The IDEAL School of Manhattan is seeking a talented, warm, and creative learning specialist who believes in fostering the potential for excellence in all students, equipping them with the academic and social-emotional skills necessary to lay the foundation for continued success. 

Lower School classes at IDEAL work in an integrated, co-teaching model, which partners a general educator and a learning specialist to provide a rigorous, student-centered, differentiated, collaborative educational experience within the context of an inclusion classroom. The co-teaching model at IDEAL’s Lower School ensures a low student-teacher ratio and allows teachers to organize flexible groups and to challenge, inspire, and support all learners in the classroom. Most classrooms are also assigned one or two associate teachers who facilitate the inclusion experience for a student in the school’s Dylan program, while also playing a supporting role in the larger classroom. Learning specialists create an extra layer of support for students across learning environments, helping classroom teachers to differentiate curriculum and ensure appropriate access for all students. 

Lower School is a time of profound growth and change as students master emergent academic skills, become accustomed to classroom and school-wide routines, form a greater understanding of themselves and others, and develop and sustain meaningful friendships. Learning specialists are tasked with supporting this growth inside and outside the classroom in a consistent, nurturing way; encouraging students to take the healthy risks necessary to learn new things about themselves and the world around them every day.

The IDEAL candidate will

• Show a commitment to inclusive education and have the skills and passion to inspire, nurture, and challenge students with a range of interests, experiences, strengths, readiness-levels, and learning styles 
• Be skilled in classroom management, helping to create a respectful, safe, and nurturing community where all students feel comfortable expressing their full identity and are inspired to celebrate the full identities of their peers
• Deeply understand the strengths and challenges of students and ensure that all students are challenged and supported across disciplines 
• Demonstrate expertise in child development and the pedagogy of early and mid-childhood education for typically developing students as well as those with special needs
• Show initiative and follow through on work
• Seek out contemporary and innovative curricula, texts, and technology for incorporation into instruction
• Contribute broadly and fully to the spirit and life of our students, community, and mission
• Communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, with all constituencies, students, faculty, administration, and families

• Attend and participate in weekly faculty meetings, team meetings, committee meetings, school functions, and professional development activities during and after school hours as needed, appropriate, and assigned
• Uphold the mission, philosophy, principles, policies, and procedures of IDEAL

Equal Opportunity Employer

The IDEAL School of Manhattan is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunities for all qualified employees and job applicants and to administer all employment activities regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, citizenship status, marital status, status as a victim of domestic violence, gender identity or expression, citizenship, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state or local law. The IDEAL School of Manhattan will not tolerate any action by its directors, officers, employees, supervisors, agents or independent contractors in violation of such policy.

This policy of Equal Employment Opportunity applies to all policies and procedures relating to recruitment and hiring, compensation, benefits, discipline, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment.

Those interested in applying please visit https://www.theidealschool.org/about/careers