K-4th Grade Classroom Co-teachers
Harlem Link Charter School (New York City, New York)

K-4th Grade Classroom Co-Teachers
08-09 Positions for General Education and for Special Education Teachers (please specify your interest)

Position Summary: Classroom teachers at Harlem Link share their work with a Co-Teacher, and success hinges upon high levels of communication and collaboration for strong co-teaching. We expect co-teachers to hold all students to high expectations for achievement, and have a hand in building curriculum and assessment practices to this to happen.

 

Harlem Link’s Goals:
Our students to leave us as articulate scholars and active citizens who meet or exceed the Harlem Link Standards. Accordingly, we need to provide our students with rich, engaging learning experiences in all subject areas that will provide them with skills knowledge but also allow them to critically think about their studies and problem-solve on a regular basis. That is a tall order.

We believe it can be done if the entire school collaborates around this effort. In particular, we believe that with strong collaboration between TWO teachers in the classroom, we can ensure that all of our students succeed and are challenged. We support students by using effective co-teaching practices which allow for more small group instruction and through our inclusion model, specialists support our students in the general education classroom. In each grade there are two classrooms with one designated as Collaborative Team Teaching classroom with a General Education and a Special Education Teacher; this way our students with IEP's can have ongoing support with their goals in their classrooms.

Teaching at Harlem Link is energizing and exciting for many reasons. We encourage you to apply and to be part of a dynamic team that puts children first.  

Responsibilities:

 

Curriculum and Instruction

·       Map goals and units for the year using the Harlem Link Scope and Sequence and Standards

·       Create and plan cohesive, engaging units of study that include goals and interim assessments to monitor these goals for the students

·       Teach literacy through a balanced literacy and a workshop model (mentors to our approach include Fountas and Pinnell, Patricia Cunningham, Lucy Calkins, and a Bank Street)

·       Teach math through a workshop model using TERC as a touchstone curriculum for major concepts, a Scope and Sequence, and learning activities that reflect the Landscape of Learning

·       Plan for daily independent Work Station periods each day that reflect unit goals but are tailored to student groups and needs

·       Plan and implement writing Units of Study so that students write daily and focus on genre, craft, grammar, spelling, and language structures

·       Plan and implement Social Studies Units of Study based on Harlem Link Standards that cover students, their community, and their world, including meaningful trips for each unit

·       Integrated Social Studies into reading and writing time to the maximum extent possible

·       Plan lessons carefully so that students understand expectations and can work independently

·       Model and instill a love of learning through engaging lessons

·       Plan so that all subject areas are addressed throughout the week

 

Assessment

Administer ECLAS and DRA literacy assessments tri-annually Create and administer standards-based interim assessments (e.g. observation recording tools, checklists, rubrics, pre- and post- tests) Analyze student work and assessments to plan for instruction Group students dynamically based on academic needs to ensure that all students can meet the Standards Demonstrate an ongoing commitment to performance-based accountability Know your students’ progress towards the standards at all times throughout the year through strong data collection and revise plans as necessary assist students’ in their progress.

 

Management

Always use a positive tone with children and adults Set and teach routines for all parts of the day Pay close attention to pacing Carefully balance teacher directed instruction with independent student work Continually preview activities for children to build independence Reinforce the Harlem Link Culture of Conduct and Ladder of Consequence with students and refuse to tolerate classroom disruptions Establish, reinforce and enforce clear expectations Establish logical consequences Create individual behavior plans when needed

 

Collaboration with Co-Teacher

Communicate and plan with your co-teacher on a regular, ongoing basis (before school, during school hours, with the children, after school) Utilize a common approach to behavior management, time management, classroom organization and appearance, planning, teaching, and monitoring learning Remain open and honest with Co-Teacher, speaking out when issues arise See the classroom as a shared space Split up responsibilities and roles as much as possible Use effective forms of co-teaching such as team teaching, parallel teaching, and station teaching

 

Collaboration with Staff

Possibly co-teach with a Special Education teacher in a Collaborative Team Teaching classroom Attend regular staff meetings Participate in monthly staff development sessions Participate in bimonthly professional days and/or retreats Discuss curriculum and planning in weekly Grade Team meetings Meet with Student Support Teachers as necessary Participate in all required Child Study Team meetings, taking a problem-solving stance Meet and work with external staff developers in literacy and math on a regular basis Work with other external consultants as needed based on individual teacher or classroom needs Meet (individually or with Co-Teacher) with the Co-Director for Instruction to monitor student progress, co-teaching, and professional goals

 

Collaboration with Families

Build a rapport with families Communicate with families through progress reports, phone calls and meetings as necessary Meet with families formally three times a year for report card conferences Involve families through classroom celebrations of writing and projects Involve families though volunteer opportunities Participate in Community Outreach Group meetings throughout the year Participate in school-wide functions such as Curriculum Night, Winter Festival, Family Workshops, and Conferences

 

Qualifications:

Appropriate New York State teaching certification (general education or special education) Masters degree or higher in Education Strong content knowledge in literacy, math, and social studies Steamlined, effective classroom and strong behavior management Experience with balanced literacy, workshop model, constructivist math, and work stations Experience with expeditionary, integrated social studies instruction strongly preferred Experience with curriculum planning strongly preferred Experience using interim assessments like conferencing notes, rubrics, and checklists Demonstrated results with data driven instruction Experience with collaboration Strong desire to collaborate with a co-teacher and ability to articulate the upsides and downsides of this model Must be a team player and problem-solver: participate in meetings, flexibility with the number of meetings required to keep everyone on the same page, complete and follow up on all tasks necessary to keep collaboration healthy Demonstrated success working with academically at-risk students Strive to meet the Harlem Link Staff Qualities of Leadership, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Collaboration, Constant Learning, Community Building, Communication, Critical Thinking