Job Title: Middle or Upper School Judaic Studies Teacher
Reports to: Head of the Middle or Upper School
Classification: Exempt
Start Date: Immediately or August 2023
The Emery/Weiner School seeks a dynamic, innovative, and collegial Judaic Studies teacher to join our collaborative faculty. Responsibilities for this position include teaching at least five sections of Judaics courses and serving as a homeroom Advisor. Additional responsibilities include participation in student life (e.g. club sponsorship), participation in Jewish Life programming, supervisory duties, and school trip chaperoning/facilitation according to the experience of the candidate and needs of the school. This position may involve teaching Tanach, Rabbinics, Jewish history and/or philosophy, with a focus on how the views of tradition inform aspects of our lives today. The Judaics teacher will also work closely with members of the Judaics department to provide an inspiring and motivational Jewish learning environment.
The ideal applicant is an enthusiastic professional with a broad range of subject knowledge and previous middle or high school teaching experience. A strong candidate will have a desire to teach in a progressive, student-centered independent school that values innovative pedagogy and experiential education. An outstanding candidate should be able to demonstrate a track record of innovation, flexibility, collegiality, and student success. Coaching experience would be considered a plus.
The Emery/Weiner School is an independent, college-preparatory middle and high school that offers top-ranked academics, educates the whole child, and inculcates a unique student culture in an environment infused with pluralistic Judaism. Students carry with them the spirit of Tikkun Olam as they pursue an education not only for their own benefit but also to help improve the world in which they live. Our academic program encompasses traditional and progressive methods. While we stress the development of traditional academic skills, we also engage in experiential learning outside the walls of the classroom. Our culture is one that empowers students, instilling a sense of responsibility that extends to the outside community. The result is a learning partnership in which students feel a sense of ownership in the institution and — more importantly — graduate with a profound sense of self and moral self-reliance.
This position requires a professional who:
Is passionate about teaching Judaic studies topics to students;
Serves as a content expert and seeks out opportunities to expand their knowledge;
Thrives on a collaborative team which promotes daily brainstorming and creative thinking;
Exhibits a growth mindset and continually improves the way they teach;
Masters diverse teaching styles and allows for student-led questioning and discussion and student-developed assignments;
Embraces classroom technology integration as a tool for learning;
Provides direct instruction to students, individually or in small groups, during class and outside of the classroom;
Implements strategies to help students with content mastery.
Responsibilities include:
Teaching at least five sections of Judaic Studies classes to students with a range of academic aptitudes;
Assessing students’ academic and social development;
Providing consistent oral and written communication to students and families;
Serving as a homeroom Advisor to a small cohort of students;
Attends and participates in weekly faculty meetings, committee meetings, school functions, and professional development activities during and after school hours as needed, appropriate and assigned;
Adheres to strict student confidentiality;
Participates in, chaperones and/or facilitates some school activities, field trips, orientations, and experiential learning trips;
Performs other tasks as deemed necessary and appropriate by the Division Head and/or the Head of School.
Required qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Jewish Studies, Education, or related field;
Comfort with innovative and forward-thinking approaches to instruction;
A strong commitment to professional growth.
Preferred qualifications:
Advanced degree in education, or related field;
2-5 years of proven success in teaching upper school students;
Experience implementing inquiry-based or project-based curriculum;
Experience teaching in independent schools.
Interested applicants should send a cover letter, their resume, and 3-5 references to employment@emeryweiner.org. (References will not be contacted without notifying the candidate first.)
About The Emery Weiner Center for Jewish Education
The Emery/Weiner School, a private, college-preparatory middle and high school located in Houston, TX, is different! First, we provide the finest academics; second, we educate the whole child; third, we maintain a unique student culture; and fourth, we do all of this in an environment that is framed by and infused with progressive and pluralistic Judaism. Our academic program encompasses traditional and progressive methods. For instance, we stress skills such as writing and reading, but also engage in experiential learning and regular field trips. Our approach to Judaic studies is a modern one, which seeks to make the material and the traditions relevant for each student. And our culture is one that empowers students in order to create in each a sense of responsibility not only for their school community, but for the greater community at-large.