Lower School Music Teacher

Job Description:

The Blake School seeks to hire a Lower School Music Teacher at the Wayzata campus for the 2021-22 school year. This is a one-year position.  The Lower School Music Teacher works in collaboration with faculty and administrators to implement a creative general music curriculum, direct the fifth grade choir and provide musical direction for theatrical productions.

Blake is particularly interested in candidates who will enrich the diversity of identity, lived experience and thinking that makes a community strong and empowers students to engage across differences. Blake offers highly competitive salary and benefits packages, as well as significant support for local and national professional development opportunities. 

The search committee will begin reviewing applications Dec. 17. Blake will typically  cover the  travel and lodging costs for finalist candidates visiting from out of town.

Experience and Skills:

Essential Functions and Responsibilities :

• Develop and implement a creative general music curriculum for Lower School students grade K-5
• Direct fifth grade choir in rehearsals and performances
• Provide musical direction and support for grade-level theatrical productions
• Coordinate and direct students’ musical participation in regular assemblies, programs and special events

Minimum Qualifications :

• Respect for children and their potential
• B.A. in music/music education
• Demonstrated success teaching music with children ages 5-10
• Knowledge of developmentally appropriate musical materials from diverse musical styles and cultures
• Experience and education in the Orff Schulwerk approach to music education
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with children, parents and colleagues from diverse backgrounds, abilities, interests and experiences
• Creative, joyful approach to learning and teaching; a playful nature
• Dedication to continual professional learning and growth
• Collaborative working style
• Flexibility, confidence and a sense of humor
• Strong organizational skills; resourceful planner
• Knowledge of children’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical developmental stages
• Effective classroom management skills
• Constructivist educational philosophy with expertise in process-oriented learning and teaching
• Proven ability to effectively monitor and adjust priorities to meet students’ needs
• Up-to-date, working knowledge of technology appropriate to music classrooms
• Desire to work in a PK-12 dynamic learning community