Theatre Arts/Drama Teacher, Grade 6-8, CSUS

Position: Theatre Arts/Drama Teacher, Grade 6-8

Visual & Performing Arts Department/Cambridge Street Upper School

Cambridge Street Upper School Community:

The Cambridge Street Upper School (CSUS) was founded in 2012 as a middle school serving grades 6-8. CSUS endeavors to develop and sustain a vibrant and high functioning teaching and learning community that values social justice, affirms cultural identity, and promotes academic excellence for all. CSUS actively aspires to become a culturally proficient school that reflects equity and inclusion and affirms the rich cultural and racial diversity of our student body and their families. We are committed to challenging the opportunity gap and providing academic excellence for all.

The Cambridge Street Upper School is an innovative public middle school in the Cambridge Public School District. We are looking for a dynamic, committed teacher with strong content and pedagogical knowledge, solid classroom management skills, a deep commitment to social justice and anti-racism, and experience working in an urban school setting.

The Opportunity:

Cambridge Street Upper School, in partnership with the Visual and Performing Arts Department, seeks a confident, creative, social-justice-oriented, and compassionate Theater Arts teacher to lead and enhance the vision for the theater program. The Theater Arts Teacher will teach grades 6-8 theater/drama classes and report both to the principal and the Director of the Visual and Performing Arts Department (VPA). This position is full-time, with an additional stipend for after-school play.

Key Responsibilities:

• Teach theater/drama classes to grades 6-8
• Provide a comprehensive overview of culturally responsive theater art education
• Direct one after-school play a year, and small showcases for arts nights
• Promote effective and efficient creative and work habits
• Evaluate student work, develop peer feedback through a variety of assessment methods
• Supervise and mentor students in dramatic and technical theater
• Implement a rigorous and balanced standards-based art curriculum
• Differentiate instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners
• Demonstrate flexibility and compassion, while maintaining high expectations for student achievement
• Demonstrate strong classroom management skills
• Employ instructional methods that motivate students
• Collaborate with school faculty to develop an interdisciplinary curriculum and work with challenging students
• Contribute to departmental and school-wide curriculum projects and other initiatives
• Steward the careful use of supplies, equipment, and teaching resources
• Other duties as assigned

Your Skill Set:

As the incoming Drama Theater Arts Teacher, you will possess many, though perhaps not all, of the following characteristics and qualifications:

• 3+ years' experience leading theater/drama instruction in an urban, multicultural setting in 6-8.
• Culturally responsive educator with a strong sense of social justice and equity.
• High degree of comfort working with colleagues to build and refine engaging, standards-based learning experiences that are responsive to the needs and interests of the communities you serve.
• Able and willing to participate in paid after-school theater programming.
• Collaborative disposition, eager to partner with classroom teachers, VPA staff, and other team members in the district on behalf of our students and families.
• Excellent classroom management skills and use appropriate, authentic assessment strategies to monitor student progress.
• Ability to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners and adjust practice to meet the needs of all students.
• Strong organizational skills, setting up structures that allow you to manage your own work effectively and position colleagues for success.
• Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree preferred.
• Massachusetts Licensure for Theater Education required.

How to Join Our Team:

Apply online at www.cpsd.us. Please upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity.

At the Cambridge Public Schools, we are committed to cultivating an environment where diverse perspectives and backgrounds are embraced, acknowledging that a team reflecting diversity of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and veteran status allows us to serve our communities better. To that end, we welcome and encourage applicants to bring their authentic selves when considering employment opportunities within our school district.