Job Title:       SEL Teacher 

Reports to:    Principal

Primary Role and Purpose:

The SEL instructor is responsible for working with administration and colleagues to foster a culture with high expectations for learning and behavior and is founded on the core values of the school. The teacher is responsible for the assessment, planning, and delivery of instruction to an assigned group of students.  The aide is also responsible for creating ownership and collaboration among students, parents, and community to ensure the academic and emotional success of all students. The aide serves as a model of professional behavior and integrity demonstrating respect for students, families and colleagues.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Learning Environment

• Foster a culture of high expectations for learning and behavior founded on Quest Charter Academy’s core values.
• Maximize the amount of class time spent in learning by establishing clear expectations and processes for communication, learning, and behavior.
• Use strategies to create a learning community in which students assume responsibility for themselves and one another, participate in decision-making, work collaboratively and independently, and engage in purposeful learning activities.
• Makes decisions that enhance social relationships, motivation, and engagement of students.
• Manage time, materials, and physical space to provide active and equitable engagement of students.
• Demonstrate effective behavior management techniques appropriate to the needs of students, including those with special needs.

2. Instructional Planning

• Establish clear expectations for learning.
• Create and select learning materials and experiences appropriate for the discipline and curriculum goals, relevant to the students, and based on students’ prior knowledge and principles of effective instruction.
• Create multiple learning activities that provide for all learning styles.
• Incorporate experiences into instructional practices that relate to the students’ current life experiences.
• Create approaches to learning that are interdisciplinary, integrating multiple content area.
• Use individualized education program (IEP) goals and objectives to plan instruction for students with special needs

3. Instructional Delivery

• Choose alternative teaching strategies and materials to achieve different instructional purposes and to meet individual student needs.
• Engage students in active learning opportunities that promote the development of critical thinking and problem-solving.
• Monitor and adjust strategies in response to performance and feedback.
• Use strategies and techniques to facilitate meaningful inclusion of individuals with special needs.
• Use technology to enhance learning and achieve instructional objectives.

4. Assessment

• Analyze individual and group assessment data to diagnose learning needs, align and modify instruction, and design teaching strategies.
• Involve students in self-assessment activities to help them become aware of their strengths and needs and encourage them to establish goals for learning.
• Maintain useful and accurate records of students’ work and performance and communicate students’ progress knowledgeably and responsibly to students’, parents, and colleagues.
• Use technology to effectively monitor progress.

5. Content Knowledge

• Evaluate teaching resources and curriculum materials for comprehensiveness, accuracy, and usefulness.
• Use differing viewpoints, theories, and methods of inquiry in teaching subject matter concepts.
• Facilitate learning experiences that make connections to other content areas and to life and career experiences.

6. Human Development and Learning

• Stimulate student reflection on prior knowledge and link new ideas to already familiar ideas and experiences.
• Introduce concepts and principles at different levels of complexity that are meaningful to students at varying levels of development and to students with diverse learning needs.

7. Diversity

• Demonstrate positive regard for individual students and their families regardless of culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and varying abilities.
• Facilitate a learning community in which individual differences are respected.
• Use information about families, cultures, and communities as a basis for connecting instruction to experiences.
• Use cultural diversity and individual student experiences to enrich instruction.

8. Communication

• Use effective questioning techniques to stimulate discussion in a variety of ways.
• Create opportunities for all students to develop effective written, verbal, non-verbal, and visual communication.
• Communicate with and challenge students in a supportive manner and provide students with constructive feedback.
• Practice effective listening, conflict resolution, and group-facilitation skills.

• Ensure effective and timely communication with parents.

9. Collaborative Relationships

• Work with colleagues to develop a culture and climate for effective learning.
• Participate in collaborative decision-making and problem-solving with other professionals to achieve success for students.
• Develop relationships with parents and guardians to acquire an understanding of the students’ lives outside of the school.
• Work effectively with parents/guardians and community resources to promote students’ learning, explore career opportunities, and promote students’ well-being.

10. Professional Growth

• Use classroom observation, information about students, pedagogical knowledge, and research as sources for active reflection, evaluation, and revision of teaching practices.
• Collaborate with other professionals for problem-solving, generating new ideas, sharing experiences, and seeking and giving feedback.
• Actively seek opportunities for professional growth.

11. Professional Conduct and Leadership

• Follow a code of professional conduct and maintain a high level of integrity.
• Follow school policy and procedures, respecting the boundaries of professional responsibilities, when working with students, colleagues, and families.
• Actively participate and lead such activities as curriculum development, staff development and student clubs and extracurricular activities.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 60 hours in job related area from an accredited college or university
• Certifications in areas of responsibility
• Ability to communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing, using proper grammar and vocabulary
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal resident alien status
• Evidence that a criminal record history check has been conducted and clearance given
• Pass state required TB test

Desirable Qualifications:

• Teaching experience in an urban setting
• Charter School Experience

Responsibilities:

1. Teacher's aide shall work between 7:30am and 4:00pm.
2. Teacher's aide shall coach a group of students for annual School Project Fair. Projects could be any of the following subjects: Science, math, English, art, social studies, and technology. The number of students per teacher will be determined according to teacher student ratio. (Example: 300 students, 20 teachers would be 15 students per teacher).
3. Teacher's aide shall attend events (competitions) that are related to his/her subject area.
4. Teacher's aide shall supervise or organize field trips when assigned.
5. Teacher's aide shall attend staff meetings, professional development meetings, grade chair and department head meetings. These may take place during the school day or after school.
6. Teacher's aide shall write, align curriculum, and implement or enact curriculum provided by Quest Charter Academy.
7. Teacher's aide shall submit weekly lesson plans and grades for report cards on time.
8. Teacher's aide shall mentor assigned students.
9. All new teacher's aides will be a part of the new teacher's aide mentoring program and will engage in specified summer and monthly professional development as part of the program. All new teacher's aides are expected to collaborate with their mentor teacher.
10. Teacher's aides shall visit all advisory families during the first semester and complete standard forms provided by Quest Charter Academy after each visit.
11. Teacher's aides shall be available to offer after school tutoring and activities such as clubs or special interest groups.
12. Teacher's aides shall serve as an Advisor to a group of students. Such group of students shall meet at least once a week for motivational meetings and activities with the Advisor.
13. Teacher's aides shall attend Department Meetings and retreats organized by Quest Charter Academy. These meetings are full day meetings on Saturdays and might be out of town. All the expenses will be paid by the School.
14. Teacher's aides shall attend parent/teacher conferences and be available after school or on Saturdays.
15. Teacher's aides shall attend open house for prospective parents, if assigned.
16. Teacher's aides shall be available to chaperone and/or organize school activities, such as school dances or fundraising events.
17. Teacher's aides shall supervise lunch, hallways, and other common areas when assigned.
18. Teacher's aides shall use the Quest Charter Academy online grade book and update it in daily basis. Grades must be kept current.
19. Teacher's aides shall maintain constant communication with parents through phone calls, correspondences, and meetings.
20. Teacher's aides shall attend any conferences related to his/her subject area as requested. This conference may be 2 days long including a Saturday. If the conference is out of town, all expenses will be paid by school.
21. Teacher's aides shall perform all other duties assigned by administrator(s).