Middle School Visual Arts Teacher

Visual Arts Teacher (6-8)

Under the supervision of the School Principal, the Visual Arts teacher engages students to become artistically literate citizens that have the knowledge, skills and understanding to actively engage in the arts throughout their lives. The Visual Arts teacher actively engages students in artistic inquiry through the visual arts framework for students to develop a high level of proficiency using techniques in a variety of media such as drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, and/or digital media.

The Visual Arts teacher facilitates the successful implementation of rigorous network curriculum aligned to the New York State P-12 Learning Standards for the Arts to ensure students master the common core standards and meet the academic goals, and is responsive to diverse learning needs of all students including general education, students with disabilities and English Language Learners. In grade six, all students take a one-trimester each of Visual Arts, Music, and Theater.

In grades seven and eight, students choose to specialize in one of these areas for two years. The Visual Arts teacher is responsible to teach a one-trimester rotation introductory class to all grade six students and to design instruction for students in grades 7 and 8 who elect to specialize in Visual Arts.

Key Responsibilities:

• Creates academically rigorous, standards-based, culturally relevant lesson plans that allow students to create their own artwork, present their artwork, respond to the work that others have created, make connections between art and the world, and relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical contexts.
• Utilizes student-centered instructional strategies to engage students and differentiate teaching based on the diverse, individual needs of students including those with disabilities and ELLs.
• Implements units using common network curriculum resources, maps, frameworks, pacing documents and instructional philosophies to ensure alignment across our schools from kindergarten through high school graduation.
• Integrates literacy skills across the arts, includes explicit vocabulary development and prepares students to read, write, speak and listen within this discipline.
• Analyzes data from ongoing formative and summative assessments/projects to refine instructional practices and impact student artistic growth.
• Maintains strong classroom management and implements school wide policies and procedures to ensure a safe, caring and orderly school environment.
• Establishes a classroom culture of caring, respect and rapport which holds all students to high academic standards, promotes inclusion, fosters a love of learning, and builds positive relationships.
• Grades student work and provides students with actionable feedback, and returns work and enters these grades into online systems shared with students and families promptly.
• Seeks to actively know students' strengths and challenge areas and communicates these effectively with families using online portals, report cards and other means.
• Participates in professional development, professional learning communities, grade-level activities and school wide functions.
• Shares best practices with colleagues by participating in professional learning communities, grade-level or content teams, and cross-school groups.
• Supports students in developing art portfolios.

Professional Responsibilities:

• Upholds the FLACS mission, core beliefs, and educational philosophy.
• Is a lifelong learner who reflects on their practice, is receptive to critical feedback from leaders and colleagues, and strives to improve instructional effectiveness.
• Has high expectations for students and for themselves as an educator.
• Demonstrates self-motivation and willingness to be a team player.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree is required; master's degree is preferred
• Prior satisfactory teaching experience preferred
• New York State Certification in Visual Arts (all grades)
• Clearance for fingerprint and criminal background check

It is the policy of FLACS to provide educational and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, alienage and citizenship status, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender (sex) or prior record of arrest or convictions (except as provided by law), and to maintain an environment free of discriminatory harassment, including sexual harassment, or retaliation, as required by civil rights law.

Salary Range - $60,065 - $113,085