The Gordon School is a racially diverse nursery through eighth grade all-gender independent school in East Providence, RI. The curriculum is rooted in multicultural practice and social justice, with an emphasis on developing intellectual leadership, active imagination, and a child’s natural inquisitive nature. Students are challenged and inspired to be active workers toward their own education and teachers strive to develop meaningful relationships with each child and family. 

Gordon's curriculum focuses on developing intellectual leadership by leveraging a child’s natural imagination, creativity and inquisitive nature. Students are challenged and inspired to be active participants in their own education, and faculty and staff strive to develop deep and meaningful relationships with each child and family.

We are seeking to hire a passionate, knowledgeable, and creative elementary educator with a commitment to diversity and inclusion and a strong sense of cultural competency. We are seeking a music teacher who is passionate about teaching general music literacy to our lower schoolers first to fourth graders. Personal qualities include the ability to inspire children, the capacity to work cooperatively with peers, and a joyful sense of humor. 

The Lower School music teacher will develop and implement a strong, multicultural curriculum that responds to and is supportive of the diverse developmental needs of the students, and that integrates music with other disciplines when appropriate. The ideal candidate will have both a broad and a deep understanding of music education, including choral and instrumental knowledge, and will demonstrate a profound understanding of lower schoolers. The position reports to the Lower School Director and works closely with the Arts Department Coordinator. 

 A Day in the Life of the Lower School Music Teacher: 

• Meet with the performing and visual arts teaching faculty to discuss opportunities for cross-curricular programming 
• Meet with other lower school specialist teachers, learning specialists, and Lower School Director to discuss student needs and differentiation
• Plan and teach a third and fourth grade club session
• Teach an engaging, skills-based music lesson to first graders 
• Prepare for an evening music showcase for parents that will highlight students demonstrating their music development 

Prerequisites for the Position

• Possess an undergraduate degree, with a concentration in music (or a graduate degree in music)

• Evidence of rigor of music training and background that demonstrates a firm knowledge of musical concepts, techniques, and history
• Capable of training students vocally and instrumentally to a foundational level; committed to building musical literacy using a variety of methods (Kodaly, the Takadimi system, Orff Schulwerk, Solfege, among others) 

• Understand the use of appropriate instruments and other materials that are suitable for various stages of development

• Have a basic understanding and working knowledge of current educational practices and of a curriculum that supports a developmental, process-oriented approach
• Have experience teaching children and working with parents

Duties and Expectations

• Promote direct student involvement and participation in all aspects of the program

• Establish and maintain a classroom environment that is organized and orderly, yet flexible

• Set and monitor a classroom tone that motivates, stimulates, and inspires students, is sensitive to their needs, and assumes appropriate behavior and respect for fellow classmates, teachers, and the school as a whole

• Develop and support specific learning goals and expectations for each grade level

• Assess student work appropriately and positively, write progress reports and hold parent conferences as requested

• Attend, plan, and/or present at admissions or information gatherings such as Open House or Lower School Admissions Information Sessions
• Plan, organize, and lead student music showcases for parents
• Attend and participate in advisor-team, department, divisional, and all-school meetings

• Actively engage in ongoing professional development, especially regarding growth as a multicultural practitioner
• Serve as an advisor to a group of students, be well-informed about all aspects of advisees’ work and school life, and be an advocate for and mentor to the advisees
• Assume such student supervisory activities as may be required