Middle School Learning Specialist
Middle School Learning Specialist Job Description
Position Summary
Woodlynde School welcomes and serves students who learn differently and empowers them to become strategic thinkers and self-advocates in a challenging and supportive college preparatory environment. An independent, coeducational school for students in kindergarten through grade 12, Woodlynde is located in suburban Philadelphia. Founded in 1976, the school is nationally recognized for its expertise in serving students with language- or math-based learning differences, executive function challenges, ADHD, auditory processing disorder, or a need for a small classroom environment.
Key Responsibilities Include:
● Develops an ongoing working knowledge of each individual student’s educational and emotional needs.
● Effectively communicates educational and emotional needs of students to teachers on an ongoing basis.
● Effectively collaborates with teachers to integrate recommended teaching strategies into content area classes.
● Provides direct instruction to students.
● Communicates with parents to address learning concerns of students.
● Maintains and distributes updated records of student accommodations and coordinates implementation of student accommodations in content area classes.
● Facilitates need for educational updates and meetings with individual school districts, psychologists, and other professionals for psychoeducation testing, IEP meetings, etc.
● Provides individual student assessment as needed.
● Show evidence of adapting and differentiated instruction for all students.
● Maintain complete and accurate records that are reflective of a student’s performance and growth in knowledge of metacognitive understandings.
● Develop and maintain genuine, positive and consistent communication with parents.
● In conjunction with the learning specialist team, plan and implement mid-term and final exam schedule.
● Contribute to and benefit from the campus community.
● Practice professionalism through ongoing professional development, reflection and continuous improvement.
● In addition to subject matter tutoring and teaching, this position includes significant student mentoring.
● Participate in curriculum and other developmental programs and activities.
● Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
● A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Education or related field is required for consideration.
● Special Education Teaching Certification and/or Reading Specialist Certification
● Solid subject matter knowledge in these areas: special education and reading.
● A plus:
o Wilson Reading System Level 1 certification
o Experience with students with learning differences and ADHD is a plus as well as mentoring experience.
o The ideal candidate is outgoing, well organized, competent in basic computer skills, and is an individual who is eager to work in a highly dynamic, energetic school setting.
Competencies Desired:
● Expertise in the relevant subject area.
● Understand learning differences and emotional difficulties.
● Ability to mentor as a positive role model.
● Commitment to continuous improvement.
● Self-directed, proactive, intelligent, knowledge of curriculum and assessment, multi-tasker, problem-solving skills, professional written and verbal communication skills, ability to connect with students with patience and compassion.
● Ability to manage stress, and self-regulate with a consistently positive attitude, strong teamwork, passion, genuine, organized, internally motivated, service orientation, ability to reserve judgment, and respond with curiosity and compassion.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, or sex.