Cambridgeport School Community:
At the Cambridgeport School, we believe that learning unfolds when we provide conditions in which children can explore, inquire, and shape their own understandings. Cambridgeport teachers and families work as a community toward assuring success for every child. The school values the culture and beliefs that each child brings to the classroom, and teachers believe that children must engage with their world in order to make sense of it and build their knowledge. Each student is expected to take responsibility for his/her own learning, while collaborating, supporting, and respecting others.

Teachers provide learning experiences that guide and capture our student's interests while at the same time helping them to develop literacy and math skills, think critically, problem solve, and engage in rich scientific and historical inquiry.

Learning expeditions allow students to investigate a topic and produce work that has a specific purpose and an authentic audience. Examples might include exploring the life cycle and importance of butterflies or the role of fables within a culture or society.

The structure of looped classrooms supports the Cambridgeport philosophy. Beginning in 1st grade, teachers stay with their class through the end of 2nd Grade. Students have a new teacher for 3rd and 4th grade, and spend one year with their 5th grade teacher. The strong bonds that form between teacher and students support a deeper level of understanding, learning, and engagement.

The Role:
The Grade JK-3 teacher is directly responsible to the Principal and is expected to work closely with professional and paraprofessional staff members and parents in the development of the curriculum and school as a whole. Commitment to working within a team is essential. In cooperation with faculty colleagues, (s)he is responsible for the planning, implementation and ongoing adaptation of a curriculum that integrates multicultural values and experiences and is informed by Cambridge, state and national curriculum expectations as well as children's individual developmental needs and interests. (S)he will provide a creative, well organized physical environment which is activity-centered, rich in many forms of expression, and in which students are encouraged to make choices and become increasingly responsible for their own learning. (S)he will provide strong language and literacy learning experiences; implement project learning which connects academic disciplines; integrate technology into the curriculum; use a variety of learning approaches; develop opportunities for students to work collaboratively in ways which enhance a strong sense of self and a healthy respect for others in a diverse, multicultural community; and maintain high expectations for all students. (S)he will be expected to draw on a well- developed knowledge of early childhood in order to provide opportunities for encouraging personal, social and academic growth of each student. (S)he will work with families to develop common goals for the education of their children and to encourage active participation in their children's learning, including attendance at family-student-teacher conferences. (S)he will maintain portfolios for each student together with other longitudinal documentation to record each student's growth and development, including preparation of biannual narrative reports of student progress. (S)he will work with classroom colleagues and support staff to integrate special needs students into the classroom and to meet the individual needs of all children. (S)he will mentor a student teaching intern in their move toward obtaining licensure.

Your Skill Set:
As the incoming Grade JK-3 Teacher you will possess many, though perhaps not all, of the following characteristics and qualifications:

• Successful classroom experience in an elementary urban, multicultural setting (3 or more years preferred).
• Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university required; Additional course work in early childhood, literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, curriculum design and/or longitudinal assessment are highly desirable.
• Experience in working collaboratively with colleagues and parents from a variety of backgrounds.
• Massachusetts certification/licensure in Early Childhood: PK-2, Elementary: 1-6 or K-8 required.
• Ability to utilize technology as an important learning tool.
• Ability to speak a language other than English highly desirable.

How to Join Our Team:
Please upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills, experience, and commitment to equity in education meet the qualifications of the position as well as stating how you heard about this opportunity.

At the Cambridge Public Schools, we are committed to cultivating an environment where diverse perspectives and backgrounds are embraced, acknowledging that a team reflecting diversity of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and veteran status allows us to serve our communities better. To that end, we welcome and encourage applicants to bring their authentic selves when considering employment opportunities within our school district.