High School ELA Teacher

Position Overview

Uncommon High School English Language Arts (ELA) teachers are passionate about literature and building an engaging, rigorous classroom culture that prepares all students for college. Our teachers become experts in their course content, motivating high school students through a focus on reading, student-led discourse, and a deep engagement with literature. At the end of each year, students are better prepared for the academic rigor and independence of college coursework while developing a lifelong love of literacy.

Compensation: $60,000 to $85,000.

Key Responsibilities

• Teach from a robust literature curriculum that prioritizes inclusive texts, emphasizes diversity, and prepares students for Advanced Placement (AP), SAT, and collegiate-level coursework.
• Conduct deep explorations of daily content to guide students in analyzing works by authors such as James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Shakespeare, and Yaa Gyasi.
• Develop students’ independent and collaborative reading, writing, and discussion skills.
• Facilitate student-led discourse, teaching students to use evidence for sophisticated claims and to synthesize and evaluate arguments.
• Analyze student comprehension and writing regularly and adapt lesson plans to maximize learning.
• Partner with department and grade level teams on content and instructional strategies to support student success.
• Meet weekly with school leadership to analyze trends in student work and assessments, and implement differentiated instruction strategies.
• Build positive relationships with students to ensure they feel seen, loved, and heard.
• Collaborate with families to secure the resources needed to support each child’s learning.
• Engage in professional development, mentorship, and coaching sessions.
• Participate in weekly, school-wide meetings to cultivate community and model core values.
• Work with your grade level team to set academic goals and refine instructional strategies.

Required Qualifications

• A demonstrated commitment to supporting students’ social emotional and academic development.
• An enthusiasm for collaborating with internal and external partners in the best interest of students.
• A self-directed learner who solicits and implements feedback to improve outcomes and achieve objectives.
• A demonstrated interest in impacting K-12 students in urban schools and communities (1-2 years experience preferred).
• Academic expertise in Humanities, English, Social Sciences, or related fields.
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; teacher certification is not a prerequisite for consideration, but meeting NJ state certification eligibility requirements is necessary.

Benefits & Perks

• Generous paid time off inclusive of sick time, paid holidays, and 10 weeks of paid breaks (Spring, Winter, and Summer).
• Extensive, best-in-class training and development.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans plus pre-tax flexible spending (FSA), dependent care (DCFSA), and health saving accounts (HSA).
• Financial planning resources.
• New Jersey Pension program.
• Paid leave of absence options (parental, medical, disability, etc.).
• Mental health and counseling support, plus wellness benefits.
• For a detailed list of benefits, please refer to the benefits documentation provided.