Middle School Teachers (Grades 5-8)

Oklahoma City, OK
United States

Job Summary:
Teaching at John Rex Charter School (JRCS) will be unlike teaching in a traditional environment. Our teachers will know the individual strengths and growth areas for each student. We will empower students to own their learning. JRCS 6th grade teachers will deeply understand student data and determine what group and individual supports are needed for their students to move forward on complex authentic projects. This planning requires teachers to consider not only how students are integrating content information into their projects, but also how they are applying cognitive skills (e.g. hypothesizing) that stretch across all content areas and the habits of success (e.g. perseverance) that allow them to prepare for the world beyond the classroom. JRCS 6th grade teachers will be sensitive to the diverse demographics of the community. As a teacher, this will require being culturally responsive and creating equitable learning pathways for all students.

JRCS middle grade teachers use Summit Learning emphasizing personalized, relevant, engaging, and challenging curriculum focused on discovery and inquiry through real-world application. Personal characteristics necessary for the position include: high energy and enthusiasm for quality public charter schools and urban education; organization and initiative; warmth and a good sense of humor; collaborative nature and consensus‐building skills; patience and persistence; and excellent communication skills. JRCS 6th grade teachers will not see themselves as disseminators of knowledge but instead as facilitators, coaches, or mentors to their students.
What you will do:
● A student’s school day is 7:45am to 3:15pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and 7:45am-1:45pm every Wednesday (early dismissal for teachers to collaboratively plan as a team).
● Project Time: Teach two 120-minute blocks per day of project time. Teach one course for the entire grade
● Interventions and Personalized Learning Time: Facilitate literacy or math interventions and personalized learning time. During this time, teachers provide student support, monitor progress, and check-in with individuals or groups of students.
● Mentor Time: Mentor students weekly in one-on-one meetings. Mentors coach and advocate for their mentees both inside and outside of the classroom, get to know them deeply, and strive to support them as they develop their sense of purpose and become self-directed learners.
● Professional Development: Each Wednesday afternoon, teachers will have after-school meetings where the faculty collaborates as a grade-level team and professional development takes place.
● Teachers will also participate in occasional back-to-school nights, open houses, or other community events after hours.
● Maintain a climate of mutual respect, safety, and order that is conducive to learning.
● Develop and maintain positive relationships between home-school and with our downtown partnerships.
● Provide frequent monitoring of student progress data including analysis and interpretation with appropriate goal setting
and reflective responses seeking continual improvement and high expectations for all students
● Provide frequent communication with parents/guardians for purposes of advocacy, education, general information sharing and feedback to ensure student success.

Other skills:
● Ability to read, analyze and interpret general professional journals, technical procedures, and/or
government regulations.
● Ability to write reports and correspondences as may be appropriate to teaching staff in general.
● Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions in one-on-one and small group
situations to students, parents, teachers, staff and the general public. Bilingual (Spanish) is desirable.
● Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
● Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical and diagram form and
deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
● Ability to use computer and computer related programs and other technologies needed to perform
essential job functions.
● Ability to apply knowledge and current educational related research and theory.
● Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, staff, and the community.
● Ability to organize and chair or facilitate committees and meetings.
● Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both in oral and written form.
● Ability to perform duties and awareness of all school requirements and Board of Directors policies.