Position Overview
The Meliora School seeks a knowledgeable, engaging Science Learning Guide to teach seventh-grade life science and eighth-grade physical science. This educator will deliver rigorous, hands-on instruction aligned with Georgia’s science standards and prepare eighth-grade learners to demonstrate proficiency on the Georgia Milestones Science End-of-Grade assessment.
New hires must have previous experience teaching physical science, including chemistry and physics concepts.
At Meliora, Learning Guides combine explicit instruction, scientific inquiry, personalized support, and mastery-based assessment. The successful candidate will help learners understand scientific concepts, apply them to unfamiliar situations, and support explanations with evidence.
Content Knowledge and Instruction
The Science Learning Guide will:
- Teach seventh-grade life science, including cells and body systems, heredity, classification, biological diversity, and ecosystems.
- Teach eighth-grade physical science, including properties of matter, physical and chemical changes, energy, forces and motion, waves, electricity, and magnetism.
- Unpack Georgia’s science standards into clear learning targets, lesson sequences, and measurable criteria for mastery.
- Plan instruction using the applicable GaDOE assessment guides, test blueprints, and achievement-level descriptors.
- Maintain a pacing plan that provides time for initial instruction, investigations, reteaching, enrichment, and cumulative review.
- Use STEMscopes and supplemental resources to create coherent, standards-aligned units.
Georgia Milestones Readiness
The Science Learning Guide will:
- Prepare eighth-grade learners for the content knowledge and reasoning required by the Georgia Milestones science assessment.
- Design classroom assessments that reflect the rigor and application demands described in current GaDOE assessment resources.
- Teach learners to interpret scientific diagrams, models, tables, graphs, and investigation results.
- Help learners evaluate evidence, identify relationships, draw conclusions, and apply concepts in unfamiliar contexts.
- Build familiarity with the online assessment environment and applicable item formats using state-approved practice resources.
- Analyze assessment results by standard to identify misconceptions and determine which learners need additional instruction.
- Provide targeted small-group support and reassessment opportunities throughout the year.
- Establish and monitor individual growth and proficiency goals with school leadership.
- Communicate progress toward grade-level mastery clearly to learners and families.
Scientific Inquiry and Laboratory Practice
The Science Learning Guide will:
- Facilitate regular investigations that require learners to ask questions, make predictions, identify variables, collect data, and explain results.
- Teach learners to distinguish observations from inferences and support scientific claims with relevant evidence.
- Integrate measurement, graphing, proportional reasoning, and appropriate calculations into science instruction.
- Use models, demonstrations, simulations, and engineering challenges to make abstract concepts accessible.
- Establish and enforce laboratory safety procedures.
- Maintain organized materials and equipment and plan investigations appropriate to available facilities and learner needs.
Personalized and Mastery-Based Learning
The Science Learning Guide will:
- Use daily checks for understanding to adjust instruction.
- Maintain accurate records of progress toward specific science standards.
- Provide clear, actionable feedback and structured opportunities for revision and reassessment.
- Deliver small-group reteaching and meaningful extensions for learners who demonstrate mastery.
- Implement IEP and Section 504 supports in collaboration with specialized services staff.
- Provide vocabulary instruction, visual supports, and scaffolded scientific texts for multilingual learners.
- Help learners track their progress and take increasing responsibility for their learning.
School Community Responsibilities
The Science Learning Guide will:
- Create a structured classroom grounded in belonging, curiosity, accountability, and respect.
- Serve as a Life Navigator advisor, supporting learner organization, goal-setting, reflection, and social-emotional growth.
- Collaborate with colleagues to review learner work, plan instruction, and strengthen teaching practices.
- Communicate proactively with families about academic progress and needed support.
- Participate in professional learning, family conferences, learner exhibitions, House activities, and assigned supervision duties.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Previous experience teaching physical science, including chemistry and physics concepts.
- Strong knowledge of middle school life science and physical science.
- Ability to translate Georgia science standards into rigorous instruction and assessments.
- Ability to use assessment data to plan reteaching, monitor growth, and improve learner outcomes.
- Experience planning and supervising safe laboratory investigations.
- Strong classroom management, organization, communication, and collaboration skills.
- Commitment to mastery-based learning, learner ownership, and continuous improvement.
- Ability to meet applicable employment, credentialing, and background-check requirements.
Preferred Qualifications
- Georgia teaching certification in middle grades science or a related science field.
- Experience teaching eighth-grade science in Georgia.
- Experience preparing learners for Georgia Milestones science assessments.
- Evidence of improving science achievement and supporting learners toward proficiency.
- Experience using STEMscopes and teaching in a personalized or mastery-based setting.
Compensation
Salary: Salary based on experience and qualifications.
Application Requirements
Applicants should submit:
- A current résumé identifying science subjects and grade levels taught, including physical science teaching experience.
- A sample physical science lesson or investigation that includes a learning target, safety procedures, and an assessment of learner understanding.