Teacher – Career and Technology Education (CTE) –Computer Science (High School)

Position Purpose

Delivers rigorous instruction to students in order to promote intellectual, social, and physical growth; ensures that regardless of socioeconomic factors every child is prepared for accelerated learning to compete in a global economy.

Essential Job Functions

• Instructional Planning & Delivery

  • Teaches knowledge and skill concepts in accordance with the required Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, District curricula, and industry standards.
  • Designs clear, well organized, sequential lessons that build on students' prior knowledge; provides opportunities for enrichment as well as differentiations and project-based learning to provide for collaboration, creative thinking, and extended interaction among students.
  • Creates developmentally appropriate, standards-driven lessons that reflect evidence-based best practices.
  • Develops lessons to meet the needs of diverse learners, adapting methods as needed.
  • Communicates clearly and accurately; engages students in a manner that encourages students' persistence and best efforts.
  • Promotes complex, higher-order thinking, leading class discussions and activities that provide opportunities for deeper learning.
  • Maintains student understanding by consistency monitoring, giving immediate feedback, and making lesson adjustments as appropriate.
  • Affirms student mastery of curriculum objectives and student progress using frequent, appropriate, on-going, and multiple assessment tools; employs interventions and formal/informal assessment procedures, including standardized tests, formative assessments, performance tasks, enrichments, and observations.
  • Instructs students in the proper use and care of professional equipment, technology, and other professional materials.
  • Prepares students for industry certification exams within the program focus, in accordance with CTE guidelines and administers industry-based certification exams to all students and provides remediation to those who were not successful.

• Knowledge of Students & Student Learning

  • Reinforces and demonstrates the belief that all students have the potential to achieve at high levels; supports all students in their pursuit of social-emotional learning and academic success.
  • Acquires, analyzes, and uses background information (such as familial, cultural, educational, linguistic, and developmental characteristics) to engage students in the learning process.
  • Facilitates each student's learning by employing evidence-based practices and concepts related to learning and social-emotional development.

• Content Knowledge & Expertise

  • Understands the major concepts, key themes, multiple perspectives, assumptions, processes of inquiry, structure, and real-world applications of assigned grade-level and subject-area content.
  • Designs and executes quality lessons that are consistent with the concepts of assigned discipline; aligns to state standards and demonstrates content expertise.
  • Demonstrates content-specific pedagogy that meets the needs of diverse learners using engaging instructional materials to connect prior content knowledge to new learning.

• Learning Environment

  • Creates a mutually respectful, collaborative, and safe community of learners by using knowledge of students' development and backgrounds.
  • Establishes, implements, and communicates consistent routines for effective classroom management, including clear expectations for student behavior.
  • Learns and maintains the classroom where students are actively engaged in learning as indicated by their level of motivation and on-task behavior.
  • Selects and requisitions appropriate books, instructional aids and other supplies and equipment; maintains inventory records and ensures equipment is in good working order.

• Data-Driven Practice

  • Implements both formal and informal methods of measuring student progress.
  • Sets individual and group learning goals for students by using preliminary data; communicates these goals with students and families to ensure mutual understanding of expectations.
  • Collects, reviews, and analyzes data to monitor student progress on a regular basis.
  • Accesses collected data to analyze and inform instructional strategies; adjusts short- and long-term plans accordingly.
  • Administers and proctors pertinent course assessments as well as industry certification exams specific to the program focus in accordance with FWISD CTE policies.

• Professional Practices & Responsibilities

  • Serves as an advisor of a co-curricular Career & Technical Student Organization (CTSO) and involves students with professional associations affiliated with their career pathway.
  • Ensures students understand the requirements of future coursework and the procedures for earning and maintaining industry certifications post-graduation; confirms students have knowledge of the rules and regulations of the classroom, school, college, industry, and accrediting agencies.
  • Maintains classroom and online instruction, activities, grades and projects.
  • Reflects on teaching practice to improve instructional effectiveness; engages in continuous professional learning to gain knowledge/skills to refine professional judgment.
  • Collaborates with colleagues and exhibits self-awareness in interpersonal interactions.
  • Invites constructive feedback from peers and administrators.
  • Sets out to seek out opportunities to lead students, other educators, and community members within and beyond the classroom.
  • Models ethical and respectful behavior; demonstrates integrity in all situations.
  • Remains current on state and industry requirements/standards; updates all stakeholders of changes.

• Shared Responsibilities

  • Upholds accurate and efficient record-keeping of official attendance records, grade reports, student files, documentation of state and local assessment preparation, travel paperwork and work-based learning documentation, and other appropriate documents.
  • Engages parents and families in the academic and behavioral progress of their child by initiating parent conferences and providing opportunities for parents to continually support student learning and school programs.
  • Participates in faculty and committee meetings, as well as, school events during and outside regular school hours as required.
  • Works with counselors and students to verify that schedules, 6-year plans, and portfolios are updated and accurate to ensure students are on track to meeting goals and graduation requirements.

• Safety

  • Performs preventive maintenance on tools and equipment and ensures equipment is in safe operating condition.
  • Follows established safety procedures and techniques to perform job duties including lifting and climbing, drills and lockdowns; operates tools and equipment according to established safety procedures.
  • Corrects unsafe conditions in work area and promptly reports any conditions that are not immediately correctable to supervisor.
  • Observes student behavior outside the classroom at designated times, between classes, and at assigned duty stations; takes necessary action when appropriate.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Education:

  • Bachelor's degree from accredited college or university required;
  • Major in Education or a field related to subject being taught preferred.

• Certification/License:

  • Teaching Certification Required OR Valid Texas Teaching Certification in Computer Science, Technology Applications, or Computer Information Systems;
  • Acceptance in an approved Alternative Certification Program (ACP) and have passed the required prerequisite examinations for subject area and grade-level;
  • Two years (or more) of full-time wage-earning experience within the past ten years in this industry.