Lead Teacher-YueCheng Kindergarten

You are an independent thinker and learner looking for a position out of the ordinary. You are hoping to find a school that is totally dedicated to providing a values-based, future-oriented education that is impossible within the constraints of a conventional international school curriculum. You know that high quality education demands purposeful collaboration among learners, both teachers and children. You do not place limits on what can be achieved. You wish to build strong links with the host country community and work within a locally-founded organization that provides outstanding opportunities for career development. 

Role description: The lead teacher leads the team responsible for a multi-age group of up to 50 children. In addition to the lead teacher, the team typically includes: two Chinese class teachers; two expatriate assistant teachers; two Chinese teacher assistants; and two or three Chinese care assistants. The lead teacher will also collaborate with the expatriate teacher librarian/learning resource coordinator. The exact configuration of the founding teams may vary slightly according to the number of children initially enrolled. 

Reports to: The Founding Principal, YueCheng Kindergarten, Courtyard Campus.

Qualifications sought:

• Mother tongue fluency in written and oral English

• Education degree and certification

• Three or more years’ experience in early childhood teaching (preschool or kindergarten)

• Commitment to progressive, play-based learning experiences for young children.

Responsibilities. These include the following: 

• Lead the team of teachers in fulfilling the Kindergarten’s mission: to empower every child to enjoy a positive and purposeful life

• Ensure that teaching and learning is conducted in accordance with the program’s foundational principles (above)

• Model excellent teaching for team members

• Maintains high but personalized expectations of students, self and team members 

• Promote and support the Kindergarten’s strategic goals

• Promote and maintain a collaborative and positive working environment among team members

• Promote and maintain a calm, caring, and appropriately challenging environment for children

• Develop a deep understanding of the Kindergarten’s curriculum and assessment policies and practices, and guide team members in their implementation

• Contribute to ongoing curriculum development

• Keep up to date and inform others on readings and research related to best teaching practices for young children

• Engage in professional development and support the professional development of others

• Contribute to the selection of educational resources and materials

• Engage parents as partners in their children’s learning

• Maintain regular communications with parents and staff

• Plan, lead and participate in school activities and meetings.

Remuneration package

The position attracts a competitive salary and benefits package. Placement on the teachers’ salary scale includes consideration for the responsibilities of lead teacher. This position does not carry a time allowance. The benefits package includes furnished housing, medical insurance, annual home leave airfare for employee and family, excellent professional development opportunities, and the benefit of belonging to a highly engaged educational team within a warm, caring and innovative community. 


An expatriate parent of school-age children will be granted up to two full-fee discounts on places at the YueCheng Kindergarten, Courtyard Campus, or at the Beijing City International School, depending on the child’s age and subject to student enrolment criteria and availability. 

YueCheng Kindergarten, Courtyard Campus 

(Opening October 2019)

The beautiful Courtyard Campus (www.yuechengkg.com) juxtaposes sweeping modern lines with the traditional elegance of an original courtyard palace dating from the early Qing dynasty. Designed by master architect Ma Yansong, the campus is a purposeful metaphor for the education that our new flagship kindergarten will offer. The form of the campus and the philosophy of the educational program are rooted in the efficacy of harmonious relationships: between architecture and nature; old and new; youth and experience; tradition and future; China and the world.

The mission is ambitious. All children will be empowered to enjoy a positive, purposeful and healthy life, becoming confident and creative learners as they begin their educational journey. To this end, the holistic, child-centered program will be based on the following foundational principles: 

• Planned intergenerational learning opportunities between the children and the citizens of the adjacent YueCheng Shuangqiao retirement community (opened October 2017);

• Multi-age learning groups, reflecting the relationships and responsibilities of the members of a family;

• Constructivist learning through investigative play;

• Free-flow learning spaces, inside and out, removing the conventional boundaries that constrain opportunities for young children to learn;

• No boundaries dual-language learning, enabling children to learn to speak, read, and write in either English or Chinese as appropriate to the context;

• Reading as a gateway to life-long learning and pleasure;

• Interactive, developmentally appropriate introduction to logical-mathematical thinking skills;

• Practical immersion in the arts and the development of a sense of beauty;

• The relationship between mind and body and the development of skills for fitness and a healthy lifestyle.

Applications

If you wish to apply for this position, please send a letter of application and resume / CV as soon as possible to the YCE Superintendent, Mr. Nick Bowley, at the following address: nick.bowley@bcis.cn

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to submit names of professional referees. The starting date will August 2nd, 2019.