UPPER SCHOOL HUMANITIES TEACHER
We are looking for skilled and collaborative educators with the passion, commitment, and ability to help each of our students learn deeply and feel seen, heard, and valued.
The ideal candidate for any teaching position at Hawken Upper School:
- Believes in Hawken’s purpose, promise and principles
- Builds strong, supportive relationships with students and colleagues
- Thrives on a team
- Leans into all opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and with students
- Is reflective and thoughtful about their practice, seeks feedback, and is excited to grow as a teacher and curriculum designer
- Designs and facilitates learning in a way that supports students in learning deeply and sharing their learning through high-quality work
- Has experience working in a diverse community and is committed to the ideals of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice
- Creates learning experiences for and with students that matter and that students remember
THE POSITION
Hawken School is seeking an enthusiastic educator to join our team as a full-time Humanities teacher for the 2024-2025 school year. The Hawken Humanities curriculum explores a wide array of subjects, including, but not limited to, world cultures and civilizations, influential literature, U.S. history, and challenges and opportunities facing modern society. The department emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives, encourages inquiry, and prioritizes the development of high-quality research, storytelling, analysis, argument, and communication.
The ideal candidate will be adept at facilitating inquiry- and discussion-based learning as well as project-based learning in the Humanities classroom. This teacher will be committed to fostering a caring and inclusive community in their classroom and will be passionate about creating engaging and relevant learning opportunities that center the student experience. An ideal candidate will be enthusiastic about teaching all grade levels and will be equally confident teaching core courses in the Humanities, U.S. history, and English-Language Arts. Additionally, this teacher will be eager to collaborate with students and colleagues to co-create diverse
interdisciplinary learning experiences within and beyond the Humanities in our Intensive program.
Candidates should be eager to work in a collaborative, team-based environment with thoughtful individuals committed to doing school differently–moving away from factory-model schooling towards learning without walls/limits; centering student voice/choice over standardization; and centering real learning for a real purpose rather than content coverage. The ideal candidate is passionate about the Humanities, about developing their craft, and about all aspects of collaborating with high school students and colleagues. We are seeking teachers who bring with them a healthy combination of flexibility, energy, teamwork, humility, and creativity.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
- Teach multiple sections of Humanities, History, and/or English seminars according to school needs
- Create Humanities Intensives – all-day, three-week classes in December and/or May focused on one topic or challenge; e.g., Writing and Producing a Play, Mock Trial, What is Truth?, The Story of Chocolate, Urban Studies, National Parks, etc.
- Collaborate with colleagues to design and refine curricula to make learning more purposeful, project-based, connected to students’ interests and aspirations, and connected to the world beyond the classroom
- Coach or lead a co-curricular activity within Hawken Upper School; e.g., Model UN, Just Write, Speech and Debate, coaching a sport, being faculty advisor to an affinity group, etc.
- Serve as an advisor to a group of 9-12 students within our advisory system
- Perform other non-teaching duties as assigned by the Upper School Director
Because Hawken believes in supporting teachers’ passions, in deepening their expertise, and in fueling their spirit of innovation, we provide substantive professional development opportunities that lead to the kinds of excellence that are a hallmark of our community.
QUALIFICATIONS
- An undergraduate degree in a humanities-related field with experience teaching courses; an advanced degree and three years teaching experience is preferred
- Familiarity with diverse ways of engaging students over a range of learning styles enhanced by a desire to try new approaches
- A passion for creative/collaborative design of unique programming within our department and across disciplines leading to curriculum invoking interdisciplinary approaches, diverse/inclusive perspectives, and experiential opportunities in and out of the classroom
- A continuous commitment to improve teaching proficiency, particularly with technology (including AI) as applied to best practices in education
- A deep understanding of adolescence and a passion for working with teenagers as they engage the complex issues of today’s world
HAWKEN CANDIDATE COMPETENCIES:
Mission, Culture, and Philosophy Alignment: Successful candidates show they can thrive at Hawken and are highly motivated by the school’s mission.
Fair Play: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice: Successful candidates indicate a commitment to and have experience with serving students and communities equitably.
Relationship Building and Cultivation: Successful candidates show they can build relationships throughout the Hawken community.
Content Knowledge: Successful candidates demonstrate depth in content area knowledge as well as an ability to inspire students to a high level of excellence and challenge and take a student-centered approach to all aspects of their work.
Humility and Growth Mindset: Successful candidates are eager to learn new approaches and methods and be able to team effectively with others.
Approach to Work: Successful candidates show initiative and agency with a commitment toward feedback and flexible problem-solving.
THE SCHOOL
Founded on the ideal that “the better self shall prevail and each generation introduce its successor to a higher plane of life,” Hawken School is a coeducational independent day school with 1,600 students in toddler through grade 12. Our four campuses are located within 25 minutes of downtown Cleveland, and an urban extension center in the city’s museum district provides a demanding and integrated course of study in a diverse and dynamic environment.
Founded on the ideal that “the better self shall prevail and each generation introduce its successor to a higher plane of life,” Hawken School is a coeducational independent day school with 1,600 students in toddler through grade 12. Our four campuses are located within 25 minutes of downtown Cleveland, and an urban extension center in the city’s museum district provides a demanding and integrated course of study in a diverse and dynamic environment.
HOW TO APPLY
Please send a resume, references, and a cover letter to Matt Simon at upperschoolemployment@hawken.edu.
Please send a resume, references, and a cover letter to Matt Simon at upperschoolemployment@hawken.edu.
Hawken School is an equal-opportunity employer dedicated to promoting all forms of diversity in the workplace and in our student body. We strongly urge all qualified individuals to apply.
An independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school, toddler through grade 12
Early Childhood, Lower, and Middle Schools, 5000 Clubside Rd, Lyndhurst, OH 44124
Birchwood School of Hawken, 4400 West 140th Street, Cleveland, OH 44135
Upper School, PO Box 8002 (12465 County Line Rd), Gates Mills, OH 44040
Mastery School of Hawken, 11025 Magnolia Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106
Gries Center, 10823 Magnolia Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106
Early Childhood, Lower, and Middle Schools, 5000 Clubside Rd, Lyndhurst, OH 44124
Birchwood School of Hawken, 4400 West 140th Street, Cleveland, OH 44135
Upper School, PO Box 8002 (12465 County Line Rd), Gates Mills, OH 44040
Mastery School of Hawken, 11025 Magnolia Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106
Gries Center, 10823 Magnolia Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106
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