Teaching Fellow

Job Description

Teaching Fellows 

KIPP MA Teaching Fellows are co-teachers who are committed to becoming proficient in the craft of teaching through professional development, coaching, and hands-on practice. Candidates for our KIPP MA Teaching Fellows program typically enter the profession with fewer years of teaching experience than Lead Teachers, and so Teaching Fellows spend each day teaching and learning alongside an experienced Lead Teacher with the goal of becoming a KIPP MA Lead Teacher after a year of intensive development. We are excited to welcome Elementary Fellows into our kindergarten through fourth-grade classrooms.

Teaching Fellows are an integral part of the classroom from the first days of school. They must form strong and trusting relationships with students and families as they begin their journey with KIPP. Throughout the year, Teaching Fellows co-teach small group and whole group lessons and gradually take on additional solo lead teaching responsibilities. They must exercise discretion and independent judgment when solo teaching and co-teaching and are held accountable alongside Lead Teachers for student growth and classroom culture. Teaching Fellows will work with a grade-level team to achieve their school’s ambitious goals for student character and academic achievement.

Teaching Fellows are responsible for all teacher duties outlined below and are given a high level of support to follow through on the responsibilities. Teaching Fellows will grow and develop through personalized instructional coaching; Fellow-specific professional development; and school-based professional development focused on academics, character, and classroom culture. 

KIPP MA wants Teaching Fellows who are eager to work relentlessly for the most difficult and joyful profession imaginable. KIPP MA Teaching Fellows are also eligible for a partial tuition scholarship to the BU Graduate School of Education if they are interested in pursuing a Master’s degree and MA Teacher’s License.

This role requires consistent and reliable demonstration of the following essential job functions and key responsibilities:

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Classroom Responsibilities

• Ensure that all children feel affirmed, valued, and challenged every day

• Foster a positive and safe learning environment

• Create and internalize rigorous and engaging unit and daily lesson plans, leveraging provided curricula/resources and intellectual preparation tools, in preparation for both co-teaching and solo teaching 

• Set specific, ambitious growth goals for all students and identify and leverage all necessary resources to ensure they meet them

• Use best practices, including differentiation, to execute engaging instruction at a level rigorous for all students, during both co-teaching and solo teaching

• Infuse core values into daily lessons and every school practice, implementing school-wide student culture systems and positive classroom management strategies. During co-teaching, this looks like circling the room to actively monitor student work and behavior, and intervening with and/or redirecting students during instruction when applicable.

• Regularly analyze student work and academic data to modify lessons, refine curricula, and inform instructional practice, both independently and in consultation with the Lead Teacher

• Maintain accurate student grades/records and strong lines of communication with students and families regularly regarding students’ growth and progress

School and Professional Responsibilities

• Participate in school-wide and individual professional development, including pre-service training over the summer and weekly during the academic year

• Take ownership for the development of your craft and seek feedback from your coach (meet 1x/1-2 weeks with coach, implement feedback, engage in co-planning and active practices, participate in live coaching, etc.)

• Perform necessary support duties including (but not limited to) coverage, bus, lunch, transition, and dismissal duties

• Develop strong relationships with families through participating in school events and consistent phone calls home

• Be willing to offer support and receive constructive feedback from colleagues in order to create a professional working atmosphere that is conducive to accountability, change, and improvement

• Collaborate with grade level and content teams to tackle common challenges and implement grade-wide systems, sharing responsibility for all students

• Dependable attendance according to our school calendar

General Requirements and Responsibilities

• Embody KIPP MA’s Code of Conduct by acting with integrity, leading with humanity, centering self-awareness and critical consciousness, taking personal responsibility, and engaging productively

• Work toward MTEL requirements and SEI endorsements with study support from KIPP MA within the first year of employment

• Participate and engage in regional professional development and community events as required

• Demonstrated ability to collect and interpret data, evaluate, reason, define problems, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and make reasonable judgments and decisions in a timely manner in accordance with the needs of the school

• Self-awareness, flexibility and emotional intelligence to navigate a setting with students who express diverse needs

• The consistent use of interpersonal and self-management skills to effectively support behavioral and emotional needs of students to ensure a safe and inclusive environment, as well as build relationships and manage conflict with students, staff, and caregivers

• Effective communication skills to perform assigned duties and to meaningfully exchange information with students, staff, families and others in person, through written communication, in front of groups, and on virtual platforms

• Physical mobility to move self in various positions in order to execute duties effectively, which may include kneeling, walking, pushing/pulling, squatting, twisting, turning, bending, stooping and reaching overhead

• Physical strength sufficient to periodically lift and/or carry 20 pounds of materials or supplies and to physically restrain a student to keep from harming themself and/or others in an emergency situation

• Manual dexterity sufficient to perform repetitive hand/wrist/arm motions and to operate a computer and office equipment

KIPP MA teachers are supported in their demanding work by experienced and dedicated leadership and staff who have themselves proven successful in the teaching role. Our leaders maintain consistent school-wide systems and procedures - academic, behavioral, cultural, logistical - designed to permit teachers to do their best work. 

In addition to the responsibilities listed above, there will occasionally be other duties as assigned that teachers will engage in to help promote a positive and calm learning environment and culture.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Deep alignment with KIPP MA’s mission and values, including the unwavering belief in the high potential of all students

• Passion for subject/content area and demonstrated commitment to professional learning

• Desire to become proficient in the craft of teaching through practice, coaching, and professional development

• Prior experience working with children encouraged, but not required

• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and oral and written communication skills

• Computer literacy and baseline familiarity with Google Suite

• Bachelor’s Degree required

• Pass Criminal Background Check

Qualifications

Additional Information

What We Offer

The minimum salary for this exempt position is $45,000. The role includes a $1,000 signing bonus—and an annual $2,000 retention bonus in subsequent years, as well as other bonuses, when eligible. This role follows the School Year calendar.  For more about what we offer, how to apply and more about KIPP MA, please visit this link HERE.

KIPP MA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in building a vibrant and welcoming school community that advances our mission of ensuring that all KIPP students graduate with the skills and confidence to lead fulfilling lives. This includes a commitment to attracting and developing individuals who understand the experiences of the students and communities we serve. We hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.