Temporary Junior School Teacher

Junior School Teacher - Grade 4

School Overview

St. John’s School (SJS) is a leading independent, all-gender IB World School in Vancouver, Canada, offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP) across Kindergarten to Grade 12. SJS is committed to providing an enriching and rigorous education that nurtures learning competencies, student agency, wellbeing, and a lifelong love of learning.

Position Purpose & Overview

The Junior School Teacher is responsible for creating an engaging, inclusive, and student-centred learning environment that supports the academic, social, and emotional growth of students through the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP). This role plans and delivers high-quality inquiry-based instruction, assesses and supports student progress, collaborates with colleagues to develop and enhance curriculum, and fosters positive partnerships with students, families, and staff. The Junior School Teacher models the School's mission, vision, values, and the IB Learner Profile while contributing to the broader life of the School through co-curricular involvement, professional learning, effective communication, and a steadfast commitment to student wellbeing, safety, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

The key responsibilities and expectations of the Junior School Teacher include, but are not limited to:

• Endorse the school’s mission, vision, and values.
• Model and promote the IB learner profile attributes and SJS values.
• Facilitate and deliver engaging and effective lessons in the Junior School.
• Collaborate with the Curriculum Leaders and other Junior School teachers to develop an innovative PYP Junior School curriculum.
• Design, prepare and deliver learning activities that facilitate insightful engagement and utilize inquiry-based learning strategies to enhance student understanding and engagement.
• Assess, record, and report on the growth of student success in alignment with the PYP grade objectives, criteria, guidelines, and the school’s assessment policy and practices.
• Create a safe, effective, challenging, ethical and organized learning environment.
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of and passion for the subject areas.
• Practice a universal design for learning approach to teaching, providing differentiated instruction for all learners to establish an inclusive learning environment.
• Maintain relevant understanding of and be active in using appropriate and effective technology to enhance instruction and learning.
• Participate in faculty, student, and parent meetings and special events.
• Model respectful and timely communication with students, colleagues, and parents, in line with the school’s Mutual Respect policy.
• Attend professional development programmes, participate in “on campus” professional learning, attend professional meetings which relate to curricular, administrative or organizational matters as required, attend relevant meetings and training as scheduled by the Head of Department, Curriculum Leaders and Senior Leadership Team.
• Engage or offer co-curricular activity(ies) for Junior School students.
• Demonstrate reliability in and understanding of implementation of risk and student management strategies.

This role will require working hours outside of school office hours: often during early mornings before the school has opened; occasionally going onsite to facilitate and speak with appropriate staff; and occasional evening and weekend commitments.

This job profile outlines the key responsibilities for the roles and is not meant to be exhaustive. This will include performing the administrative and related tasks or any other responsibilities required to reasonably meet the needs of St. John’s School, including, but not limited to the general duties outlined in the position profile.

It should be understood that the activities, responsibilities and obligations of this position may be modified from time to time, through discussion between the direct supervisor and the employee, in order to effectively meet the requirements of the School. On rare occasions where there are urgent needs at the School, an employee may be assigned to temporarily backfill role(s) critical to the school’s operations and business continuity.

Required Qualifications & Key Competencies

Education & Experience

• A valid BC Certification of Teaching.
• Completion of a Bachelor of Education degree.
• Need to be legally entitled to work in Canada.
• A Basic First Aid certificate is considered an asset.
• Knowledge and understanding of the International Baccalaureate programmes.
• Experience and adept understanding of teaching IB PYP lessons, and/or BC Elementary School