MS Latin & Cultures Teacher

Description

Battle Ground Academy (BGA) is seeking a dynamic and innovative educator to join its Middle School faculty for the  academic year. Founded in 1889, BGA is a PreK-12th grade college preparatory school located in Franklin, TN. Serving a diverse student population, the school embodies core values of character, scholarship, and excellence.

The ideal candidate will be a "Classicist for the 21st Century"—someone who can make Latin come alive while helping students draw connections to modern world cultures. We seek a teacher comfortable in a student-centered environment who utilizes project-based learning and design thinking to ignite curiosity.

The MS Latin and World Cultures Teacher prepares curricula that build foundational linguistic skills and cultural competency. This role leads instruction that balances the rigor of Latin grammar with an inquiry-based exploration of how ancient civilizations influence our global society today.

• Course Design: Create syllabi for assigned Middle School Latin levels (Introductory/Level 1A/1B) and World Cultures units.
• Sequential Planning: Collaborate with the World Language Department to ensure MS Latin effectively prepares students for Upper School honors and AP tracks.
• Active Pedagogy: Plan and guide units that involve reading, writing, and speaking (Living Latin), moving beyond rote memorization to functional understanding.
• World Cultures Integration: Lead units that explore global perspectives, geography, and the "human story," helping students see the threads connecting the Roman world to diverse modern cultures.
• Inquiry-Based Learning: Incorporate the design thinking process, allowing geography, and the "human story," helping students see the students to tackle "essential questions" about language, history, and society.

• Holistic Evaluation: Create varied assessments (projects, oral presentations, and traditional exams) that measure both skill acquisition and critical thinking.
• Timely Communication: Maintain an updated online gradebook and provide constructive, prompt feedback to students and parents.
• Support: Foster a consistent work ethic and a desire for excellence, providing extra help to students during designated office hours or advisory periods.

• Advisory: Serve as a Middle School advisor, mentoring a small group of students and supporting their social-emotional growth.
• Collaboration: Participate in World Language Department meetings and contribute to the broader "BGA Way" through campus life (e.g., clubs, coaching, or chaperoning).
• Professionalism: Model the school’s core values and comply with all standards of conduct as stated in the employee handbook.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Classics, Latin, or a related Humanities field is required; a Master’s degree is a plus
• Experience: Prior experience teaching middle school learners, ideally in an independent school setting.
• Mindset: A passion for "humanities-based" instruction—viewing language as a tool to understand the human experience.
• Technical
  
  Skills:
  
  Proficient in Google Workspace and learning management systems (e.g., Veracross, Canvas).
• Interpersonal
  
  Skills:
  
  Exemplary role model with excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Must be able to manage the high-energy environment of a Middle School classroom.
• Stand or work at a desk and computer for extended periods.
• Work primarily in a traditional climate-controlled classroom, with occasional outdoor supervision during recess or carline.
• Must be able to multitask and self-regulate while managing the varied challenges and deadlines of an academic year.