Upper School Math Teacher – Substitute
THE POSITION
The Park School seeks a substitute teacher in the Upper School math department for an immediate start. This position requires teaching two sections of math to 9th Grade students.
The primary goal of The Park School’s math department is to enable students to become more mathematically capable, confident, and appreciative. Inquiry and the construction of knowledge are essential elements of each student’s mathematical experience at Park.
Devoted to intellectual inquiry, a collaborative spirit of learning, and an appreciation for the diversity of human experience, The Park School of Baltimore is a community founded on positive expectations of our students and respect for individual differences.
We cultivate children’s innate curiosity by nurturing their interests and engaging them as active participants in their own education.
We support young people in becoming confident questioners and responsible citizens of the world.
The Park School is a non-sectarian, independent, coeducational day school of 856 students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. Founded in 1912 as one of the early progressive schools, The Park School continues to practice a distinct educational philosophy. The core values today, as in 1912, are a belief in children’s capacity to love learning, to grow academically and emotionally when inspired by highly qualified, caring teachers, and to develop self-discipline, confidence, and creative problem-solving skills through deep exploration and constant challenge. At every grade level, from Pre-Kindergarten through Upper School, Park actively encourages questioning and conversation as essential elements of the learning process. The school philosophy emphasizes a belief in positive expectations and expects that students, as they mature, will take increasing responsibility for their own learning.
Classes are opportunities for students to explore interesting problems using important ideas from different areas of mathematics. Training in specific mathematical habits of mind (Tinker, Visualize, Simplify the Problem…) is an ongoing focus in the classroom.
For example, early in 9th Grade, the students study arithmetic sequences. They are asked how they might add up the numbers 1-10 without actually adding up the individual numbers. Eventually this generalizes to sequences of arbitrary length and different “common differences.” Students come up with different methods and eventually write their own formula for the sum of an arithmetic series. The teacher facilitates this conversation, perhaps pushing the students to use algebra to show that some of the methods that seem different from one another turn out to be equivalent.
Over the past several years, the math department has written original 9th, 10th, and 11th Grade curricula that have a strong emphasis on teaching students problem solving strategies, and which encourage student discussion and inquiry. The new materials are being used as texts for all three grade levels. Work to revise and enhance the curricula will continue. It is essential that the new department member brings an enthusiasm for interesting problems, developing lessons, and collaborating with colleagues. Prospective applicants are encouraged to examine lessons from the curricula, available at http://www.parkmath.org/Sample -Lessons.
QUALIFICATIONS
Candidates should:
- embrace the school’s progressive philosophy and teaching methods;
- be able to teach up through calculus and beyond in a manner supportive of our philosophy;
- have a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics or a related field (e.g. physics);
- bring an enthusiasm for interesting problems and for discussing these problems with students;
- want to engage students in activities that help them to develop and demonstrate an understanding of mathematics;
- be flexible and responsive to student needs and willing to adapt lessons accordingly;
- have an openness to cross-divisional teaching;
- have a demonstrated openness to supporting our anti-racist action plan;
- have a desire to participate in mathematics curriculum development and assessment.
SALARY AND BENEFITS
Park salaries and benefits are highly competitive with those in other leading independent schools. For new appointments, salaries reflect experience and training equated to Park’s scales.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Due to the large volume of incoming résumés, we cannot accept phone calls. Interested candidates are asked to send a letter of interest, personal statement, résumé, and list of references via email or US mail.
CONTACT
Priscilla Morales, Associate Head of School
The Park School
2425 Old Court Road
Baltimore, MD 21208
academicresources@parkschool.net
The Park School of Baltimore does not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, ancestry, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or any physical or mental disability unrelated to a reasonable performance of an employee’s duties.
COVID-19
Please note: Park School currently requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination, subject to legally required exemptions, as a condition of employment.
