore City Schools’ Summer Arts & Learning Academy (SALA), operated by Young Audiences/Arts for Learning Maryland (YA), offers students an opportunity to imagine, create, and express who they are through the arts. This is an action-packed, full-day, five-week program that introduces students to a wide variety of art forms—from illustration and spoken word to percussion, drama, and dance—which gives students a chance to work alongside students from across the city and be taught by professional artists. Students’ work is celebrated through a student showcase on the final day of the program. YA will host six Academy sites throughout the City, locations TBD. Each classroom will have 20 students.
Mission and Core Values:
The mission of Young Audiences elementary grade Summer Arts & Learning Academy is to provide students with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend a summer learning from the best teachers and teaching artists our state has to offer. Through a dynamic, creative, and supportive environment, students will explore math and literacy in a unique arts-integrated environment that prevents the summer learning slide, allows them to develop socially and emotionally, expands their personal creative process, and introduces them to many different art forms taught by professional artists.
We...
● believe unwaveringly that ALL students can achieve high standards in and through the arts;
● provide opportunities for students to develop powerfully articulate voices through art forms and honor their creative processes along the way;
● create safe, brave learning environments for students to grow, make mistakes, and contribute to the community;
● collaborate and reflect by learning from and with each other at every step of the process, cultivating positive relationships between all ages;
● encourage the development of critical thinking, problem solving, inquiry, imagination, and creativity, and provide multiple ways for students to demonstrate knowledge and mastery;
● learn about, honor, and leverage the cultural knowledge, experiences, and frames of reference of our students and community to make learning more relevant and effective;
● ensure that our students are known, loved, supported, celebrated, and valued.
Ideal Classroom Teachers Have:
● A current teaching certification; teachers with special education certifications are also encouraged to apply as a general classroom teacher.
● A willingness to be flexible in service to our SALA community.
● A passion for students: an ability to build meaningful relationships, and a desire to “go above and beyond” to ensure each student’s success.
● A strong interest (with experience preferred) in arts integration and co-teaching.
● A willingness to use either the school office landline or their personal cell phone (number blocking is acceptable) to contact parents as needed.
● An ability to attend and engage in all required training and program dates.
● An ability to create inclusive environments where all students’ unique gifts and talents are discovered and cultivated, and where students’ identities (racial, cultural, social, gender, etc.) are acknowledged, affirmed, and reflected around them.
● An ability to examine biases and an understanding of the concepts of institutional and structural racism and its impact on policies and practices, especially related to the administration of public education.
● A commitment to seeing families as partners in education and communicating with them regularly.
● A strong desire to fully integrate into a non-traditional learning environment where flexibility is strongly valued and where new and innovative ideas are not only cultivated but expected from all staff.
Required Dates, Times and Working Hours:
Teachers must be able to commit to attending all training and program days listed below:
● All SALA classroom teachers will need to attend at least 11 hours of professional development training sessions prior to PD week. First-year SALA classroom teachers will need to attend an additional orientation. The dates and times for these events will be shared at a later date. Note, all sessions are required and paid.
● Training and Professional Development Week - Monday, June 28th through Friday, July 2nd 9:00 am – 4:30 pm. This is required and is paid.
● Academy Dates: For all sites, the program will begin on July 12th and end on August 13th. Program hours are 8:30 am (Breakfast) to 3:00 pm. Full-Day Teacher Time Commitment: 8:30 am-3:30 pm. Half-Day Teacher Time Commitment: 8:30 am-1:30 pm.
● Weekly Meetings
○ Tuesday - virtual grade-level check-ins and professional development 3:30-4:30 ○ Wednesday - virtual collaborative planning and support from ICs 3:30-4:30
○ One 30 minute staff meeting per week - days/times TBD by site directors
○ 30 minutes of independent planning time
Compensation:
● The SALA classroom teacher position is a seasonal full-time exempt position and is not eligible for health benefits or overtime:
● Classroom Teachers will be compensated based on a number of factors, including experience and the specific circumstances of their position (i.e. site location, number of teaching hours etc. Classroom Teachers will be paid an hourly rate in the range of $25.50 - $30.00.
Roles:
Teachers are needed in both of the following roles:
● Full-Day Teachers: In this role, teachers will design and deliver arts-integrated lessons in the morning and stay on-site to assist with afternoon arts explorations/creative challenges. Teachers in this role will be needed from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm during program days.
● Half-Day Teachers: In this role, teachers will design and deliver arts-integrated lessons based on their content. Teachers in this role will be needed from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm during program days. Half Day teachers may be required to stay until 3:30 pm on select days for family fun events.
Job Responsibilities:
● Serve as lead teacher for two daily arts-integrated classes, one math and one literacy (for artists teaching grades K-2); or two sections of either arts-integrated math or literacy (for artists teaching grades 3-5). Teachers are the content area specialist in the artist/teacher pairs.
● Co-plan and co-teach all arts-integrated literacy and math lessons with a teaching artist partner.
● Follow and uphold all COVID health and safety procedures and protocols aimed at ensuring a safe environment for students and staff.
● Provide one-on-one instruction and support to students, as needed, while adhering to social distancing protocols.
● Lead a daily 30-minute SQUAD (small homeroom group) that promotes character development and builds one-on-one relationships with students.
● Create a positive culture and climate within the classroom by centering the program’s mission and core values and addressing any issues (including disciplinary) within the parameters of site procedures and expectations.
● Build relationships with students, staff, and parents and create a positive, supportive community within the classroom and site.
● In partnership with a teaching artist partner, deliver content effectively using the Young Audiences’ SALA Literacy and Eureka Math curricula.
● Support Family Fun Fridays throughout the summer
● If/as needed, support the structured team building recess block two times per week in partnership with the PE instructor.
● Attend all professional development and planning meetings as instructed by the summer site director (these are paid upon completion of the program and will total 2 hours per week for the five program weeks).
● Complete or oversee the completion of all required paperwork as assigned by the site director including student attendance records, student pre and post surveys or assessments, student observation rubrics, student progress reports, etc.
● In partnership with a teaching artist partner, complete a weekly unit plan and daily lesson plans for all classes. All plans will be mapped out in a shared planbook in Common Curriculum.
● Engage parents, guardians, and families effectively, including responding to family inquiries in a timely manner, and contacting parents/guardians to provide progress updates, share challenges, etc.
● Assist with the preparation and planning of the final student culminating showcase.
● Collaborate with and provide support for various partnerships and external stakeholders.
● Submit verbal and written reports as required.
● Administer student program evaluations when needed.
To apply:
For consideration, apply online at https://www.yamd.org/salajobs
