Spanish Teacher K-5 - Edward Devotion School - Brookline, MA

The Public Schools of Brookline seek an outstanding teacher for the Spanish World Language program at Devotion School, grades K-5. Candidates should have advanced oral proficiency in Spanish and be knowledgeable of the pedagogy for teaching foreign language to elementary and middle grades aged students with an emphasis on oral proficiency. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to use a variety of materials and modes of instruction and have effective techniques for classroom management. Keen organizational skills are essential.

Mass. DESE Certification, Spanish, PreK-6, required.

The Public Schools of Brookline is especially interested in qualified candidates who can contribute through their teaching or practice to the diversity and excellence of the PSB community.

The Public Schools of Brookline is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Members of underrepresented groups and all persons committed to diversity and inclusive excellence are strongly encouraged to apply.

Position Type: Full-time

Positions Available: 1

Welcome to Edward Devotion School!

The Edward Devotion School

The Edward Devotion School serves the vibrant Coolidge Corner neighborhood and is the largest of Brookline’s Pre-K to 8 schools, with a population of 716 students. It enjoys an international reputation: historically, it is the public school that President John F. Kennedy attended; academically, it welcomes students from all over the world, and socially, it reflects and respects human diversity. Devotion 3rd graders honor the memory and legacy of John F. Kennedy by engaging in a four-week study in collaboration with the JFK National Historic Site which culminates each year with students reading essays and poems about what JFK means to them.

Community service is one of the many attributes defining the Devotion spirit. From Kindergarteners, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th graders designing and selling calendars to raise money for Heifer International to 7th and 8th graders engaging in a myriad of community action projects to support local and international causes, there is never a lull in efforts to help others.

Devotion faculty represents an array of talented professionals. The school maintains a strong emphasis on adult learning. Each year Devotion teachers are awarded numerous grants from the Brookline Education Foundation. In the 2009-2010 school year, upwards of 37 teachers received grants that supported learning opportunities. “Guided Reading in Chapter Book Fiction,” “Fostering Adult Learning Groups,” “Building Science Professional Development Capacity,” “Improving Writing through Writers’ Express Strategies” were among a dozen summer and year-long professional learning opportunities designed and selected by Devotion staff.

Parents of students at the Devotion School are active members in the PTO. Together with Friends of Devotion, a nonprofit corporation comprised of alumni and current families, and with our diligent principal, the traditions of excellence and caring that are the hallmarks of the community are maintained and enhanced.

The Devotion School vision, the force giving meaning to the faculty’s work, is broken into three components and is revisited annually as staff affirm their commitment to teaching. The vision for the students and Devotion staff encompasses three areas.

ACADEMIC—We work hard so we can become smarter. We take risks as learners. We communicate effectively: orally, in writing, and through technology.

COMMUNITY—We make sure everyone feels physically, emotionally and intellectually safe. We give and receive respect. We have compassion for one another. We contribute to our school, our community, and to our world. We establish and maintain healthy friendships.

WHOLE PERSON—We are confident in our abilities. We love to learn and strive to become lifelong learners.

The system-wide programs offered at Devotion are the English Language Learner program with a high

concentration of Hebrew speakers, and a Pre-K through 8 Therapeutic Learning Center for students who need intensive social and emotional supports.

One of the most diverse schools in Brookline, our Pre-K-8th grade population represents 38 countries (plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico) including Afghanistan, Austria, Benin, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Libyan, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan

Equal Opportunity Employer

Brookline Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws.

Job Requirements

At least 3 years of relevant experience preferred

Master degree preferred

Citizenship, residency or work VISA in United States required

Application Instructions

The Public Schools of Brookline has moved to a paperless application process and appreciates your support in this effort. Please submit all required documentation via School Spring and do not send follow up/additional paperwork or emails. If additional information is required, applicants will be contacted. Once all materials have been reviewed, applicants selected for interviews will be contacted directly by the hiring manager.

Application Questions

This employer has requested that all applicants answer the following questions. It is highly recommended that you type any essays in a word processing program, save them, and then paste them on the proceeding job application page.

1.

The World Language Program in grades K-5 has an immersion philosophy: teachers use solely Spanish as the language of communication and instruction. Describe how you would make yourself comprehensible to students in grades K-2 and how that would differ with students in grades 3-5.

Long Essay (Answer limited to 4000 characters, including spaces)

2.

Describe how you would support students in grades 3-5to develop intermediate oral proficiency skills such as spontaneous speaking in sentences and strings of sentences and using Spanish as the language of communication in the classroom for all purposes, not solely for the Spanish “content” they are learning.

Long Essay (Answer limited to 4000 characters, including spaces)

Contact Information

Personnel at Brookline Public Schools

c/o Brookline Town Hall, 5th Floor

333 Washington Street

Brookline, Massachusetts 02445

Email: bpspersonnel@brookline.k12.ma.us