TITLE:  Middle School STEAM Teacher
SCALE:  Professional Scale
CONTRACT: Professional Staff Contract
SUPERVISOR: Middle School Administration (primary)
                     K-12 Tech Cube Director (secondary)                                                     
DIVISION:  Middle School 

JOB SUMMARY:

The MS Tech Cube program is part of a K-12 program focusing on Engineering, Computer Science, and the related technical and soft skills that build high-achieving and collaborative student engineers.  Centered on fostering student agency, the MS Tech Cube program leverages students’ intrinsic interest in technology and hands-on engineering to encourage genuine engagement with their work, ownership of their education, and a life-long love of learning. A key component of this position is to develop, support and lead collaborative STEAM project work across the Middle School.

 The Middle School STEAM Teacher will: 

• Develop and implement Taipei American School’s Middle School STEAM program.
• Support hands-on learning in a student-driven project-based environment.
• Work collaboratively with MS faculty to develop transdisciplinary and transfer learning experiences to enhance learning outcomes of subject matter across the MS curriculum.
• Teach five unique Middle School STEAM courses in the Tech Cube:
  • Toy and Game Design (Graphic Design/wood working/sewing/CAD)
  • LED and Electronics in Design (Arduino/electronics/wood working)
  • Simple Machines at Play (Physics/Large Scale Mechanism Construction)
  • Design the Difference (All of the above associated with client-based projects)
  • VEX IQ Robotics 

REQUIRED EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE:

• Three or more years of teaching experience in Middle School.
• Bachelor’s Degree (master’s or doctorate preferred) in STEAM related field.
• Fluent in English.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Preference given to candidates with experience in a Shop/Maker environment, familiarity with fabrication, shop tools, electronics, CAD design, and programming.

Ideal Traits/ Characteristics: 

• Values collaboration as a means to enhance student learning and professional growth.
• Passion, joy, and enthusiasm for teaching middle school students and for teaching STEAM.
• Empathy and understanding of diverse family and student needs.
• Patience, kindness, and a student-centered teaching approach.
• A strong commitment to the TAS Mission and Schoolwide Learning Outcomes and a willingness to go above and beyond for students and the school community.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and creative problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable in and shop/ makerspace environment. 
• Eager to learn new technical skills.
• Comfortable with managing multiple student projects simultaneously.
• Enjoy the uncertainty inherent to an educational environment in which students have agency over project direction. 
• Strong organizational skills in managing budgeting and supplies.

Position Specific: 

• Develop and maintain clear and strict safety protocols.
• Assign tasks and perform annual reviews for the MS Tech Cube Shop Technician.
• Meet regularly with K-12 Tech Cube team members and MS faculty to craft curriculum.
• Attend department and divisional meetings as required.
• Run a Homeroom class for 8 to 12 students (25-minutes daily) as well as facilitate homeroom lessons throughout the year on DEIB and other related topics.
• Attend meetings twice per week with MS Counselors and other grade-level teachers to talk about student well-being.
• Attend MS Camp for four days and three nights annually. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Professional Knowledge: 

• Demonstrate an understanding of the curriculum, subject content, and the developmental needs of students by providing meaningful, relevant, and engaging learning experiences.
• Address relevant curriculum standards and schoolwide learning outcomes while linking present content with past and future learning experiences, other subject areas, and real-world experiences and applications.
• Demonstrate an understanding of methodologies and practices to promote surface, deep, and transfer learning.

 Instructional Planning:

• Plan using TAS’s mission, schoolwide learning outcomes, standards, and data, alongside engaging and appropriate strategies and resources to meet the needs of all students.
• Plan consistently using differentiated learning experiences (e.g. content, process, product, and learning environment) that support diverse populations of learners (e.g., multilingual learners, students with learning needs, etc.).
• Plan accordingly for pacing, sequencing, content mastery, transitions, and application of knowledge.
• Plan using the UbD framework and work collaboratively with teammates, and/or instructional leaders to enhance teaching and learning. 

Instructional Delivery:

• Use a variety of research-based, developmentally appropriate instructional strategies relevant to the content area to engage students in active learning, to promote key skills especially those outlined within the schoolwide learning outcomes, and to meet individual learning needs.
• Use appropriate instructional technology to enhance student learning.
• Consistently check for understanding using multiple levels of questioning, provide regular feedback, and adjust instruction accordingly.

 Assessment of/for Learning:

• Systematically gather, analyze, and use formative and summative data to measure student progress, guide instructional content and delivery methods, and provide timely feedback to students, parents, and stakeholders.
• Use assessment as a means to support students in developing a growth-mindset while involving students in setting learning goals and monitoring their own progress.

 Learning Environment:

• Use resources, routines, and procedures to provide a respectful, positive, safe, student-centered environment that is conducive to learning and collaboration.
• Arrange the physical space and structure the classroom to maximize learning while providing a welcoming and safe environment.
• Promote respectful interactions and an understanding of students’ diversity, including language, culture, race, gender, and special needs. 

Professionalism: 

• Maintain a commitment to professional ethics, collaborate and communicate appropriately, and take responsibility for personal professional growth that results in the enhancement of student learning.
• Identify and evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses and set goals for improvement of professional knowledge and skills.
• Engage in activities outside the classroom intended for school and student enhancement.
• Work in a collegial and collaborative manner with administrators, other school personnel, and the community to promote students’ well-being and success.
• Build positive and professional relationships with parents through frequent and appropriate communication concerning students’ progress.
• Use precise language, correct vocabulary and grammar, and acceptable forms of oral and written communication.

To Apply

Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three professional references through the online link below. Please note that direct applications via email or other channels will not be considered.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible, as Taipei American School reserves the right to close the selection process at any time.