The Ancona School needs a full-time head teacher for Lower School Spanish. The teacher will provide instruction of the Spanish language using cultural contexts to embed the teaching and learning. As the lower school language teacher, this person is responsible for evaluating student progress in the subject matter and communicating regularly with parents. This includes weekly updates to the classroom web page, parent-teacher conferences, and emails and phone calls to inform the child’s family of academic and social-emotional development. This teacher writes narrative-based progress reports, participates in parent-teacher conferences as needed and/or requested. The lower school language teacher participates and collaborates in school assemblies and special events.

Our Program

The World Language Program is positive, non-threatening, and spontaneous. The Spanish curriculum builds upon the belief that students’ language learning should be a positive, non-threatening process, similar to the way children acquire their first language. Within our classroom, students learn not only language and pronunciation skills, but also learning strategies that will aid them as they continue their studies in later years. Our approach is meant to foster spontaneous and meaningful communication among students, interest and enthusiasm for Spanish-speaking cultures, and empathy for the people living within those cultures.

In contrast to traditional methods of second language instruction, Spanish language learning in our classroom is meant to be a low-stress process that encourages meaningful and effective communication within a nurturing environment. Classroom activities are tailored to students’ different learning styles, abilities, and language -learning backgrounds. We focus on eliminating the fear of failure and emphasize the process of communicating in a meaningful way. Students are assessed according to their willingness to communicate — orally or in writing — in the target language through meaningful and relevant messages, regardless of the student’s skill level.  

Our program uses lively songs, poetry, stories and games to build phonemic awareness, reinforce structural elements and allow students to more easily connect speech to print.

Our curriculum weaves lessons related to the geography, history, politics, music, art, daily life, and struggles for peace and social justice within the Spanish-speaking world.  Spanish language content and skills, including functional language competencies (social language), grammar, pronunciation, listening, writing, vocabulary, reading, and personal expressions are fully integrated with cultural themes.  The intense focus on these themes as seen through the lens of human rights and social justice is both progressive and potentially transformative; cultivating compassionate, culturally proficient and geographically knowledgeable global citizens who have the power to become positive change agents. With a strong emphasis on the meaningful exchange of ideas, lessons begin with the daily realities of the students, and gradually extend to communities throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

Each year, within a four-year cycle, we focus on a different part of the world where Spanish is spoken: 1) Spain 2) Mexico, Central America & the Spanish-Speaking Caribbean, 3) South America, and 4) The LatinX Community in the U.S.A.

Ancona School is seeking an inspiring, creative, dynamic, and progressive educator to join our School faculty in the World Language Department.

Specific Duties

• Follow a well-established curriculum that incorporates language and cultural studies and that focuses heavily on social justice and peace issues within the target regions
• Continue with programs and traditions that contribute to a warm and nurturing learning environment (i.e., Día de los Muertos, Día del Español, Intercambio de Libros/Día de Libros, Collaboration in all or most assemblies)
• Meet regularly with Middle School Head Spanish Teacher as the World Language Department
• Collaborate with Middle School Head Spanish Teacher to plan and supervise overnight Concordia Language Camp and an annual study-abroad trip to Mexico
• Plan, lead and collaborate with World Language field trips related to cultural theme unit
• Speak with passion about the importance of intercultural communication and understanding in classroom and community
• Use innovative approaches to World Language instruction (speaking, reading, listening, writing)
• Reach out for partnership with community based organizations to enrich the curriculum
• Engage in discussions about equity and inclusion as it relates to the target cultures
• Encourage students to reflect on rights and obligations within the context of human rights and social justice issues.
• Incorporate song, dance, theater, games, storytelling, and cooking into lessons
• Use a wide range of assessment strategies
• Partner with all adults responsible for K, 1st and 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students’ education and well-being; collaborate with colleagues to plan and execute weekly Flex Days
• Participate in professional development, faculty work days, and weekly faculty meetings
• Prepare for and present at school events, such as open houses and informational dinners
• Assess and report on student progress two times per year
• Communicate regularly with parents via email and the classroom website.
• Communicate well with a diverse parent body
• Work effectively in a team with the Middle School Spanish teacher, as well as the Primary School teaching team to plan interdisciplinary projects and events