Posted: 06-Jun-25
Location: Houston, Texas
Type: Contract
Categories:
Required Education:
JOB TITLE: Upper School Language Teacher and Department Chair
REPORTS TO: Director of Upper School and Director of Middle School
DIRECTLY SUPERVISES: None
STATUS: Salary, 40 hours/week, Teacher Contract
Job Summary: The Upper School Language Teacher and Department Chair has the responsibility of providing in-depth knowledge of subject content and the best teaching practices for students with learning differences. This position is tasked with teaching Language courses in the Upper School (Grades 9-12), focusing on reading, writing, literacy, and critical thinking in their students. The position will play a critical role in partnering with the Middle School and the Upper School Director.
Detailed Responsibilities & Activities- Teaching Responsibilities (Including Physical Function)
- Experience teaching and detailed knowledge of Upper School students, specifically in the realm of reading, writing, and critical thinking.
- Creating a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement, and self-motivation
- Experience developing student-centered, differentiated lessons that provide students multiple venues to acquire and demonstrate knowledge
- Excitement for and a growth-mindset of continuous development as a teacher through professional development opportunities both internal and external
- A mind toward contributing to school life through coaching, clubs, and advising.
- Experience in interdepartmental and cross-curricular collaboration with fellow members of the Language department and/or divisional colleagues
- Encouraging the use of technology as a teaching and support tool in the classroom
- Exhibiting punctuality as observed in arrival and departure times from building and required meetings
- Maintain physical ability to complete all essential functions and activities of the position.
- Commitment to Briarwood’s mission, purpose, and culture
- Strive to inspire a love of the field of study in students.
- Partner proactively with faculty and administration to support students with different learning styles and teachers in their efforts to advance students with different learning needs.
- Observe and evaluate individual students displaying academic or behavioral difficulties and assess their learning strengths and challenges.
- Enthusiastic collaboration with the English and Language Department and Grade level team
- Direct one-on-one or small-group instruction.
- Prepare lesson plans
- Document progress, assist goals for students
- Developing and issuing educational content including notes, tests, and assignments.
- Supervising classes to ensure all students are learning in a safe and productive environment.
- Organizing supplies and resources for lectures and presentations.
- Delivering personalized instruction to each student by encouraging interactive learning.
- Planning and implementing educational activities and events.
- Ensuring your classroom is clean and orderly.
- Preparing and distributing periodic progress reports and semester report cards.
- Attending parent-teacher meetings.
- Evaluating and documenting students’ progress.
- Follows evidence-based curriculum and strategies adopted by the school
- Aligns routines and procedures across grade-level and vertically
- Maintains a structured, consistent, yet flexible approach to classroom management
- Skilled at differentiating instruction and providing individualized accommodation
- Serve as a grade level advisor and team member managing all aspects of the grade level experience.
- Allocating and grading homework, assignments, and tests.
- Experience using a Structured Literacy approach to Language
- Work with parents, faculty, and division heads when academic concerns arise regarding students.
- Represent the school at educational conferences and associations.
- Attend all staff meetings and staff retreats.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Middle, Director of Upper School, or the Head of School
Detailed Responsibilities & Activities- (Including Physical Function)
Department Chair Description
Department Chairs play a vital role in the successful development and implementation of The Briarwood School’s programs and curricula for their respective departments. The Department chair serves as a liaison between faculty and administration and is pivotal in creating and sustaining the positive school culture necessary to foster student learning. As a teacher-leader, Department chairs create an environment in which their teams feel supported, collaboration is fostered, and teachers feel empowered. They work with administration to ensure that the procedures and policies of The Briarwood School are consistently executed to provide a cohesive community for all stakeholders. Department chairs also serve as in-house experts, modeling best practices and providing guidance to other teachers.
The Briarwood Philosophy
"Every student can learn, and every student has the right to be taught in the way he or she learns best."
The Briarwood Core Values
Community through Connections
Our school community is a diverse group of learners who treat each other with kindness and respect. We value the connections that our faculty and staff make with our students. We value our partnerships with families. We strive to ensure that our community offers opportunities for academic, social, and emotional growth.
Transformation through Confidence
Our faculty create a structured and challenging academic environment. They hold themselves and their students accountable as they build confident, self-advocating learners who are prepared for an ever-challenging and complex world. We set high expectations for social behavior and academic success, which students attain through perseverance and a growth mindset.
Each candidate is expected to understand and support the Briarwood Teaching Philosophy and Core Values.
The Briarwood School offers a competitive health insurance program, retirement benefits, paid time off, and robust professional development opportunities.
The Briarwood School is an equal-opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Briarwood prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.
This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. The Briarwood School makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.
June 2025
Qualification Requirements:
The Upper School Language Teacher demonstrates flexibility, perseverance, resourcefulness, critical thinking and creativity, collaboration, self-awareness, the ability to listen well and seek understanding, strong organizational skills, and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively, verbally and in writing.
Education:
Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s degree preferred. Relevant teaching certification preferred (Texas or other State Certification in English)
Experience:
- Experience in independent schools, with a strong background in English/Language Arts
- Willingness to work with students in grades 9-12 with learning disabilities.
- 3+ years of teaching experience required; experience teaching in independent schools and in an LD environment preferred.
- Previous experience in peer leadership or mentoring preferred
- Previous experience with curriculum development preferred
- Exceptionally capable in both written and oral communication
- Excellent organizational and presentation skills
- Technologically savvy
- Working with students with diagnosed learning disabilities and dyslexia
- Proven success at working collaboratively
- Passionate about the chosen field of study
Physical Abilities: Maintain physical ability to complete all essential functions and activities of the position.