Job Description

Physical Education (PE) and Health Teacher

Elementary and Middle School

At the Inspired Teaching Demonstration School, a professional learning community of master teachers and teacher residents ensures that a diverse group of students achieve their potential as accomplished learners, thoughtful citizens, and imaginative and inquisitive problem solvers through a demanding, inquiry-based curriculum. 

The Inspired Teaching Demonstration School seeks a 3rd -8th grade Physical Education and Health Teacher for SY2024-2025. This is a 10-month position. 

ITDS invests in teachers as our special sauce – where educators are supported, celebrated, and equipped to create classrooms that offer challenging, meaningful, and joyful learning experiences for our diverse student population. The ideal candidate will possess the beliefs, skills, and accomplishments that lead all students to achieve at high levels. It is of the utmost importance that every member of the school’s staff believes that all children can learn and contribute to the vitality of their learning community. This combined with a deep care for all students is the foundation for our work. 

With its clear mission and prominent location in Washington, DC, the school serves as a model of instruction for students and training for teachers, with the goal of becoming a leader in changing the way teachers are prepared and supported and students are educated nationwide.

Physical Education and Health Teacher

ITDS’ two physical education and health teachers facilitate a comprehensive physical education and health program that meets the requirements of the DC Healthy Schools Act. One of the teachers focuses on the lower grade bands (PK3-3rd) and the other on the upper grade bands (3rd-8th), though the teachers may have to teach out of these bands. ITDS believes that students must have ample opportunity to move, exercise, and learn about their bodies, nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices so that they develop healthy habits into adulthood. The goal is to provide students with exposure to many physical education options; high quality instruction about movement and their bodies; facilitated opportunities to develop skills related to teamwork, fair play and cooperation; and to experience and reflect upon the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. The teacher may plan and promote family education to support the continuation of healthy habits outside of school, as well as play a leadership role in all school activities involving movement, such as field days, class olympics, schoolwide health awareness campaigns, etc.

Essential Functions

Like all teachers in the ITDS Arts, Language, and Movement Department, PE/Health teachers take on the following job responsibilities:

• Planning and Preparation: Plan and document (using the school’s selected lesson planning tool) high-quality instruction in line with the school’s mission and philosophy. Use intentional, well-designed curricula approved by the school aligned with Nationally-normed standards (Common Core, DC PE standards, SHAPE standards, Healthy Schools Act). Demonstrate solid knowledge of the concepts in each of the disciplines taught.

• Classroom Environment: Draw from Responsive Classroom, Restorative Justice, and Relationship-based discipline to manage student behavior, in and out of the classroom, for the purpose of providing a safe and optimal learning environment. Build on the established Community Expectations (Everyone Learns, Everyone is Safe, Everyone Builds the Community, Everyone is Welcome) to maintain a safe and orderly classroom, with responsible and child-friendly organization of supplies, material and technology, and use of practices consistent across the school

• Instruction: Engage students with different levels of questions and discussion prompts and facilitate student-centered, high-quality instruction, drawing on multiple teaching strategies and approaches to engage students and provide differentiation. Conduct, review, analyze, and use a wide-range of student assessments to inform teaching practice and planning, and to ensure student growth. Engage actively with and implement feedback from principals and coaches; assume a stance of teacher-as-learner when working with colleagues, special education staff and assistants/residents. Communicate to students and families clearly and in an age appropriate way the purpose of instruction. 

• Special Events: Preparing for and participating in school events outside of school hours, including Student Learning Showcases, Evening of the Arts and Morning of the Arts. As appropriate seek opportunities to share the talents of ITDS students in other settings, such as art shows and group performances

• Professional Responsibilities: Complete all professional responsibilities in a timely manner, meet deadlines, and follow all school procedures and protocols; this includes submitting and revising lesson and unit plans; administering assessments, collecting data, and completing data entry; completing report cards; documenting discipline and student behavior as requested/required by law; following all personnel policies and procedures; attending all meetings as assigned; implementing with consistency all school policies and procedures for students and families; and other administrative tasks required of teachers as professionals. Contribute to the school community as an active and productive participant, participate in regular professional development

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree, preferably in a content area. 

• Deep commitment to reflective practice, an ability to give and receive feedback openly and without defensiveness, and a desire to constantly question and improve their teaching practice. 

• Commitment to creating a school that not only provides an excellent education for the student, but that creates an open, trusting learning environment for educators and the entire staff of the school

• Demonstrated capacity to embrace teaching the whole child. 

• Demonstrated commitment to anti-racist, anti-bias practices and comfort and willingness to address issues of equity, access and inclusion.

• Strong ability to persevere in the face of ongoing challenges. Teaching is a demanding profession, regularly requiring one to go above and beyond, to solve problems quickly and in the moment, and to find the positive in difficult situations. 

• Ability to thrive in an innovative environment and an interest in being part of a team that builds the systems that support a growing school.

Desired Qualifications

• 3 years of experience teaching Physical Education and Health.

• Master's degree preferred. 

• DC Teaching certification, passing of relevant Praxis exams, or equivalent evidence to be considered highly qualified. 

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