Special Education Teacher

The Westside Atlanta Charter School teacher has a pioneeringspirit, is a reform-minded individual, creative and committed to creating anexemplary learning environment to support the academic achievement of a diverseschool population. The teacher is committed to the vision and mission ofWestside Atlanta Charter School, its governing board, community, parents,colleagues, and students.

Responsibilities
Champion the Core Values

• Support and promote the vision, mission and core values of imagination, rigor, and service of Westside Atlanta Charter School.
• Support and promote Westside Atlanta Charter School's focus on literacy and language.
• Embrace the school's commitment to diversity and serve as an ambassador for families and the community, at large, that represent various ethnicities, races, income levels and backgrounds.

Planning andPreparation

• Demonstrate content knowledge and pedagogy including planning and developing student-centered instructional activities that result in authentic, real-world applications of knowledge.
• Demonstrate skill in planning differentiated learning activities based on the diverse instructional needs of students and the Georgia Performance Standards.
• Demonstrate skill in planning instructional units by using appropriate instructional resources including design thinking, textbooks, manipulative aids, models, instructional technology, online resources, and others.
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to structure content by planning activities that progress from simple to complex and are connected in vertical and horizontal alignment.
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to plan assessment activities before, during and after a lesson to determine whether students achieved the intended goals.

Classroom Environment

• Establish a classroom built on respect and rapport between teacher and student and student to student. Quickly and quietly handle misconduct without disrupting the learning environment.
• Establish a culture for learning by setting high expectations, modeling exemplary work, and encouraging students to take pride in their work.
• Establish clear classroom procedures so instruction occurs during efficient and effective use of instructional time.
• Manage student behavior by establishing clear rules of conduct for in-class and out-of-class activities, monitor student behavior, assure that students are engaged in activities they can do with minimal confusion.

Westside AtlantaCharter School - Special Education Teacher Job Description

Professional Responsibilities

• Organize physical space so students can perform the work assigned during whole group and small group assignments, and so that materials and supplies are readily accessible.

• Collaborate with other classroom teachers, school psychologists, learning disabilities specialists, speech/hearing specialists, and school social workers to provide an integrated plan for developing the capacities of their students.
• Create and evaluate Individual Education Plans (IEP) for students.
• Observe and maintain accurate IEP and EIP student records.
• Update parents on the progress of their students and enlist parent support with behavior control and home activities designed to supplement classroom lessons.
• Demonstrate exemplary oral and written communications.
• Form collegial relationships to plan and assess student-centered learning units and to assure vertical and cross-curricular alignment of instructional objectives.
• Actively participate in all professional development activities. Keep abreast of current research-based practices and use them to improve instructional effectiveness.

Instruction

• Communicate clear goals, objectives, and directions. Assure students know what to do and why they are doing it.
• Use appropriate questions and discussion techniques. Use higher-order questions that require deep thinking and promote engagement.
• Engage students in learning by providing rigorous activities, differentiated tasks, novel ideas, authentic, real-world applications, & opportunities to serve community needs. Activities should engage students in arriving at more than one solution.
• Provide feedback that is specific to learning goals, encourages students to remain engaged, and corrective so students can correct mistakes. Use scaffolding when needed.
• Demonstrate flexibility by using data collected during the lesson to adjust the lesson and/or plan an alternative instructional activity based on students' responses.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree or higher
• Holds current Teaching Certificate or evidence of training which leads to a certificate or classification of Highly Qualified

Classification ofHighly Qualified

• Efficient with technology
• Ideal candidate has experience creating/implementing student-centered activities.
• Ideal candidate has a Gifted and/or ESOL Certification.