Junior High English Language Arts Teacher - 2025/2026 School Year

1.0 FTE position at Dakota High School.

About the Role

The Teacher understands the central concepts, methods of inquiry, and structures of disciplines and creates learning experiences that make the content meaningful to all students. The Teacher provides an educational atmosphere conducive to learning where students have the opportunity to fulfill their potential for intellectual, emotional, physical, and/or psychological growth.

The Teacher is responsible for utilizing current teaching methods to organize and implement an approved instructional program that results in students achieving academic success in accordance with applicable law, District requirements, and policies. This includes documenting teaching and student progress, addressing specific educational needs, and providing timely feedback to students, parents, and administration.

Responsibilities

• Content Knowledge
  • Evaluates teaching resources and curriculum materials for comprehensiveness, accuracy, and usefulness.
  • Uses differing viewpoints, theories, and methods of inquiry in teaching subject matter concepts.
  • Engages students in generating and testing knowledge according to the process of inquiry and standards of evidence of the discipline.
  • Designs learning experiences to promote student skills in the use of technologies appropriate to the discipline.
  • Anticipates and adjusts for common misunderstandings of the discipline(s) that impede learning.
  • Uses a variety of explanations and multiple representations of concepts to help students develop conceptual understanding.
  • Facilitates learning experiences that make connections to other content areas and to life and career experiences.
  • Designs learning experiences and utilizes adaptive devices/technology to provide access to general curricular content for individuals with disabilities.
• Human Development and Learning
  • Analyzes individual and group performance to design instruction that meets learners’ needs in cognitive, social, emotional, ethical, and physical domains.
  • Stimulates student reflection on prior knowledge and links new ideas to familiar ideas and experiences.
  • Introduces concepts and principles at different levels of complexity for students with diverse learning needs.
• Diversity
  • Facilitates a learning community where individual differences are respected.
  • Makes appropriate provisions for students with particular learning differences or needs.
  • Uses information about students’ families, cultures, and communities to connect instruction to students’ experiences.
  • Enriches instruction through cultural diversity and individual student experiences.
  • Uses a wide range of instructional strategies and technologies to meet diverse student needs.
  • Identifies and designs instruction appropriate to students’ stages of development, learning styles, strengths, and needs.
  • Demonstrates positive regard for individual students and their families regardless of culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and varying abilities.
• Planning for Instruction
  • Establishes expectations for students’ learning and applies principles of scope and sequence in planning.
  • Creates short-range and long-term plans to achieve learning expectations.
  • Selects learning materials and experiences relevant to students and based on their prior knowledge.
  • Designs learning activities that allow for variation in students’ learning styles and performance modes.
  • Incorporates experiences that relate to students’ current life and future career experiences.
  • Develops interdisciplinary approaches integrating multiple content areas.
  • Uses teaching resources and materials evaluated for accuracy and usefulness.
  • Accesses and uses instructional technologies to enhance students’ learning.
  • Uses individualized education program (IEP) goals to plan instruction for students with disabilities.
• Learning Environment
  • Maintains proper classroom decorum and maximizes class time spent in learning.
  • Creates a smoothly functioning learning community where students assume responsibility and engage in decision-making.
  • Analyzes the classroom environment to enhance social relationships and student motivation.
  • Organizes and manages time, materials, and physical space for equitable student engagement.
  • Demonstrates effective behavior management techniques appropriate for all students, including those with disabilities.
  • Modifies the learning environment to facilitate appropriate behaviors and learning for students with diverse needs.
  • Promotes social interaction between students with and without disabilities.
  • Uses effective methods for teaching social skill development.
• Instructional Delivery
  • Evaluates and chooses alternative teaching strategies to achieve learning goals.
  • Uses multiple teaching and learning strategies to engage students in active learning.
  • Monitors and adjusts strategies based on learners’ feedback.
  • Varies role in the instructional process as instructor, facilitator, coach, or audience.
  • Develops clear, accurate presentations of concepts using diverse perspectives.
  • Uses instructional technologies to enhance learning.
  • Develops curriculum reflecting interconnections between subject areas and life experiences.
  • Facilitates meaningful inclusion of individuals with disabilities.
  • Adapts curriculum and instructional strategies based on learner characteristics.
  • Implements and evaluates individual learning objectives.
• Communication
  • Models accurate, effective communication in conveying ideas and information.
  • Uses effective questioning techniques and stimulates discussion for instructional purposes.
  • Creates opportunities for students to use written, verbal, non-verbal, and visual communication.
  • Communicates with and challenges students in a supportive manner, providing constructive feedback.
  • Uses a variety of communication modes for a diverse student population.
  • Practices effective listening, conflict resolution, and group-facilitation skills.
  • Uses communication tools to enrich learning opportunities.
• Assessment
  • Uses assessment results to diagnose learning needs and align instruction.
  • Uses formal and informal assessments to evaluate student understanding and progress.
  • Involves students in self-assessment to help them become aware of strengths and needs.
  • Maintains accurate records of student work and performance.
  • Communicates student progress knowledgeably and responsibly to students, parents, and colleagues.
  • Uses technology to monitor and assess student progress.
  • Collaborates with families and professionals in assessing individuals with disabilities.
  • Adapts assessment procedures for individual students in specific contexts.
  • Uses nondiscriminatory assessment strategies considering cultural background and primary language.
• Collaborative Relationships
  • Initiates collaboration with others to enhance students’ learning.
  • Works with colleagues to develop an effective learning climate within the school.
  • Participates in collaborative decision-making and problem-solving to achieve student success.
  • Develops relationships with parents and guardians to understand students’ lives outside school.
  • Works effectively with diverse community members to promote students’ learning and well-being.
  • Identifies and uses community resources to enhance learning and explore career opportunities.
  • Collaborates in developing individualized education programs for students with disabilities.
  • Coordinates and collaborates with classroom para-educators, volunteers, or peer tutors.
  • Collaborates with students and families to set instructional goals and chart progress for students with disabilities.