5th-6th Grade Judaic Studies; 6th Grade T'fillah Leader

About the Role

The ideal candidate is an educator who is passionate about T’fillah, Tanakh, Talmud, and Mishna education; is a role model for engaged and thoughtful Jewish living; is committed to the highest standards of reflective pedagogy; is committed to collaborating and growing their teaching practice; and loves to teach adolescents.

This position is for the 2026-2027 school year and reports to the K-8 Principal.

Responsibilities

• Teach a combination of Tanakh and rabbinics courses in 5th/6th grades.
• Teach, lead, and supervise T’fillah.
• Teach assigned courses using a variety of instructional strategies, following a Standards and Benchmarks model oriented toward skills development and personal meaning making.
• Develop lesson plans and instructional materials, and differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all learners.
• Teach and foster havruta skills using the Pedagogy of Partnership (PoP) framework.
• Establish and maintain standards of student behavior needed to achieve a functional learning atmosphere in the classroom, following the Responsive Classroom/Developmental Designs model.
• Evaluate students’ achievement, keep appropriate records, and prepare progress reports.
• Communicate with parents through conferences, phone calls, emails, and in-person and virtual meetings to discuss students' progress.
• Maintain professional excellence through in-service and professional growth activities.
• Collaborate with colleagues in curriculum and educational programming.
• Supervise and interact with students in out-of-classroom activities during the school day.
• Participate in curriculum development programs as required.
• Demonstrate a commitment to best practice in all dimensions of effective teaching as defined by the Thoughtful Classroom framework, including:
  • Organization, rules, and routines
  • Positive relationships
  • Engagement and enjoyment
  • A culture of thinking and learning
  • Preparing students for new learning
  • Presenting new learning
  • Deepening and reinforcing learning
  • Applying learning
  • Reflecting on and celebrating learning

Requirements

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in related subject from accredited university.
• Illinois teaching certificate or equivalent.
• Knowledge of and commitment to Jewish practices.
• Knowledge of Bible/Talmud content, Jewish holidays, and Jewish practices.

Faculty Values

• Jewish Values and Torah
• Professionalism
• Optimism
• Collaboration
• Respect
• Open Communication
• Innovation and Creativity
• Life-Long Learning

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Long-term disability, short-term disability, and accident insurance
• Sick/personal time
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Leave early for Shabbat
• Professional development opportunities