Posted: 06-Feb-26
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Type: Full Time
Categories:
Preferred Education:
Bennett Day School is a progressive independent day school looking for passionate educators with innovative spirit and rich background in adolescent learning and school experience. We are a new type of independent school; unabashed believers in the values of progressive education, we put students at the center of the process of learning.
The Bennett Day Middle School is hiring a full-time lead Project-Based Science teacher. In this role, you’ll be part of the Middle School faculty team and be responsible for implementing the core characteristics of our progressive, project- and competency-based middle school.
Reporting to our Director of Middle and Upper School, you’ll bring your experience to the team to lead a cohort of students as part of the middle school team of teachers beginning in the fall of 2026-2027. Most importantly, you’ll act as advisor to the students in a cohort, leading a small group of students as a mentor through all elements of the school experience. As a teacher, you’ll also design and team teach courses in Project-Based Learning environments, based on the needs of our students and in your field of expertise.
THE OPPORTUNITY
As one of our teachers, you’ll be intimately involved in every aspect of our growing school, and have input into major pedagogical and/or curricular decisions that the middle school makes. You'll be able to teach the most important elements of science based on your expertise, free from artificial requirements imposed from outside. You’ll simultaneously develop your pedagogical and design skills free from many outside constraints that you find in traditional schools, as you will be designing and implementing a project-based curriculum in a grade-free (no A’s, B’s or C’s) school. You’ll have the opportunity to develop meaningful educational relationships with students in your work as an advisor as well. You’ll also learn from your colleagues during professional development, which occurs on Wednesdays when students are in electives. We are a small team and collaborate constantly on pedagogy, educational design, and student support. This position is ideal for someone who thrives when given the opportunity to make close connections and develop relationships with students, families and colleagues.
This position is ideal for someone with the creativity to design engaging activities in collaboration with colleagues, always focused on what is best for students.
YOUR FIRST YEAR:
WITHIN ONE MONTH YOU’LL
- Learn about all the major elements of the middle school and how they embody the school’s mission and vision
- Learn about our competency-based education model
- Learn about our advisory program and work with your mentor teacher(s) and school counselor to plan your advisory
- Meet with the Middle School design team to coordinate on planning
- Create and manage, in collaboration with the Middle School PBL team, your first Project-Based Learning experience for students
- Plan for and meet your first group of advisees and their families in a series of conferences
WITHIN THREE MONTHS YOU’LL
- Attend 1-2 admissions and marketing events as needed to share the school’s story to potential Bennett Day families
- Co-Teach your first cross-curricular Project-Based Learning course with a cohort of students, a Social Studies teacher and an Engineering teacher
- Submit regular reports on student progress
- Participate in our professional development program on a weekly basis
- Lead conferences with families of your students
- Maintain a competency assessment of each student in your Project-Based Learning Courses
WITHIN SIX MONTHS YOU’LL
- Co-Teach your second Project-Based learning course during Trimester Two
- Write narrative assessments of your students and help them develop their own learning portfolios
- Be a part of the planning for info sessions for prospective families
- Be a part of admissions events
- Attend at least one professional development experience to learn more about at least one area of our pedagogical model with which you feel you need assistance or guidance
- Be the content-area expert and an important voice in development in your field(s) of expertise
WITHIN ONE YEAR, YOU’LL
- Continue to teach Project-Based Learning courses during Trimester 3
- Contribute to the interview and vetting process when/if any additional faculty is hired
- Provide input on the full, final curriculum for the 2027-2028 school year
*Responsibilities are not all-inclusive and will include other duties as assigned
JOB QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years experience working with adolescents in an education setting focused on Science
- Recognition that your primary role is an advisor and that your content expertise is secondary to the position
- Experience designing project-based learning experiences for middle school students
- An ability to create hands on activities for students
- Experience teaching Science courses to adolescents
- Success in, or deep interest in, designing and teaching competency-based learning programs
- Interdisciplinary and/or team teaching experience
- Interest in/Experience working in teams
- Successful experience working as a mentor/advisor to an adolescent within an academic setting
- Interest in/Experience designing innovative and experimental curriculum in a collaborative setting
- Commitment to continual development of one’s cultural competence
- Commitment to ongoing professional development
STRONGLY PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Comfort in a startup culture
- Experience or education in, or professional passion for, multiple content areas across traditional silos
- Interest in the Science of the Adolescent Brain/Learning Science
JOB REQUIREMENTS
- Physical strength to independently lift 15-20 lbs
- Fluency in written and oral language in English
- Ability to oversee and ensure the safety of children in and out of the classroom
*Responsibilities are not all-inclusive and will include other duties as assigned