Join WAY's Special Education Teaching Team
Welcome to an educational experience that encourages collaboration, achieving excellence, and providing a clear path to college and careers. WAY is a place where every student is provided with a personalized, project-based, student-centered learning experience, available in unique in-school and online environments with 24/7 live access to educators.
At WAY, we are committed to providing young people with a world-class education, preparing them with the tools for success in life after graduation. We are changing the way students are being taught by embracing the way they already learn.
Starting with one school in 2012 on Detroit’s southwest side, the WAY Network of Charter Schools has grown to serve over 650 students from different communities at three separate locations in Detroit and Flint.
As WAY continues to grow in size and impact, we are always looking for great people to join our team and mission.
WAY Non-Negotiables:
- A history of achieving excellence
- A strong desire to work as part of a collaborative team
- Belief in WAY’s approach to student-centered learning
- A professional history of over-delivery
Purpose of Job:
As a Special Education Teacher at WAY, you will be responsible for providing individualized instruction and support to students with diverse learning needs. You will work with a cohort of students as part of a multidisciplinary team to ensure academic growth and development, creating engaging and differentiated learning opportunities that cater to the unique needs of each student.
Qualifications:
- Michigan Special Education Teaching Certification (with endorsement in appropriate area of disability)
- Experience working with students with special needs, preferably in a project-based learning environment
Salary and Benefits:
Highly competitive
Special Knowledge/Skills:
- Deep understanding of multidisciplinary project-based learning and experienced in engaging students in hands-on learning while maintaining academic rigor
- Skilled in individualized education program (IEP) development and implementation
- Proficient in using various instructional strategies and adaptive technology to support diverse learners
- Organized, reflective, participatory, and punctual
- Experience with data-driven decision-making and formative assessment to plan and modify instructional practices
- Strong collaboration skills and ability to work well with colleagues, parents, students, and community members
- Understanding and use of Professional Learning Community interactions in the collaboration and planning process
Major Responsibilities and Duties:
- Develop and implement Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that address students' specific learning needs and goals
- Create engaging, creative, and appropriate projects and resources tailored to students with special needs
- Employ a variety of instructional strategies and media that meet students’ needs and abilities
- Instruct students in making, building, doing, and presenting/talking about their work
- Monitor and document student progress, adjusting instruction as needed
- Model and participate in the learning expectations that students are accomplishing
- Foster appropriate relationships with students and colleagues
- Develop interdisciplinary curriculum across the core team
- Take time to get to know each student, fostering an inclusive environment that encourages networking, collegiality, mutual support, and deep individual and collective reflection among the staff
- Personalize instruction to support struggling students and challenge strong students
- Set the expectation that all students participate in all classroom activities
- Serve as a role model for students regarding life-long learning, student achievement, and professional behavior
- Assess student performance on a regular basis and provide frequent feedback and progress reports in accordance with policies
- Maintain accurate, complete, and confidential records as required by law, district policy, and administrative requirements
- Promptly respond to parents’ questions and concerns, encouraging parent participation
- Act as the primary advocate for students, both socially and academically
- Take all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, self, equipment, materials, and facilities to provide a safe learning environment
- Maintain and improve competence through participation in professional development
- Integrate parents and community partners into coursework and the school environment
- Act as an advisor for a group of students by planning and facilitating regularly scheduled meetings
- Support student recruitment, community outreach, and partnership creation
- Attend all required meetings and serve on committees as required
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
WAY is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. No WAY employee will discriminate unlawfully against an applicant for employment or fellow employee because of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, height, weight, marital status, veteran status, physical or mental disability unrelated to the person's ability to do the job, or any other unlawful criteria.