ELA TEACHER

About the role

Spark Academy is seeking exceptional Eighth Grade ELA teachers to join our team who possess a growth mindset, value collaboration and continuous feedback, are passionate about their content, and have an unwavering belief that all students are capable of meeting rigorous academic expectations.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Take responsibility to be a strong, positive force daily in their classroom—consistently and thoughtfully motivate students to work hard and want to learn
• Design, implement, and collaborate around high-quality shared curricula that incorporate research-based strategies to help students master Massachusetts and Common Core standards
• Motivate students to reach high achievement by setting class-wide and individual goals and providing specific and actionable feedback on their progress
• Build supportive working relationships with fellow teachers, associate teachers, and staff, and provide regular feedback to help develop associate teachers
• Engage in weekly professional development and intensive coaching with administration and colleagues, embracing a growth mindset to actively improve instruction, curriculum, and classroom management
• Use the school-wide behavior system to establish strong classroom culture, consistent routines, and high expectations to maximize learning time
• Build trusting relationships with students and families in an advisory setting of up to 14 students, while also supporting students' understanding of Spark's core values: Seeking Justice, Perseverance, Active Living, Reason, and Kindness

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong content knowledge in middle school English Language Arts
• Ability to develop and deliver engaging, standards-based lessons
• Effective data analysis skills to inform instruction and intervention
• Commitment to equity and culturally responsive teaching
• Classroom management expertise and ability to build a positive learning environment
• Willingness to collaborate and contribute to a team-oriented culture
• Openness to receiving and applying feedback to grow professionally
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with students, families, and colleagues
• Familiarity with Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and Common Core standards

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Education or related field required; Master's degree preferred
• Valid Massachusetts teaching license in ELA (Grades 5-8) or eligibility to obtain licensure SEI endorsement or willingness to obtain
• Minimum of 1-2 years teaching experience preferred, especially in urban public schools
• Experience working with diverse learners, including English Language Learners
• Bilingual Spanish/English a plus