Jobs

Job Description:

Meridian Academy is seeking a dynamic and energetic candidate to join our Humanities department. For all grades at Meridian, the subjects of history, literature, the English language, the social sciences, and the arts are taught in core, integrated Humanities courses.

Meridian’s curriculum is interdisciplinary and investigation-based. Student problem-posing and analyses are the starting point for long-term, original, creative efforts and research. Classes are typically 90 minutes long to support these in-depth activities.

Meridian Academy is an urban, independent, secondary school in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, MA. We serve an economically and racially diverse student body. Our classes have 16 or fewer students.

We are seeking to hire a full-time teacher to teach our Division 1 (5th and 6th grade) Humanities course, which includes approximately 15 students in one section. The candidate would also facilitate the Junior Research Project Seminar (JRPS), our yearlong junior research project in which students choose a topic, research and write a literature review, and develop and present a project based on their research. Each student is paired with a faculty advisor, but the JRPS class time serves as reflection, big-picture timeline, and focused work periods. Please read more about both Division 1 Humanities and JRPS.

Responsibilities/opportunities include:

• Teaching one section of integrated Humanities, a 90-minute class, 5 times per week
• Teaching and facilitating the Junior Research Project Seminar, a 90-minute class once per week and 45- minute meetings 3 times per week; personally advising 3-4 students while overseeing efforts of other juniors
• Creating activities that help students develop academic skills, make connections between ideas, master essential knowledge, and grow in their curiosity and creativity.
• Communicating effectively with students and their families.
• Developing and implementing methods of assessment that accurately reflect each student’s progress with skills, content, and habits of mind.
• Using the broader resources of Boston and its environs as an extended classroom.
• Attending 3 Exhibition evenings and other evening events to represent Meridian and foster community
• Facilitate additional community times: community group (45 min/week), student committees (45 min/every other week), grade meeting (45 min/week), and attend all-school meetings (45 min/every other week)

Qualifications:

• Preferred: One or more years teaching humanities, literature, history, or a related social science subject at the secondary level.
• Preferred: Experience with research
• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline. A masters in teaching is preferred.
• A flexible and energetic personality that can work productively in a changing and growing school environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills when working with diverse students and families. Ability to participate in shared decision-making that invites everyone to contribute to the improvement of the school.
• Meridian recognizes that a range of experiences and backgrounds can support the development of the skills and habits needed for successful teaching. These capacities include:
  • Culturally Conscious – You are committed to serving all students and to learning that brings diverse voices and ways of thinking into your curriculum.
  • Organization – You are able to set long-term goals and make concrete and realistic plans to achieve those goals. You maintain curricular documents in a manner that would allow colleagues to access and understand them.
  • Collaboration – You reach out to your colleagues with questions and are willing to offer ideas to the group.
  • Analytical – You can structure and process information to think about ideas in new and multiple ways.
  • Flexible – You are comfortable making changes to accommodate unexpected opportunities (yours and others).
  • Respect for students and their ideas – You have a deep appreciation for kids aged 11-18 and for their interests. You have fun working with them and believe that each can improve academically and grow as a member of a community.

Salaries are on a scale based on experience and university degrees. Starting salary with a bachelor’s and no experience is $60,000, but increases with education and experience. Our competitive benefits package includes medical and dental coverage, retirement, milestone bonuses, exciting professional development opportunities, and much more.

How to Apply:

Consult our website to learn more about the school and to gain a fuller picture of the goals and philosophy of Meridian Academy

Send a résumé and cover letter describing your teaching philosophy with a discussion of some of your work with students to Head of School Sarah Parker at hiring@meridianacademy.org.

Meridian Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or handicap in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, hiring, and other school-administered programs.