Art Teacher, Grades K-8

Overview

Title:

Art Teacher (Grades K-8) |

Reports to:

Lower School Head | Employment Status:
Full Time, Exempt | Anticipated

Start Date:

August 2026 |

Work Location:

5 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004

The IDEAL School of Manhattan is an inclusion school dedicated to creating a diverse community that affirms and accepts the full identities of all people, while inspiring academic excellence, creative leadership, and a desire to build a more just and equitable world.

Position Summary:

All IDEAL teachers are charged with inspiring students in an inclusive and nurturing learning community to achieve personal and academic excellence. The arts are essential to IDEAL’s mission, which emphasizes creative leadership. Art classes in all grades provide art education to students with varied abilities and learning profiles. IDEAL teachers know their students as learners and as individuals, and they inspire their students by setting a high bar for excellence while making the classroom fun and supporting all learners in achieving their goals.

The Art Teacher will lead inclusive classes from Kindergarten to Grade 8. As such the teacher will develop successful teaching methods, differentiate, and implement modifications and accommodations to meet the needs of all students, including general education students and students with intellectual or developmental disabilities. All IDEAL teachers also serve as advisors, chaperone trips and dances, mentor clubs, and share in the duties of a typical school day, such as greeting students upon arrival and proctoring study halls.

• Establish developmentally appropriate classrooms in both the Lower and Middle Schools that foster the development and personal growth of all children.
• Plan classes, projects, field trips, and other experiences that foster the growth of students’ skills and creative self-expression, while also exposing students to a range of artists and media.
• Collaborate with other teachers to design and implement interdisciplinary projects in the arts and in other academic subject areas.
• Collaborate with occupational, speech, and physical therapists and Learning Specialists to ensure access for students with disabilities.
• Emphasize and teach the importance of the creative process.
• Introduce students to new skills and projects annually, building on their experiences and knowledge from prior years.
• Develop and teach electives for students that build skills and nurture the passions of our students, including, if possible, Fashion Design.
• Prepare students for Artbeat, IDEAL’s annual school-wide body of work show, and support the school’s musical and drama productions.
• Maintain art supplies and equipment, and make recommendations for new materials.
• Ensure that the art studio(s) are organized, well-maintained, and accessible to all students.
• Serve as an advisor and club mentor.
• Share in the duties associated with school life, from proctoring study halls to chaperoning dances and trips.
• The successful incumbent will participate fully and actively in the responsibilities and life of the school, and perform other duties as assigned.

• Relevant Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred.
• 1-2 years experience in teaching Art in an Educational institution.
• Proven knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Proven ability to adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
• Ability to instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, as appropriate to meet the needs of the student.
• Ability to work cooperatively as a part of a teaching team.
• Ability to confer with parents or guardians, teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic challenges.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Demonstrated appreciation for the school’s mission and commitment to social justice.
• A passion for the arts, with the ability to adapt lessons and activities for students with a wide range of abilities,…