Details
Posted: 06-Jun-22
Location: Palo Alto, California
Type: Full Time
Categories:
English/Language Arts
Khan Lab School (KLS), an independent K-12 school in the Bay Area’s Silicon Valley, seeks a full time Middle School Humanities Specialist. The goal of the Humanities Specialist is to develop student’s passions and curiosities about Humanities by designing classes, lessons, and assessments that not only focus on foundational content and skills, but also support whole-student learning through social-emotional learning, project-based lessons, and experiential content.
WHO WE ARE
About Khan Lab School
Khan Lab School (KLS) is an independent, non-profit, K-12 school founded by Salman Khan in 2014 to extend Khan Academy’s student-centered philosophy into a physical school environment. Furthering his vision for Khan Academy, Khan wrote and published The One World Schoolhouse, in which he argues for mastery-based, blended, and mixed-age learning coupled with a departure from traditional letter grades. Today the KLS teaching community is bringing that vision to life and also sharing knowledge within education more broadly.
In each academic area at KLS, there is a minimum pace our students must meet, but learning is decoupled from age; the time it takes a student to finish a course will vary but the depth of mastery is constant. We believe that students cannot “master” a course by performing well on one assessment. Instead, students are expected to demonstrate mastery of all skills and content of a course before they can obtain credit, thereby precluding “gaps” in their education.
Every student is assigned to a mixed-age homeroom cohort, which they can expect to be part of for one-two years. There are currently seven cohorts for students ages 5 to 18+. Students also partner with faculty to explore their passions and deepen their learning. As an accredited lab school, our quality of learning remains high while we continue to reimagine and test instructional methods based on quantitative and qualitative data. Learning is supported through weekly advising, real-world application, and a culture that fosters student agency. Faculty and students do not simply adhere to the status quo in education. KLS is a model for innovation in education.
The KLS staff and teachers will represent the diversity of the students we intend to serve. We believe that standard hiring practices disproportionately hurt those most marginalized in society — including but not limited to Black and Indigenous people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and trans/gender-nonconforming individuals, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We believe that these communities must be at the center of the work we do. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities. Our school’s dedication to promoting diversity, multiculturalism, and equity is clearly reflected in all of our content.
WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR
As an integral member of the academic team, you will be teaching grade 6 English and History standards in small-group classes, and working with the team to refine how we can best empower young people to take control over their own learning. You will also be an Advisor to a small group of students, incorporating social-emotional learning (SEL) and coaching them on executive function skills.
Role and Responsibilities
Candidates should have an interest in teaching students in a school that values not only intellectual and learning for justice pursuits, but also building strong relationships and community.
- Work with students daily at the Khan Lab School campus.
- Build authentic relationships with students.
- Create scaffolded strategies and differentiated instruction using a variety of lenses.
- Invest in the life of the school by participating in professional development, team meetings, school events, and any and all aspects that support student growth.
- Appropriately and effectively coach students, supporting them to find their voice and pace.
- Work with students on academic, social-emotional, and executive function skills.
- Serve as a subject-matter expert in Middle School English/Language Arts and History (Ancient Civilizations).
- Arrive on-time, maintain a regular schedule, and maintain administrative responsibilities.
- Promote the thoughtful use of technology.
- Obtain and interpret key learning metrics and fold this into student’s personalized learning plans.
- Administer formative and summative assessments to guide instruction.
- Collaborate well with colleagues to design and iterate so that you may share best practices and discoveries with others.
The ideal candidates should possess many of the following qualifications:
Qualifications
- A passion for working with middle school students and a keen understanding of where they are developmentally.
- A deep interest and proven track record in teaching close reading and analytic writing.
- Curiosity, creativity, and flexibility in content and pedagogical approach that opens space for all voices and nurtures critical thinking and curiosity.
- Commitment to collaborating with educators in other disciplines with respect to content, pedagogy, and use of technology.
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
- Exceptional ability to respond well to feedback and implement it immediately.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills with the ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with all constituents.
WHAT YOU’LL BRING
Skills and Capabilities
Successful candidates will have the following qualifications:
- Entrepreneurial mindset.
- Interested in progressive and online education.
- Willingness to be flexible and solutions oriented in a lab school culture.
VERY NICE TO HAVES:
- Experience with project-based learning or Learning for Justice Curriculum.
- Experience as a middle school advisor.
- Degree or successful experience teaching another subject area.
WHAT WE OFFER
Khan Lab School is a community of learners empowering every student to navigate their own path. We get things done and believe that in our highly collaborative environment, anything is possible. All of our decisions are made through the lens of what is best for our students. We tackle tough questions without ego, are results oriented, and have high expectations for school and our students.
Khan Lab School offers a stimulating and unique working environment. We seek team members who possess a unique skill set because this is a multi-faceted teaching position. To learn more about Khan Lab School or Khan Academy, please visit our websites.
Compensation:
Competitive compensation commensurate with experience
Health, dental, and vision benefits
401(k) with matching
Free on-campus lunch and snacks
Start Date: Fall 2022
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Number of Positions to be Filled: 1
Employment: Full-time
APPLY NOW
To qualify, please provide a resume and a letter of interest using the job link on our school’s Careers webpage. Successful candidates will have a demonstrated familiarity with the Sal Khan’s school model outlined in his book The One World Schoolhouse.
Khan Lab School is an EOE and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, place of national origin, sex, age, veteran status, sexual orientation or physical handicap in its employment practice.
SPECIAL SCHOOL EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
All Khan Lab School employees must undergo criminal background checks and TB risk assessments as mandated by California state law prior to their start dates at Khan Lab School. By submitting an application, you acknowledge that your employment with Khan Lab School would be conditioned on satisfactory background check and completion of the TB risk assessment.