Position Overview

A Teacher at The Augustine Academy is first and foremost a lover of Jesus Christ, and secondarily a lover of his human creatures, especially children, and delights in knowledge for Christ’s sake. Within this relational context, the Teacher is responsible to set and maintain a high-joy, inspirational, and peacefully authoritative atmosphere in and out of the classroom. Every day the teacher is to support students in cultivating the habits of the good life. Through ongoing training, regular observation and feedback, study, and practice, the teacher is to become highly skilled in Charlotte Mason’s method of a lesson in classroom instruction. The Teacher is to master the assigned curriculum, upholding TAA’s standards for student learning work. The Teacher also represents the school in and out of the classroom and acts on behalf of the school by professionally and warmly interacting with all students, parents, teachers, staff, and visitors. The Teacher reports to the Headmaster or the School Principal.

 

Personal Qualities

Spiritually mature in Christ, service and other-oriented, teachable, loving towards all persons (especially children), joyful, peaceful in and under authority, psychologically strong, growth-oriented, patient, hungry to know and share knowledge, intelligent, thorough, punctual, flexible, collegial, articulate, enthusiastic.

 

Spiritual Life

The duties listed in this section should infuse and inform all specific professional duties of a TAA teacher; such duties would include but are not limited to:

 

• Cultivating a personal love for God by keeping a daily devotional practice.
• Practicing ongoing awareness and dialog with God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—throughout the changing circumstances of each day.
• Being quick to recognize personal responses that are less than the character of Christ (particularly habitual responses); quick to repent and to pursue growth.
• Praying daily for students.
• Initiating prayer (appreciation, repentance, petition) with students spontaneously and at set times (Bible class, lunch, dismissal, etc.)
• Instructing students in how to pray more maturely (i.e., moving beyond “for a good day” or “to win the game,” etc.).
• Freely and naturally speaking of Jesus, though never as a tool to manipulate student behavior.
• Taking full advantage of opportunities provided by TAA to worship with students, and engage in spiritual formation activities and discussions with students.
• Actively participating in a local church community.

Relational Life

Cultivate and uphold a “life-giving” relational dynamic in the classroom and at large by:

 

• Fostering a sense of belonging within the school community; being inclusive, approachable, and hospitable.
• Viewing all (especially children) as having immeasurable potential and as being made in the image of God, never defining persons by label or diagnostic category.
• Humbly giving and receiving appropriate corrections to/from students, peers, and supervisors.
• Manifesting an unassuming view of self, not putting self on display, or seeking undue attention.
• Establishing and pursuing positive relationships and communication with each student and parent in their class, protecting the privacy and confidentiality of each.
• Routinely dealing with conflicts, concerns, and grievances in a positive, affirming, and encouraging way that imitates our Lord Jesus Christ.

Atmosphere

Set and maintain a joyful, inspirational, and peacefully authoritative atmosphere in the classroom and throughout the school by:

 

• Maintaining a classroom that is warm and inviting, well ordered, free of clutter, and inspirational.
• Ensuring the classroom is a place of joy (many smiles) and kindness.
• Maintaining a peaceful and authoritative presence; embracing a sense of must as one who is also under authority.
• Providing a supportive, attuned presence.
• Responding gently to weakness and showing students how to respond gently to the weaknesses of others.
• Sharing an enthusiastic attentiveness to the work at hand.
• Securing diligence in full-class participation, not allowing students to dominate or hide.
• Being present with the students for morning assembly, breaks, lunchtime, and departure.
• Encouraging parents to maintain a pleasant, inspirational and peacefully authoritative atmosphere at home for the students’ home instruction days, offering suggestions for homeday flourishing, and communicating with parents about struggles or challenges in the classroom.
• Ensuring the health, welfare, and safety of children, reporting suspected misconduct as required by law.

Discipline

Intentionally and consistently cultivate habit formation in students by:

 

• Approaching any training and discipline of students with the end goal of producing greater godli- ness and conformity to the image of Christ.
• Cultivating a habit of quick and genuine confession and repentance of sin.
• Encouraging students to rely on the Holy Spirit to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit rather than a reliance on human effort.
• Leading students to seek the glory of God in everything they do rather than pursuing self-glory or worldly praise.
• Upholding good order in routine matters.
• Ensuring the class is free of disruptive behavior patterns, cultivating active participation, attention, and courtesies.
• Securing focused attention to lessons, tasks, and instructions.
• Instructing in expectations for work (set-up, checkpoints).
• Responding constructively to student lapses in work and behavior.
• Never using behaviorist techniques (shame/praise, reward/punishment) to manipulate student behavior; ensuring classroom is free of competition and artificial incentives.
• Keeping a clear, explicit growth strategy in place for every student with a significant weakness in behavior or work habits.

Curriculum and Student Work

Uphold TAA’s standard for quality and quantity of student work by:

 

• Teaching the Christian faith to students, including by integrating that faith and a Biblically faithful Christian worldview into every subject matter or activity.
• Consistently applying the Charlotte Mason/ASI method of a lesson, for both disciplinary and inspirational subjects.
• Enabling students to seek a deeper understanding of the truth in every subject and discipline and cultivate in students the knowledge that all truth is God’s truth.
• Knowing the breadth and depth of ASI expectations for student work and curriculum, using it exclusively, with the TAA approved hybrid distinctives.
• Accessing the ASI Educator Support site at least weekly.
• Being at least 85% on-pace with the scope and sequence in all subjects.
• Systematically tracking and assessing all students’ written, oral, and on-going work; keeping written records to track in middle and high school.
• Avoiding unit studies and projects. Using independent student work judiciously.
• Using handouts in disciplinary subjects only (mathematics, grammar) and never as the primary means of instruction.
• Assigning written and oral work that is of a “worthy nature.” Never giving students busy work (i.e., color pages, puzzles, internet searches).
• Giving students the opportunity to publicly display what they have learned (e.g., concerts, recita- tions, Shakespeare plays), emphasizing learning, not performance.

Miscellaneous Duties

 

• Performing duties pertinent to arrival and dismissal with other teachers and staff.
• Attending staff and professional meetings.
• Attending in-services and workdays as noted in the school calendar.
• Meeting with parents from time to time for the purpose of informing them on their child’s pro- gress and program content.
• Participating and leading relationally at campus meetings and school events.
• Assisting students in areas of academic weakness through after-school tutoring or additional work.
• Advocating for the school both within and outside of the school community, as opportunity arises.
• Continuing to grow in educational philosophy and practice through reading, study, and other op- portunities (internships, summer institute, etc.).
• Continue to grow in teacher’s own education in the Christian tradition, Biblical knowledge, and ways to winsomely communicate this truth to students.

Hours

Upper School (6th Grade–HS) responsibilities include:

 

• Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 7:45 a.m.–3:35 p.m.
• One Open House and/or Upper School Orientation per year
• HS or MS Retreat
• For HS teachers, one yearly mission trip or academic trip

Professional Development

 

• Weekly staff meeting
• ASI Summer Institute (week-long intensive training prior to beginning of first academic year)
• Three-day ASI Internship within first year of teaching (dates vary)
• One or two all-staff books per academic year
• Teacher In-Service days, as specified in the school calendar