Job Opportunities

We are currently hiring for:

  •      Resident Artist (Orchestra Conductor)
  •      Fifth Grade Lead Teacher
  •      Assistant Teachers
  •      Summer School teachers

*We will consider candidates on a rolling basis; when we find the right person we’ll make an offer, so don’t delay.

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Resident Artist (Dudamel Orchestra Conductor)

Position Reports To: Rebecca Levi, Program Director

Time Commitment: July 16-August 3, 2012 and August 13, 2012-June 12, 2013

Statement of Job: The Dudamel Orchestra Conductor will lead Conservatory Lab’s most advanced symphonic orchestra, working in collaboration with the Program Director and other Resident Artists to facilitate both ensemble learning and individual progress, in alignment with El Sistema’s ideals of musical excellence and social inclusion.

 

Clips of the Orchestra:

 

Responsibilities:

  • Teach technique, ear training, music theory and repertoire in the context of symphonic orchestra (~42 students in grades 3-6 with 2+ years of musical experience)
  • Create musical vision and repertoire goals for this orchestra in collaboration with the Program Director and other Resident Artists
  • Provide individualized support to students
  • Learn about the El Sistema model of music education as a vehicle for social change
  • Communicate with the Program Director regarding each student’s attendance and progress
  • Aid in evaluating student music learning
  • Participate actively in the integration of music into classroom learning
  • Attend staff meetings and professional development workshops throughout the year
  • Participate in events that support the Conservatory Lab Charter School as they come up
  • Participate in events that support the El Sistema international movement as they come up
  • Continue to grow as an active artist through regular practice and lessons
  • Place top priority on students’ learning and therefore keep absences to a maximum of 3 per semester

 

Requirements:

  • 2+ years of experience leading orchestras and/or working with young children (ages 8-11) (not including student teaching)
  • Knowledge of string and wind pedagogies
  • Passion for and experience working with large groups of young students
  • Interest in collaborative work
  • Flexibility
  • Enthusiasm for being a member of the El Sistema international network

 

Contact Information:

If interested, contact us as soon as possible to set up an interview. Please attach your résumé.

Email: rlevi@conservatorylab.org

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Fifth Grade Lead Teacher

 FULL-TIME POSITION

Salary is competitive and includes benefits

School Community:

Our good work is a result of teachers and musicians who work tirelessly so that our students may be academically and musically successful.

Our staff arrives early and leaves late; most give up parts of their weekend and are often seen in the building over vacations.  Our students are in the building each day from 8:15-5:00 and we pack the day with rich, project-based learning, intensive academic supports and enrichments, and rigorous musical training.

When you are in a Conservatory Lab classroom, you expect:

MUSIC INFUSED LEARNING
Through careful planning and preparation by teachers, students at Conservatory Lab become an educated musical audience, music performers, and can connect music to all academic areas. Students go deep in their musical and academic studies through their Learning through Music Expeditions (LTMEs); students recognize music masterpieces, styles and genres in music history (The Listening Project); students attend and perform in music performances in assemblies weekly; students participate in orchestra, choir, world percussion, and instrument sectionals daily;  and students apply the 5 steps (listening, questioning, creating, rehearsing, reflecting) of the musical/creative process to all their academic studies.

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION
The goal of differentiating instruction is to enable each student in our classrooms to continually progress and to stretch.  To simplify, the basic steps of differentiating instruction include the following:
•    Teachers are clear about the essential facts, learning targets, concepts, principles, and skills that frame their subject — “What do you want each student to come away with as a result of this activity?”
•    Teachers seek information to help them understand each student’s point of entry and progress in learning.
•    Teachers attempt to match curriculum and instruction to the learner’s readiness, interest, or learning profile.
•    Teachers expect all children to reach the same goals, but understand it may be by different paths.
•    Teachers use cycles of data review to recognize an individual student’s growth and refine instructional practices.

ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING
These practices emphasize continual formative assessment to help students know their strengths and focus on what they still need to learn.  It involves:
•    Help students develop a clear vision of the content standards they are responsible for learning.
•    Offer effective feedback related to the learning targets.
•    Teach students to self-assess, peer-assess, setting goals for further learning.
•    Design focused practice and revision opportunities.
•    Engage students in tracking, reflecting on, and sharing their progress.

SELF-DEVELOPMENT
The Conservatory Lab Charter School is a community of teachers and families who have come together for one purpose: to provide the best possible education to our children.  Using the phrase “our children” promotes the idea that we all take ownership in teaching not only academics, but citizenship, responsibility, respect, kindness, and friendliness; and that by positively embracing our children at both school and home, they will have the tools necessary to make positive and powerful decisions that will affect the way they move and grow and give back to their communities throughout their lives.  We understand that in practice, there will be mistakes, even failures.  The Conservatory Lab strives to use the moments when a child makes a mistake as an opportunity to teach.  Discipline is, in fact, defined as “to teach,” thus we seek to turn all moments into teachable moments.  Thus we believe that:

•    We are not perfect; we practice together.
•    We stand together against bullying.
•    We view mistakes as learning opportunities.
•    We use kind, caring and empathic language with one another and problem solve through peaceful resolution and mediation.
•    We walk and talk in the hallways instead of run and yell.
•    We use logical consequences, reparations, and apology of action as ways to fix what is broken.

Application Procedure

If this sounds like a school community in which you could thrive and make a real contribution then please send a cover letter, resume, responses to one (or both) of the questions below, copies of transcripts and references promptly to office@conservatorylab.org or mail the information to:

Employment at Conservatory Lab
25 Arlington Street
Brighton, MA
02135

1.    How does a school community connect what is happening in a kindergarten classroom to what is happening in a 6th grade classroom?  Can the span of grades share a common philosophy? If so, how is that understanding manifested?
2.    Please discuss your understandings of multi-disciplinary, project-based learning.  How can this kind of learning deepen a child’s global understandings and improve student achievement?