2026-2027 Teaching Fellowship

Role and Responsibilities

Penn Fellows will:

• Teach a modified course load.
• Coach, lead, and/or advise at least two co-curricular, student-facing programs per year, which usually include coaching a sport and sponsoring a club.
• Lead a student advisory group with the support of the assistant head for the duration of the fellowship.
• Attend and participate in all faculty meetings and school/division-wide assemblies as members of the Thaden faculty.
• Meet regularly with the Head of Middle School to apply learning from the ISTR curriculum to their teaching and learning at Thaden School.
• Meet weekly with their faculty mentor to collaborate on pedagogy and curriculum relevant to the fellow, the mentor, and the ISTR curriculum.
• Conduct classroom and campus-wide observations as determined by the fellow and their faculty mentor, the Head of Middle School, and the Independent School Teaching Residency (ISTR) faculty of Penn GSE.
• Participate in their evaluation process with the Head of Middle School, with input from relevant collaborators (mentors, co-advisors, athletic director, etc.), using indicators appropriate for and designed by the Independent School Teaching Residency (ISTR) program in conjunction with Thaden School expectations for faculty.

Skills, Qualifications, and Attributes

• Positive personality and love for children.
• Strong desire to learn about the art of teaching.
• Highly collaborative and collegial manner.
• Consistent, highly professional behavior, including discretion, judgment, and integrity.
• Dedicated work ethic: proactive, responsible, reliable, punctual, and attentive to deadlines.
• Effective time management skills with the ability to manage, organize, and prioritize work.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Flexibility with the special needs associated with an academic calendar and schedule.
• Ability to display strong initiative, internal motivation, and a willingness to take on responsibilities beyond those explicitly defined. Committed to professional learning and growth.
• Undergraduate degree in the content area being taught.
• Candidate must also complete the required background check.

Physical Requirements

• Job frequently requires standing, walking, and handling objects with hands.
• Job occasionally requires reaching, climbing, stooping, kneeling, pushing, pulling, and lifting up to 25 pounds.
• Some work is performed outside and may require exposure to changing weather conditions.