High School ELA Teacher

As a High School English Language Arts (ELA) Teacher at Uncommon Schools, I engage students with diverse literature and foster a rigorous classroom culture that prepares them for college-level coursework. My responsibilities include implementing a curriculum focused on discussion and critical thinking, while analyzing student progress to adapt instructional strategies. Committed to building strong relationships with students and families, I strive to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment that promotes academic and social-emotional growth.

Company Description

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing, public charter schools providing an outstanding K-12 education in historically under-resourced communities. We have proudly built schools that reflect our student population, with more than 60% of our teachers and staff across our network identifying as a person of color. Uncommon currently manages 52 schools serving 19,000 students in five cities: Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark and Rochester. We are proud that Uncommon graduates persist in and graduate from college at five times the rate of their peers nationally. We achieve this by offering strong academic, co-curricular, and social-emotional learning that prepares students for success in college and beyond. 

Camden Prep currently manages four schools serving students in grade K through 10 (growing to grade 12). We believe in strong authentic relationships between teachers and students, supported by effective school systems and an engaging instructional model that enables students to flourish academically and personally. Camden Prep is consistently the highest performing of all district or Renaissance schools in Camden, NJ.

Job Description

Uncommon High School English Language Arts (ELA) teachers are passionate about literature and building an engaging, rigorous classroom culture focusing on helping all students prepare for college. Our teachers become experts in their course content, and have a keen sense of how to motivate and inspire high school students. At the heart of our English classes is an emphasis on reading and  student-led discourse. Teachers use a variety of instructional strategies to prioritize discussion, ignite a passion for literature, and promote strong voice and agency within students. At the conclusion of each high school year students are more prepared for the academic rigor and independence of college coursework, as well as for a long term love of literacy. 

Responsibilities

1.     Instruction

• You'll teach from a robust literature curriculum shared across our high schools that prioritizes inclusive texts, emphasizes diversity, and prepares students for Advanced Placement (AP), SAT and collegiate level coursework. 
• You'll conduct a deep exploration of daily content in order to guide students to analyze books by authors like James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Shakespeare, and Yaa Gyasi; books that ignite a passion for literature, sharpen a critical eye for examining the world, and deepen students’ intellectual identity. 
• You’ll develop students’ independent and collaborative reading, writing, and discussion skills. 
• You'll facilitate student-led discourse, teaching students to use evidence to make sophisticated claims, and to synthesize and evaluate arguments and rhetoric.
• You’ll analyze student comprehension and writing regularly and determine how to adapt and write your own lessons to maximize student learning. 
• You’ll partner with your department and your grade level team on content and instructional strategies that support your students and help all students succeed. 

2.     Data Analysis

• You'll meet weekly with your principal and/or instructional coach to analyze and respond to trends in student work samples and assessments.
• You'll learn and implement strategies to differentiate instruction for all learners in your classroom.

3.     School Culture

• You’ll build positive relationships with students to ensure they feel seen, loved, and heard.
• You’ll partner with students’ families to ensure appropriate resources are available to support their child's learning needs.
• You'll engage in practice-based professional development, mentorship, and coaching sessions.
• You'll participate in weekly, school-wide meetings to cultivate community, model our core values, and encourage student achievement.
• You'll partner with your grade level team to develop academic goals and practice instructional strategies.

Qualifications

• A commitment to the mission of Uncommon Schools and investment in our vision for being an anti-racist organization
• A demonstrated commitment to supporting students’ social emotional and academic development
• An enthusiasm for collaborating with internal and external partners in the best interest of students
• A self-directed learner who solicits and implements feedback to improve outcomes and achieve objectives
• Required Experience:
  • A demonstrated interest in impacting K-12 students in urban schools and communities (1-2 years experience preferred).
  • Academic expertise in Humanities, English, Social Sciences, or other related fields of study.
  • Prior to the start of employment, you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Teacher certification is not a prerequisite for consideration at Uncommon Schools in the state of NJ, but you do need to meet NJ state certification eligibility requirements (a final undergraduate or graduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 for graduates on or after 9/1/16, or 2.75 if you graduated prior to 9/1/16). All instructional staff are required to become certified in the state of New Jersey within a reasonable period after beginning employment.

Additional Information

Our people are what makes us Uncommon.  We offer competitive compensation  and comprehensive benefits that support the personal health, wellness, and finances of our staff and their families.  

Compensation for this position: The starting compensation for this role is between $56,000 to $77,000. The starting pay will depend on various factors including but not limited to relevant professional experience, education, certifications, and tenure with Uncommon Schools. Because we value staff tenure in a role, we do not currently cap salary ranges for current staff members. 

Other Benefits:

• Generous paid time off inclusive of sick time and school breaks (spring, winter, and summer) + additional sustainability half days throughout the school year
• Extensive, best-in-class training and development  
• Choice of 3 comprehensive health insurance plans
• Pre-tax flexible spending and health saving accounts
• Financial planning & wellness
  • New Jersey Pension program
  • 529 college savings program
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness application assistance
  • Financial  planning tools and assistance
• Dependent Care FSA, back up childcare and daycare discounts
• Paid leave of absence 
  • Fully paid parental leave
  • Fully paid medical leave
  • Additional paid Short Term and Long Term Disability insurance 
• Mental health and counseling support + wellness benefits

Uncommon believes in the importance of being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization that enables our students and staff to thrive. We are committed to building an exceptional team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. We also strive to ensure an inclusive community by creating a space for meaningful dialogue about issues of race and identity for our staff and students. As an equal opportunity employer, Uncommon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We also ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all privileges and benefits associated with employment and are provided reasonable accommodations for the interview process and to perform core job functions. If you would like to request an accommodation, please email recruitment@uncommonschools.org.

High School Teacher, English Language Arts, Literature, Student Engagement, Curriculum Development, Critical Thinking, Diversity in Education, Student Discourse, Classroom Culture, College Readiness