Beginners Teacher (AY26-27)
8 days ago
Cambridge
Job Description Reports To: Lower School Director Start Date: August 2026 About Buckingham Browne & Nichols: Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Buckingham Browne & Nichols is a day school that engages students in grades Pre-K through 12 in a rich and invigorating educational experience of the highest quality. The school excels at helping students discover their unique talents and passions and develop those strengths to the fullest. The curriculum is challenging, forward-thinking, innovative, and flexible, designed to help qualified students, from a range of backgrounds and with a wide spectrum of talents and interests, reach new levels of accomplishment. Co-curricular opportunities in athletics, the arts, community service, and other areas add important dimensions to students’ learning. Students learn on three age and developmentally-appropriate campuses. At every grade, BB&N takes full advantage of the range of opportunities its locations afford. BB&N is committed to becoming an anti-racist institution. This commitment is integral to the mission and vision of the School. BB&N is an academically excellent, diverse, and inclusive community where students develop into lifelong learners who lead with kindness, curiosity, and integrity. We prepare students to be responsible and open-minded as they engage with the world around them. Our school is guided by the core values of: * Inquiry, in which we promote curiosity and critical thinking to inspire a lifelong love of learning. * Integrity, in which we strive to be honest, conscientious, and accountable in our actions, even when no one is watching. * Belonging, in which we foster a culture of respect, well-being, and connection that values all individuals and empowers them to discover and be their authentic selves, and * Kindness, in which we strengthen our communities by recognizing our common humanity and treating ourselves and others with respect and compassion. The vibrancy and vitality we feel in the classrooms, hallways, stages, and playing fields of BB&N derive from the people who are here. At its root are the varied interests and experiences, the different backgrounds, cultures, religions, views, and perspectives that our students and faculty bring to their classes and families bring to myriad activities. Each of us adds to the richness of another’s experience. Working and playing together teaches us lifelong lessons about appreciating, knowing, understanding, and learning from each other. Summary Description: BB&N is seeking a Beginner Homeroom Teacher who will serve as the primary educator for a class of young elementary students (typically 4-5 years old), creating a nurturing and academically rigorous learning environment rooted in an emergent, project-based curriculum that honors children as competent, creative thinkers. This position is responsible for designing and implementing a deeply integrated, research-based, child-centered approach to learning where curriculum emerges from children's interests and authentic investigations into the world around them. The teacher facilitates rich play experiences, carefully observes and documents student learning, and scaffolds academic skill development across all content areas in the context of meaningful project work. The Beginners Homeroom Teacher will work closely with families to create strong partnerships and will cultivate a classroom community inspired by BB&N’s core values of inquiry, integrity, belonging, and kindness–where all students feel valued, challenged, and empowered to reach their full potential. Key Tasks and Responsibilities: Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to: * Design and implement an emergent, integrated curriculum that responds to children's interests, questions, and investigations, weaving together language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies within authentic project-based learning experiences. * Observe, document, and assess individual student development across all domains through authentic assessment methods, maintaining detailed records that capture children's thinking, learning processes, and growth over time. * Facilitate and scaffold children's play as the primary vehicle for learning, recognizing play as the context in which young children engage in their most motivated and powerful thinking. * Build a democratic social learning community grounded in Responsive Classroom practices, fostering children's understanding of rights, responsibilities, diversity, multiculturalism, and citizenship within the classroom and broader school community. * Collaborate regularly and actively with specialists in art, music, library, physical education, Spanish, technology, creative movement, as well as the learning specialist and reading specialist to provide comprehensive, integrated support for student learning. * Any additional responsibilities determined by the LS Director. Some additional responsibilities include, but are not limited to, attendance at weekly faculty meetings, ordering of materials, tools, instructional aids, budget management, admissions work, Back to School Night presentation, and any other duties that may be assigned by the Administration. In addition, the Beginner teacher is expected to be committed to the following practices: * Diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and the impact it has on the curriculum and the community. * Social-emotional learning. * Using the visual arts to expand on the thoughts and ideas of the students. * Collaboration between adults in our community that evolves and advances practice. * Documentation and assessment of learning in ways that make the learning visible. * Understanding of inquiry-based interdisciplinary research projects and the development of authentic and meaningful experiences that result in exemplary work (a student’s best work) and lifelong learning. * Organization and use of materials within different disciplines in skilled and inventive ways to deepen learning. * Installation of organized and aesthetically pleasing learning environments. Requirements, Skills, and Competencies: The ideal candidate should have at least three years of lead classroom teaching experience in emergent, child-centered preschool/early childhood education. A Bachelor’s degree is required, and a Master’s degree in Elementary/Early Childhood Education is preferred. In addition, the ideal candidate will be familiar with Reggio Emilia-inspired educational philosophy, with significant knowledge of cognitive and social development learning theories and instructional practices. As a co-teaching position, collaboration, flexibility, and experience with team teaching are key skill sets for success. In addition, the candidate will demonstrate the following: * Joy working with elementary-aged students, and an understanding of child development for this age group. * Commitment to working in and fostering an inclusive community. * Knowledge and commitment around diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and the impact it has on the classroom climate and curriculum. * A desire to continue seeking professional development. * Excellent writing skills. * Ability to collaborate with colleagues inside and outside of the curriculum. * Ability to communicate effectively with students and families. * Curriculum design and assessment experience. * Ability to receive feedback. Salary: $69,000.00 - $101,701.00 BB&N offers competitive salaries and benefits, employing equitable and consistent compensation practices. The starting salary for any hired candidate is based on experience within salary bands. Compensation for eligible full-time and part-time employees includes a 403(b) plan with up to a 10% match of salary and other competitive benefits offerings. Benefits offered to eligible employees include health & dental insurance; commuter benefits; long-term disability insurance, and more. To Apply: Please visit the Careers at BB&N page to complete your online application. Please upload your Cover Letter, Resume, and Reference List. Successful candidates submit complete applications, inclusive of all requested materials, and respond to all posting questions completely and thoughtfully. Buckingham Browne & Nichols School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, gender identity, national origin or ancestry, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any non-job-related physical or mental disability. We welcome candidates who will increase our diversity; we encourage candidates of color and all diverse candidates to apply.