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English (Middle & High School)
Full-Time Position, with work-life flexibility
Position Summary
We are not your typical school. Thank you for taking a moment to learn more about the possibility of teaching English and inspiring students who are curious, smart, compassionate, kind, and hardworking over a multi-year program in a supportive, positive, and collaborative school.
Signature learning programs for our students distinguish us. They include 50+ hours of community service during school hours, exploring religions and faiths first hand (visiting 5-6 each year), 30+ field trips per year (almost every Wednesday to challenge, inspire, and make classroom lessons real), job shadow program, guest speakers program (30+ per year), emphasis civility, manners, and much more.
Founded in 2007, University School of the Lowcountry (USL) is a co-ed independent school serving grades 3-12 that engages students in a variety of empirically proven and forward-thinking educational and service opportunities both in and outside of the classroom and challenges students in age-appropriate ways to excel academically while growing in emotional intelligence in a culture that teaches and practices the importance of citizenship.
USL is located in Mount Pleasant and serves the metro Charleston, South Carolina area. USL is a growing school with 80+ students (with a defined cap of 100).
We are seeking an experienced, enthusiastic, and personable English Teacher for a full-time position, beginning in August 2024. There is flexibility in the hours required (30+ hours and also the opportunity to vary for work-life balance). There are approximately 60 students in the Middle and Upper School. They meet in English classes by division, and there are ample additional opportunities to work with students in small groups during the school day outside of classes.
English is also supported through Humanities (a core class in Middle and Upper School that features History, English, and Art) and Global Language classes (esp. grammar).
University School has a strong mentoring culture, and this teacher will be supported by other veteran teachers – especially Sara Peck. Peck taught grades 6-12 English for over a decade at USL, and she shifted to a primarily grades 8-12 college counseling and special personalized learning opportunities role because of the growth of our school.
Overview of Middle & Upper School English Classes
The Middle & Upper school English classes cover, broadly, three units.
The first semester is dedicated to creative work – reading, writing, workshop, and revision. This breaks down into six weeks per genre – poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction. There is no textbook – the teacher should have the ability to assign and discuss both canonical and contemporary mentor texts. Students should be given many generative assignments – throughout the semester, they should write and revise 5-7 poems, 2-4 pieces of short fiction, 2-4 pieces of creative nonfiction. The teacher should be comfortable leading students through regular peer reviews and/or writer workshops to aid in the revision of student work; the teacher should provide their own feedback on the work as well. With the teacher’s help, students will submit their best and most thoughtfully revised pieces to the Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition at the end of the semester.
Objectives: Students sharpen their own creative writing skills; students learn, identify, and apply literary and craft techniques; students learn to identify elements of craft and rhetoric; students sharpen revision skills; students grow in their abilities to provide constructive feedback on others’ work; students develop personal taste.
The third quarter focuses on academic writing. In the ninth and tenth grade years, priority is giving to researched and informative writing and argumentative writing. In the eleventh and twelfth grade years, the emphasis switches to rhetorical and literary analysis and the synthesizing of researched texts. Students should begin learning the modes of the 6 AP English essays by the tenth grade.
Objectives: Students can properly research a topic; students can smoothly integrate researched and quoted material in a larger essay; students can properly cite their research under the MLA style guidelines; students can craft a cogent thesis statement; students can present a clear argument; students can logically organize an essay.
The fourth quarter is primarily focused on reading and adapting a Shakespeare play. Because almost all of this work is confined to the classroom (the play should be read aloud and together), outside of the classroom, students work on vocabulary, literary and rhetorical terms, and spiral review of what they’ve learned throughout the year. These concepts should be assessed repeatedly throughout the quarter.
Objectives: Students can read difficult texts aloud; students can understand content, tone, and humor in a Shakespearean text; students can translate themes, character tropes, and plot points to different / contemporary settings; students can conceptualize a large group project; students can organize and carry out all aspects of a multifaceted project.
Grammar and usage are consistent topic areas. Working with students for years enables the teacher to help ensure this small number of students learns and masters all of these critical topics.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Mission and Leadership
• Be a visible presence in all areas of the school and build/maintain relationships among all students and faculty, especially in terms of supporting efforts related to skills connected to English and grammar.
• Support the mission, vision, and core values of the school.
• Promote a school climate that is safe, supports learning, and emphasizes character development.
• Communicate proactively with students, parents, faculty, and staff.
• Meet and coordinate with other teachers on a regular basis to ensure clarity and consistency across divisions so that our students master and demonstrate the requisite English skills.
Curriculum and Teaching and Learning
• Be knowledgeable and able to articulate advances and trends in English teaching-learning and education.
• Review and evaluate the academic programs in English, including horizontal and vertical curricular flow.
Students – Classroom Teaching and Learning
• Use appropriate and varied teaching techniques
• Maintain academic and attendance records for each student
• Prepare and conduct regular assessments
• Assign lessons, correct written work in a timely manner, and evaluate oral presentations
• Assign appropriate and relevant reading material
• Prepare course objectives and follow the school’s overarching curriculum
• Develop and share a year-long curriculum map (building on course overviews above – one for the Upper School and one for the Middle School). USL has pre-existing maps and the teacher will have the support of the prior teacher of these classes.
• Demonstrate a passion for working with students in grades 6-12 and an understanding of their unique development at each of these levels.
• Display enthusiasm for teaching and professional growth.
• Provide English Support where needed.
• Become immersed in student life and get to know students well.
• Follow child safety and reporting requirements of the State and the School in the case of suspected child abuse or neglect.
Faculty
• Ensure that teachers across disciplines are familiar with lessons taught and skills expected so there is mutual reinforcement and common expectations.
• Foster a professional, respectful, and appreciative environment that values the contributions of all team members.
• Serve as a member of the English department; attend meetings and support the work of the department.
• Build trusting relationships with faculty and staff, identifying their needs and strengths, and supporting them.
Teaching at University School of the Lowcountry
University School attracts the best teachers, hiring those who succeed because of their drive, optimism, insight, curiosity, and ability. Their enthusiasm is contagious. Actively fostering a culture of learning is what makes a great school. Our exceptional teachers and their high expectations foster an environment where our students succeed. Our dedicated faculty have the highest expectations for each other and each student in all areas of their development: intellectually, physically, emotionally, ethically, and socially.
University School features a supportive and warm environment for teachers. Faculty are treated like professionals and are respected and shown proper gratitude by students and families. Teachers have wide latitude to teach and select curriculum materials to engage their students, and guidance comes from the Head of School (who is also a teacher), fellow department members and teachers, and best practices from national associations for the various disciplines. The Faculty hold themselves to high standards for inspiring and challenging their students within an environment of mutual care and concern.
University School is a community where relationships are pivotal to learning. As such, the personal qualities of this candidate are vital. These include being a supportive, engaged, and flexible role model who demonstrates both a sense of humor and an infectious enthusiasm for working with students. The candidate should also be comfortable guiding students in developing positive relationships with others who are older and younger. He or she must also be able to work effectively with others in a spirit of collegiality and understand that teaching is a moral act.
We are devoted to our teachers’ professional and personal development. University School teachers are certified in American Red Cross CPR/AED and have completed Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children sexual abuse prevention program.
The South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) has recognized our faculty and staff: Head of School of the Year (2013), Middle School Teacher of the Year (2018), Elementary School Teacher of the Year (2020), and High School Teacher of the Year (2023, 2021), Middle School Math Teacher of the Year (2023).
Common Qualification Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in English or similar area of study (the key is demonstrated proficiency in the topics and skills listed above for these classes); master’s degree preferred.
• Teaching experience, and this can come in a wide variety of forms and fields, especially with students in grades 6-12 and even college. This can include public and/or private schools.
Sample Skill Requirements
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills
• Strategic thinker and empathetic problem solver
• An approachable, empathetic, and down-to-earth disposition, with a healthy balance of humility and confidence
• Possess qualities of enthusiasm, courtesy, flexibility, personal presentation, integrity, gratitude, kindness, self-control, perseverance, and punctuality
• Proven ability to work and communicate well with adolescents and their parents
• Collaborative and relational style built on active solicitation of input and excellent listening skills
• Knowledge of and commitment to a community where all belong
• Comfortable using and learning new or best-practice technology
• Model a growth mindset and comfort with change
• Positive outlook on life with a good sense of humor
• A deep appreciation and passion for education
