Substitute Teacher Position Statement
Reports To: Director of Talent
FLSA Status: Temporary
Department: Substitute Teacher
Division: All
Learn More About The Alexander Dawson School
Shared Values & Competencies of Dawson Employees
Position Summary
The Substitute Teacher is the acting leader in the classroom in place of the classroom teacher or a Dawson employee. Daily assignments include classroom management, duties, student safety, and supervision of students at all times. Substitute Teachers are professional, confidential, flexible, nurturing, and model a love of learning.
Essential Functions
The essential duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:
Professional Work Habits & Mission Alignment
Professional Standards & Conduct: Consistently upholds professional standards of personal presentation, punctuality, attendance, and engagement at meetings, duty coverage, safety protocols, decision-making, and maintains required credentials.
Commitment to Dawson Culture: Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding and support of Dawson's mission, vision, core values, and diversity statement; actively participates in school-wide events.
Confidentiality & Ethical Practice: Honors confidentiality of school, student, and family information and demonstrates ethical decision-making in all professional contexts. Talks to people and not about people.
Working Agreements: Upholds Dawson working agreements, such as assuming positive intentions in all interactions, holding self and others accountable for the impact of words and actions, mindfully sharing the air, and proactively looking for solutions before problems escalate.
Knowledge & Expertise
Maintains a professional appearance and manner of conducting themselves
Establishes a safe, well-organized environment with effective routines that maximize learning time, exhibits student ownership and agency, and reflects the identity of the students.
Ensures the emotional and physical safety of students at all times
Demonstrates an open mindset to a diverse and progressive community of learners
Finds joy in working with students from a variety of age groups and grade levels
Supports and values social-emotional learning
Redirects students by maintaining mutual respect and dignity
Interacts with students by making genuine connections and demonstrating warmth, care, and respect
Maintains and carries out long-range and daily instructional plans (as needed), including duties and assignments
Engages students in group work, lectures, mini-lessons, exploration, questioning, discussions, and other cooperative teaching techniques; uses a variety of assessment strategies
Promotes leadership opportunities in the classroom
Uses appropriate techniques to encourage active participation in decision-making regarding classroom rules, organization, and topics of study; communicates a caring attitude and trust of students
Promotes problem-solving, cooperative negotiating skills, and conflict-resolution strategies
Demonstrates an awareness of and is responsive to student needs and behavior; employs a relational discipline approach
Makes sound decisions regarding student discipline/concerns and who/m to contact: Administrators, Deans, or School Counselors
Develops healthy self-esteem in students
Cultivates a classroom community environment of safe and collaborative learning
Models effective interpersonal, self-awareness, and communication skills
Embraces cultural competency and commits to ongoing growth in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion
Promotes Dawson's Mission, Vision, Diversity Statement, and Core Values through student and faculty interactions
Professional Growth & Self-Awareness
Self-Reflection & Growth Mindset: Demonstrates deep self-awareness, consistently seeks feedback, identifies areas for improvement, and implements meaningful changes to practice.
Professional Learning & Adaptation: Creates personal development plans, actively seeks learning opportunities, and demonstrates flexibility in adapting to Dawson's culture and practices.
Effective Communication & Listening: Demonstrates excellent listening skills, remains alert to diverse perspectives, and communicates effectively with various stakeholders throughout change processes.
Care for Others & Community Investment
Family Communication & Partnership: Establishes reliable, clear communication systems with families, regularly shares student progress, and responds appropriately to concerns with supervisor consultation.
Team Collaboration & Engagement: Actively participates in team meetings and collaborative efforts, contributes positively to grade-level or department teams, and seeks appropriate guidance from colleagues.
Learns From Others: Consistently consults with mentors, supervisors, and colleagues for guidance on student interventions, parent communication, and classroom challenges.
Identity Awareness: Demonstrates a commitment to ongoing cultural competency and exhibits a deep understanding of how identity and lived experiences influence relationships and interactions.
Qualifications, Education & Experience
Two-year college degree or 64 hours toward a degree and one year of experience working with children in a classroom setting
Minimum of intermediate computer and technology skills, utilizing Google Suite programs and the internet
- Experience working with children
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk; use hands to handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
