Description

The First Academy is seeking a dedicated Middle and Upper School Mandarin Chinese Teacher to guide students through the intricate beauty of the Chinese language and its rich cultural heritage. The ideal candidate will be a skilled linguist and educator capable of leading students from their first introduction to Pinyin and the four tones in Mandarin I to the high-level interpersonal and presentational modes of communication required in AP Chinese Language & Culture. We are looking for a teacher who can effectively balance the technical challenge of character acquisition with a focus on communicative fluency, transitioning from day-to-day conversational practice to the production of short essays and compositions in Chinese characters. The successful candidate must be comfortable conducting advanced Honors and AP courses predominantly in Mandarin, fostering a classroom environment where Chinese history and contemporary culture are seamlessly woven into the language acquisition process.

Mandarin Chinese Language Progression

Primary Focus
Language Mechanics
Foundational (I & II)
Basic Communication
Mastery of Pinyin, the four tones, and basic character strokes.
Intermediate (III & IV)
Academic Fluency
Transition to character-only compositions and short essays; increased speaking speed.
Advanced (AP)
Cultural & Global Synthesis
Interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes; cultural frames of reference. 
 

Core Instructional Competencies
Phonetic & Tonal Accuracy: Facilitating the use of Pinyin as a bridge to character recognition and ensuring students master the tonal nuances of the spoken language.
Character Literacy: Guiding students through the transition from phonetic systems to reading and writing complex Chinese characters without the aid of Pinyin.
Mode-Based Communication: Developing student proficiency across the three AP modes—interpersonal (conversation), interpretive (comprehension), and presentational (speaking/writing for an audience).
Cultural Integration: Weaving historical and modern Chinese cultural contexts into daily lessons to provide a rich frame of reference for language use.
AP Preparation: Mentoring students in Mandarin IV Honors to observe and prepare for the rigorous demands of the Collegeboard’s AP Program.

Requirements

Professional Qualifications

Required Education: Possess a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. A Master's degree in Education or the specific subject area is preferred.
Subject Expertise: Degree emphasis in the area of instruction or a directly related field is strongly preferred.
Communication Skills: Possess solid, professional communication skills, both written and verbal, for effective interaction with students, parents, and colleagues. This includes the ability to present complex information clearly and engage in constructive dialogue.
Organizational Skills: Exhibit strong organizational skills, including efficient time management, meticulous record-keeping, and the ability to finish tasks in a timely manner and manage multiple classroom responsibilities simultaneously.
Collaboration: Proven ability to effectively partner and collaborate with colleagues, administration, and parents to support the holistic development of students.
Confidentiality: Absolute ability to maintain confidentiality pertaining to all sensitive school, student, and personnel matters, adhering to ethical and legal standards.
Work Ethic: Demonstrate a strong work ethic, professionalism, reliability, and punctuality.
Instructional Technology: Experience with and aptitude for using current educational technology to enhance classroom instruction, student engagement, and professional tasks.
Learning Management Systems (LMS): Such as Canvas or Google Classroom.
Productivity Suites: Including Google Suite for Education and/or Apple iWork Suite.
Hardware/Equipment: Expertise in operating devices such as MacBooks, iPads, and Interactive Whiteboards, or similar classroom presentation technologies.
Certification Requirement: Hold or be eligible to obtain a valid teaching certificate:
Licensure by a regional accreditation agency (e.g., ACSI) is highly preferred.
Valid/Professional State Teacher's Certification (e.g., Florida Teacher’s Certification) 
Eligibility for a Temporary State Certificate within 30 days of employment, with the expectation that a permanent certification is secured within three (3) years.
Teaching Experience: A minimum of three (3) years of successful classroom teaching experience in the subject area is recommended.
Demonstrated Ability: Possess demonstrated expertise and ability to manage, instruct, and motivate students, or provide equivalent proven subject expertise through related professional work experience.