Yalow’s team-teaching model is designed to address a student’s educational needs plus his or her educational barriers—emotional and social—so all students can focus on learning. Teachers with social worker backgrounds are teachers, first, and are expected to lead curriculum instruction. As-co-teachers in K-2 classrooms, they are also expected to help to positively impact at-risk students by increasing the number of protective factors and wraparound services so that those students respond vigorously to their education.
Required Qualifications
- MSW and NYS Teaching Certification in Elementary grades preferred.
- MSW and willingness to apply for and take required courses to receive a Transitional B certificate approved alternative teacher preparation (ATP) programs in New York State, such as Relay Graduate School of Education. Temporary certification will be granted upon completion of certain state exams.
- Classroom teaching experience in a culturally diverse, urban environment. Experience is inclusive of special education and English as a New Language (ENL) students.
- Experience developing and executing lesson plans aligned to the New York State Common Core standards.
- Familiarity with Singapore math and Core Knowledge Language Arts curricula strongly preferred.
- Ability to identify students’ challenges to learning, implement timely and consistent RTIs, and work collaboratively to address the cognitive, social, and emotional well-being of students.
- Demonstrated effective classroom management techniques, incorporating principles of character education, ethics, and student accountability.
- Data-Driven: Ongoing quantitative and qualitative data analysis, record keeping, and progress in monitoring student learning.
- Being bilingual in Spanish a plus.
Highly Valued Characteristics
- Support and commitment to the school’s mission: belief that all students can learn at a high level, regardless of race, culture, or socioeconomic status.
- Collaborative leadership style—ability to mentor and work cohesively as part of a team, including social workers, special education teachers, ESL teachers, content specialists, support staff, and outside groups.
- Ability to work with the RTI team to develop student assessments.
- A passion for the profession and strong communication skills.
- Ability to use feedback from administrators, peers, students, and parents to modify teaching, materials, pace, and rigor.
- Respect and concern for children, their parents/guardians; maintenance of ongoing communication with parents in the form of home visits, team meetings, telephone conferences, correspondence, workshops, etc.; strict adherence to FERPA, HIPAA, and confidentiality requirements in dealing with sensitive issues concerning students and their families.