Job Description

Founding Teacher – Project Based Learning STEM, 6th & 7th Grade 

WHO WE ARE

Our mission is to transform the lives of students – especially those who will be the first in their family to attend college – by preparing them for success in college, career, and life. 

At Envision Education, we believe the current achievement gap reflects a systemic failure to understand how kids learn, what motivates them to learn, and what they need in order to learn well. We know that vibrant learning communities apply compassion and high expectations to inspire and empower students.  With a population that is 75% first-generation college bound, our approach is specifically designed to increase student engagement, deepen integration and understanding, promote active learning, and ensure college success.

Envision Education is a national model for using Project Based Learning and Performance Assessment to prepare students for success in college and in life.  Envision Education currently operates three small high schools and one middle school. We will be opening our second middle school in Oakland, CA in Fall 2019. Graduates go on to succeed in college at significantly higher rates than their peers: 99% attend college and 85% persist once they get there.

OUR APPROACH

We believe that deeper learning experiences challenge students to think critically, solve problems resourcefully, and collaborate productively. Students have an opportunity to use these skills and show what they know through portfolio defenses. In 8th, 10th and 12th grade, Envision students present a defense of learning, demonstrating their growth and learning. Similar to a master’s thesis defense, these presentations are required to graduate in 12th grade and are invaluable in preparing for life after high school. They practice for these defenses through regular exhibitions and in-class presentations.  Our students say portfolio defense is the hardest thing they have ever done, and nothing has prepared them more for college. Read about our approach here.

ABOUT ENVISION ACADEMY MIDDLE GRADES (EAMG)

Envision Academy of Arts & Technology (Oakland) is excited to expand to include middle grades in the 2019-2020 school year. Envision Academy Middle Grades enrolled its founding 7th grade class in Fall 2019. In 2020-2021, EAMG will have only a 6th and 7th grade.. In the 2021-2022 school year, EAMG will be fully enrolled with 6th-8th graders. 

Envision Academy Middle Grades’ mission is to develop lifelong learners with the skills and confidence to find success in high school, college and beyond.  As a community, we will support each other to work hard and take risks. EAMG will:

• Accelerate academic skills so students are ready for 9th grade.
• Engage students in authentic learning experiences that instill a love for learning.
• Strengthen social-emotional skills so students develop a strong sense of self and a connection to community.
• Empower students to develop their agency by reflecting on their learning and growth in order to become agents of change. 

POSITION SUMMARY

We are seeking a dynamic instructional leader to join the Envision Academy Middle Grades team as a Founding Teacher. As a Founding Teacher you will be charged with supporting the Founding Principal and Founding Vice Principal with developing a high quality educational experience for EAMG’s 6th and 7th grade students. For this role, we are seeking someone who is excited about rolling up their sleeves and building a school. This person is a team player, a strong educator, and an innovator who is inspired by this unique opportunity.  As a Founding Teacher with EAMG you can expect to be part of a professional learning community that fosters the following: respect, trust, risk-taking, openness to learning and the sharing of ideas, and continuous improvement of practice.

Your mission: Excite and empower your students’ love of learning by building and implementing a culturally relevant, rigorous, and personalized STEM Project Based Learning (PBL) course.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Instruction

• Implement an engaging and rigorous course with projects linked to CCSS: Math, CCSS: Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects, and Next Generation Science Standards
• Facilitate wall-to-wall personalized projects, problems, and performances which help students construct deep knowledge and skills in Science & STEM.
• Empower students with a sense of agency as they build problem solving skills to enter high school ready for success 
• Provide small-group instruction and student support.
• Leverage student-facing data, technology, and web-based programs to guide students in their own learning and accelerate their skills
• Apply strategies with frequent data-cycles to improve student outcomes and help students identify their next area of growth 
• Collaborate with the 6th grade team to integrate course content.
• Develop a grade level STEM Exhibition, culminating performance assessments that demonstrate student learning.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Culture

• Serve as an advisor and teach daily advisory curriculum for a small group of students.
• Teach school-wide curriculum focused on adolescent development, team building, growth mindset, social-emotional learning, and brain science.
• Reflect frequently with students to prepare evidence for portfolio defenses.
• Know their students well, develop a strong sense of community in the classroom, and personalize each student’s learning experience.
• Build strong relationships with families, including meeting with families on a scheduled basis to share information about their students and the school.

QUALIFICATIONS

• B.A. or B.S. required
• Valid California Teaching Credential or out of state equivalent with ability to transfer.
• English Language Learner authorization or in process
• Experience delivering strong data-driven instruction to achieve significant student academic achievement gains
• Receptiveness to feedback and desire to continuously improve 
• Experience working successfully with parents and families, especially African American, Latino, and immigrant families
• Commitment to the mission of Envision Education

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS: Competitive based on credential, education, and experience; Paid sick leave; Retirement system from STRS; Excellent health benefits package with employer contribution to benefits; Optional Flexible Benefits Plan; 403b Plan; Commuter Check Plans; Life Insurance at no cost to employee 

How to Apply

APPLY HERE: Envision Careers 

As an equal opportunity employer, we believe deeply in diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all people. Envision recruits, employs, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, disability, age, veteran status, and the many other characteristics that make us diverse.

Job Categories: Full-Time. Job Types: Teacher.