Teachers Roles and Responsibilities at AISC

Planning

• Planning collaboratively, based on agreed curriculum framework, standards, and instructional goals.
• Creating learning units with the Profile of our Graduate in mind.
• Involving students in planning their own learning and assessment.
• Accommodating and differentiating a range of ability levels.
• Planning the use of varied and appropriate resources.

Assessing

• Maintaining accurate records including lesson plans and marks.
• Viewing planning, teaching and assessing as interconnected processes.
• Using a range and balance of assessment strategies and documentation.
• Assessing levels of student’s understanding before embarking on new learning.
• Enabling students to see assessment as a means of describing their learning and involving students and colleagues in the assessment process.
• Involving students in shared reflection during and at the end of each unit.
• Making sure students fully understand how their grades are determined.
• Writing reports and maintaining records of regular parental contact.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to ensure that the result of assessment provide a link to further development.

Caring for our students

• Providing a safe environment for the student at all times, in and out of the classroom.
• Efficiently carrying out supervision responsibilities.
• Supporting the moral, social and emotional development of each child in our care.
• Ensuring calm and sensible behavior at all times through the application of fair and consistent discipline.
• Demonstrating positive attitudes of tolerance, respect and integrity by example.
• Celebrating multicultural origins and national identities in our community.
• Seeing that equity is observed in our school and not allowing gender or social status to intrude.
• Gaining insight in students through communication and partnership with families and colleagues.

Professional appraisal and staff development

• Reflecting on teaching and creating an annual Professional Growth Plan.
• Seeking and participating in opportunities for professional growth.
• Supporting the emphasis on ongoing professional learning to further develop knowledge of pedagogy and teaching practice.
• Sharing ideas and good practice with others and constructive collaboration with colleagues in the curriculum development and review process.

Teachers are also expected to conduct and lead extra-curricular activities, and/or after school tutoring until 4:00pm to assist their own students who may be struggling.

Specific Features of Teaching at AISC

AISC teachers specific programs/approaches and uses particular software. If you take up a position in the elementary school, you will be expected to:

• Implement the Balanced Literacy approach to teaching literacy
• Differentiate in reading using guided reading groups; use our leveled book room to support the different reading levels in your classroom
• Use Ganske’s diagnostic approach to teaching spelling, phonics and word work and/or Fountas & Pinnell’s Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study approach
• Teach and assess writing using the 6+1 Writing Traits
• Teach mathematics using open source materials; design rich math tasks; provide opportunities for collaborative problem-solving
• Map your curriculum using the Atlas Rubicon web-based program
• Use MAP (Measurement of Academic Progress) testing to guide your teaching
• Assess reading using Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) three times a year
• Take attendance, record grades and write report-cards using an electronic, integrated database
• Write an electronic newsletter home to parents each week outlining the week ahead
• Be technologically literate
• Use formative assessments and qualitative assessments regularly
• Subscribe to the AISC Essential Agreements on Assessment
• Encourage higher order thinking skills – Bloom’s Taxonomy
• Develop a positive home-school connection by being in touch with parents through newsletters, email on a regular basis

If you take up a position in the secondary school (Grades 6-12/IB), you will be expected to:

• Create units of instruction using concepts to frame your units (a conceptually-based curriculum)
• Implement the Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, AERO Social Studies Standards, the Virginia State Standards and/or the IB curriculum in your unit development
• Upload daily, weekly, and monthly assignments, and provide ongoing feedback to students using the school’s parent and student portal
• Use electronic grading connected to the parents’ and students’ portal
• Map your curriculum using the Atlas Rubicon web-based program
• Use MAP (Measurement of Academic Progress) testing to guide your teaching
• Take attendance and write report-cards using an electronic integrated database
• Create qualitative assessments, such as performance tasks with rubrics
• Make use of technology including knowledge of an interactive whiteboard (Smartboard)
• Use formative and qualitative assessments
• Subscribe to the AISC Essential Agreements on Assessment
• Encourage higher order thinking skills – Bloom’s Taxonomy
• Develop a positive home-school connection by being in touch with parents through newsletters, email on a regular basis