At the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ), we are committed to providing an exceptional education that empowers global citizens to fulfill their future purpose. Our vision is to inspire learning to build a better world. We seek a dedicated and passionate professional who aligns with our commitment to excellence and believes in the transformative power of education. Every team member is crucial in creating a supportive and nurturing learning environment. At AISJ, we value every employee as a learner and expect them to embody and support the AISJ Portrait of Learner (Resilience
,
Mindful, Thinker
,
Globally Connected, Curious
,
Contributor) through their work. We are dedicated to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within our school community.
The Upper Elementary Homeroom Teacher at the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ) delivers exceptional educational experiences and cultivates an environment that fosters robust relationships within the diverse community, fully aligning with the Vision to inspire learning and build a better world. The Upper Elementary Homeroom Teacher leverages the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework and applies developmentally appropriate best practices to facilitate play, inquiry, and conceptual transfer, while actively cultivating student agency, thereby guaranteeing the holistic growth and well-being of every student. Through dedicated collaborative practice with specialist and grade-level teams, the Upper Elementary Homeroom Teacher actively supports all learners in implementing the transdisciplinary curriculum, thereby empowering global citizens with the academic and dispositional competencies required to fulfill their future purpose.
Qualifications, Experiences, & Role Specific Requirements
Educational Requirements: Bachelor's degree in education or a related field is mandatory; a Master's degree in Education is highly desirable.
Certification/Licensure: Valid teaching certification/licensure from an accredited body in the country of origin or an equivalent international certification is required.
Professional Experience: Minimum of three (3) years of relevant full-time professional teaching experience in an elementary setting. Experience working in an international school environment is preferred. Experience leading PYP Exhibition is highly desirable.
Specialized Training: Demonstrated knowledge of and experience teaching within the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework is essential. Prior PYP Category 1 and 2 training is highly preferred.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
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Design and implement a rigorous, transdisciplinary curriculum grounded in the IB PYP framework, emphasizing inquiry, play, and conceptual transfer.
Apply developmentally appropriate best practices in teaching and assessment to ensure the holistic growth and well-being of every student.
Cultivate a positive, inclusive, and nurturing classroom environment that promotes student agency and fosters strong, positive relationships with students, parents, and colleagues.
Collaborate effectively with all professional teams, strictly adhering to the Seven Norms of Collaborative Work when planning, analyzing student learning data, and differentiating instruction for diverse needs.
Foster strong collegial relationships and contribute proactively to a positive, supportive, and collaborative work environment across the school.
Model and promote the development of academic competencies and uphold and demonstrate the dispositional competencies outlined in the Portrait of a Learner to equip students as successful global citizens.
Contribute actively to the wider school life by fulfilling supervisory duties, participating in school events, and engaging in extracurricular commitments beyond the regular working day.
Engage in continuous professional learning, reflective practice, and professional coaching cycles to enhance pedagogical expertise and contribute to the school's culture of professional excellence.
Manage classroom resources and learning spaces efficiently to support active, hands-on learning experiences.
Teacher Competencies
Planning for Learning
Curriculum Design:
Creates personalized, challenging learning sequences that build on prior knowledge while ensuring knowledge transfer and regular reflection opportunities.
Collaborative Planning:
Partners across disciplines and specialties to create cohesive learning experiences
that connect global contexts while anticipating student needs.
Inquiry-Based Learning:
Designs flexible conceptual units that honor student choice, pace, and multiple pathways to demonstrate understanding.
Maximizing Teacher Efficacy
Student Agency & Critical Thinking
Creates self-directed learners who think critically, set goals, and drive their own learning journey.
Research-Based Instructional Excellence
Implements proven teaching strategies that adapt to individual student needs through continuous assessment and adjustment.
Connected Learning Design
Weaves together global perspectives, real-world applications, and cross-disciplinary connections to create meaningful learning experiences.
Collaborative Leadership
Builds a learning community where students develop leadership skills through structured collaboration and personalized engagement.
Reflecting as Practitioners
Student Agency:
Builds student capacity for self-assessment through modeling, tools, and targeted feedback that drives individual growth.
Data-Informed Practice:
Analyzes student achievement data to align curriculum, refine teaching strategies, and measure instructional effectiveness.
Professional Growth:
Engages in collaborative reflection and data analysis with colleagues to continuously improve teaching practices and student outcomes.
Promoting Relationships, Community, & Culture
Builds strong community-school partnerships
and actively participates in community initiatives to enrich the learning environment.
Adapts teaching practices
by staying informed of educational and societal changes while understanding each learner's unique cultural background, learning style, and needs.
Creates an inclusive learning environment
that embraces diversity, challenges stereotypes, and connects
learning to students' real-world experiences and cultural contexts.
Fosters a growth mindset
by encouraging calculated risk-taking and developing students' autonomy, personal responsibility, and ownership of learning.
All community members are expected to be committed to the AISJ Community Principles.
We are better when we act together.
Our differences make us stronger.
Every voice counts. Every voice matters.
Every team needs individuals. Every individual needs a team.
Work:
Number of Days:
: Monday through Friday - 188 (one hundred and eighty-eight) days per school year:
Work Day
: 7:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and from 7:10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, subject to 8.4 and 8.6 below.
Full-Time Teacher:
Elementary Teachers will be working with students (contact time) between 65% to 75% per day
Other Duties As Assigned:
The Teacher will be expected to perform any work assigned to them that is within their skills and capabilities and to be flexible about changes to this function that may be required from time to time for operational reasons. This includes other duties as assigned by their supervisor from time to time.
APPLICATION PROCESS
To apply, please complete the electronic form
please click here
. Information captured will be securely stored and used for a reference check on the candidate's compatibility. AISJ reserves the right to appoint the strongest candidate before the closing date if required.
SAFEGUARDING & CHILD PROTECTION
AISJ maintains robust
child protection policies
to ensure a safe, secure, and caring environment for our students. All employees must undergo criminal background checks, attend annual training, and sign a safeguarding agreement.
PRIVACY
By submitting your CV, you consent to AISJ processing your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy, accessible at
AISJ Privacy Policy
, and under the Protection of Personal Information Act of 2013.
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