THE LEARNING PROJECT is a small independent school that holds high expectations for conduct, character and academic performance; that values diversity, and that works to build a strong sense of community and is a place where every child is known by every teacher.  The School has an outstanding faculty and administrative team and salaries and benefits are highly competitive with other independent elementary schools.

The School has a small off-site Kindergarten Program and a program in the main building for grades 1-6.  There are 114 children in these grades and they come from over a dozen neighborhoods throughout Boston.  The typical class size is 16 students, and each classroom has a head teacher and an Intern. 

The school is committed to building a community of learners who respect differences and value diversity.  From its beginning in 1973, the school has worked consistently to keep tuition costs well below the average for independent schools and, thereby, more within the range of affordability for the broad middle class.  In addition, the school maintains a huge commitment to scholarship assistance.

A shorthand description of the school’s approach to education is that we blend direct teaching approaches and methodologies with a fair amount of “hands-on” project based learning.  The school is steeped in traditional values and expectations and believes in the importance both of content and of process. 

The school welcomes diversity of all sorts—racial, religious, socio-economic, cultural, sexual orientation, family structure, interests and abilities—our 114 children come from over a dozen neighborhoods throughout Boston and 28% of the children are students of color. The school supports diversity by seeking to honor and learn about differences, by promoting mutual respect among all members of its community, and by extending the knowledge and vision of the children beyond the world that is comfortable and familiar. The school models its commitment to diversity by vigorously supporting different kinds of learners both in the classroom and with an extensive tutoring program that is offered to parents at no additional cost. Preserving socio-economic diversity is also a key goal of the school’s and that is supported both by a tuition that is deliberately kept at the lower end of the scale for independent schools and an extensive tuition assistance program that is one of the strongest among peer schools.

The school actively seeks teachers who are experienced with children from diverse backgrounds and who are familiar with the literature about and work involved in building communities around the ideas of multiculturalism, diversity, equity and social justice, protecting the planet, nonviolence and peace. The school is seeking to diversify its faculty and staff and is eager to welcome people from under-represented groups to visit the school and to apply for positions that may be open. 

HEAD TEACHER POSITIONS:  The school has 12 Head Teacher positions, one each for K-6 and one each for Science, Art, Music, Physical Education, and Spanish.  These positions occasionally become open and resumes from qualified candidates are welcome at any time. Candidates for these positions should have training in their subject or teaching level and preferably at least two years of experience with the appropriate age group.  A master’s in education degree is preferred.  The school is particularly eager to review applications from candidates of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds. 

KINDERGARTEN ASSISTANT HEAD TEACHER

(starting Fall 2010)

The Learning Project Elementary School in Boston is seeking a qualified and experienced Assistant Head Teacher for our Kindergarten program.  This is a fulltime position suited for someone with an educational background in Early Childhood Education and with significant experience working in a Kindergarten or Early Childhood classroom.  The person hired for this position should be prepared to support and complement practices presented by an experienced Head Teacher, and should be prepared as well to lead activities and group lessons.  This is a fulltime position (with benefits) and is intended for someone desiring  to prepare for a career as a Head Kindergarten teacher who sees this experience as a step toward that goal.

The Learning Project Elementary School is an independent, co-educational day school for grades K-6. We welcome children with diverse backgrounds, abilities, and interests, and we offer small classes, high academic standards, and a challenging and creative program.

Several beliefs are at the core of the school's philosophy and give shape to all that it does: the belief in the power of small, vibrant institutions to respond efficiently and humanely to large challenges; the belief in simplicity and tolerance; the belief in the importance of diversity and community; the belief in the centrality of mutual respect, honesty, and courtesy; and the belief that a school’s overarching task is to help children grow as confident, kind and competent individuals.

The Learning Project does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender or sexual orientation and is especially interested in encouraging applications from underrepresented groups on its faculty.

To apply, candidates should send by post or email:

• A cover letter (please also indicate where you learned about this opportunity)

• A current resume

• A writing sample on any topic of 3-7 pages in length

• Two or more letters of recommendation

• A copy of transcript

Application material should be sent to:

Michael McCord, Head of School

The Learning Project Elementary School

107 Marlborough Street

Boston, MA 02116

tlp@learningproject.org

www.learningproject.org

Qualified candidates will be notified by the school to arrange a mutually convenient visit and interview.