Title: Italian Teacher

Department: World Language 

Location: Watertown High School
Affiliation: Watertown Educators Association Unit A

Salary range: As determined by Salary Schedule, Unit A

Start Date: September 1, 2024
Reports to: Adam Silverberg, K-12 World Languages Curriculum Coordinator

Summary: 

Watertown Public Schools seeks an exceptional Italian Teacher who is highly qualified and knowledgeable to join our community of teachers, learners, and leaders. This is an exciting opportunity for teachers who desire to serve where their efforts matter.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Demonstrates mastery of related subject matter, instructional skills, and resource materials for the course(s) taught. 
• Utilizes lesson plans and units of instruction, aligned with current state and district standards, which drives instruction through formative assessment and differentiation. 
• Maintains a safe, organized classroom, which supports students’ independent learning, collaboration, and choice. 
• Utilizes a variety of effective instructional and management techniques. 
• Provides a variety of assessments and uses assessments for planning and instruction 
• Provides consistent, immediate feedback to student learning and asks analytical questions that elicit students’ responses that incorporate prior knowledge, life experience, and interests that are directly related to the content objective. 
• Monitors and maintains a positive classroom environment that supports the school-wide behavior expectation in which most students are engaged, incorporates mutual respect, and provides cooperative learning opportunities. 
• Uses available technology/instructional media to enhance the students’ learning experiences.
• Establishes and maintains appropriate relationships with students, parents, staff, and community members by communicating in a tactful, courteous, and confidential manner. 
• Appropriately communicates and interacts with other professional staff in academic planning and school committee work. 
• Attends and participates in staff meetings and school-related activities and committees. 
• Demonstrates a commitment to continuous professional growth and works with the administrator to formulate and complete professional growth plans. 
• Candidates should be passionate about teaching, have strong academic knowledge and facility with a World Languages curriculum, and be able to work well with high school students.
• Watertown is committed to the practice of teaching world languages for proficiency. Candidates should have a strong background in the ACTFL proficiency guidelines and current Massachusetts Standards for teaching a world language.

Core Competencies: Using the Massachusetts Model System for Educators Rubric, priority skills and abilities that all Watertown Public School teachers should possess:

Curriculum, Planning, and Assessment

(Subject Matter Knowledge, Well-Structured Lessons, Curriculum and Planning Indicator, Child and Adolescent Development)

• Demonstrates mastery of and enthusiasm for the content area and the pedagogy it requires
• Can convey a grasp of child development and how students learn
• Designs effective and rigorous standards based units of instruction consisting of well-structured lessons with measurable outcomes.

Teaching All Students

(Meeting Diverse Needs, Student Engagement, Safe Learning Environment)

• Uses instructional practices that are likely to challenge, motivate, and engage all students and facilitate equitable, active student participation
• Builds a productive learning environment where every student participates and is valued as part of the class community
• Cultural Proficiency 
• Actively creates and maintains an environment in which students’ diverse backgrounds, identities, strengths, and challenges are respected

Family and Community Engagement

(Parent/Family Engagement)

• Engages with families and builds collaborative, respectful relationships with them in service of student learning
• Professional Reflection & Collaboration 

Professional Culture

(Reflective Practice, Professional Collaboration)

• Regularly reflects on practice, seeks and responds to feedback, and demonstrates self-awareness and commitment to continuous learning and development
• Seeks to participate in and contribute to a collaborative adult learning community.

Qualifications Required:

• Appropriate MA certification and an undergraduate degree in Italian or a related field are required. 
• Proficient in Italian
• All prospective employees must be able to clear the required background checks.

Qualificatios Preferred:

• Dual licensed Italian/Spanish
• At least 2 years of relevant experience

License Requirements:

• Foreign Language - Italian 5-12

Equal Opportunity Employer

Watertown Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.