PYP Visual Arts Teacher

General Description

The PYP Visual Arts Teacher is responsible for fostering a passion for art among students in the Primary School and for working collaboratively with music and theatre colleagues to develop engaging and inspirational learning experiences. The successful candidate will be expected to use the Primary Years Program (PYP) curriculum framework to work with students with a diverse range of talents and abilities.

In addition, we expect all our staff to  support an ethos of holistic learning through their support of an after school club, activity or sport and attend a residential PDW with students.

This is a full-time position and will ideally begin in August of 2025.

At ISZL, all members of staff are expected to meet our professional standards.  Teachers at ISZL design, facilitate, assess, and empower learning based on the ISZL learning principles according to the following teaching standards and programme-specific documentation.

The Primary School PYP Visual Arts Teacher is expected to:

• Cultivate a learning environment that values students as key drivers of their learning
• Use a variety of different teaching strategies and resources to create learning experiences that offer multiple access points and opportunities for students to apply their understanding in meaningful ways
• Effectively manage the interplay between emotional wellbeing, motivation and cognition as vital aspects of learning
• Design learning that allows for students to inquire into diverse viewpoints, address misconceptions, and solve problems together in respectful, equitable ways
• Work collaboratively with the grade level representatives of the Learning support and EAL teams to ensure that all students are appropriately supported in the classroom
• Provide regular formative and summative feedback to enable both students and teachers to receive guidance that is actionable

While working with ISZL Colleagues

• Collaborate with colleagues to ensure school-wide philosophical alignment
• Works with teachers to create art spaces in each classroom that offer a variety of materials and tools to provoke inquiry and support ongoing learning.
• Work together with classroom teachers so that Visual Arts contributes to many of the PYP Units of Inquiry, taught (where appropriate) through a collaborative or cooperative model
• Participate in departmental, divisional and schoolwide meetings
• Support with set design for the Primary School musical 
• Provide opportunity for students to exhibit their work in community spaces
• Lead the Primary School Art Exhibition
• Support design and creative elements for the Grade 5 in the IB PYP Exhibition
• Engage with colleagues reflectively to deepen practice and learn from each other through regular meetings, lesson observations and professional development opportunities
• Contribute to the smooth running of the school through performing regular duties and being familiar with school policies

While working with ISZL Parents and External Community

• Value parents as a true partner in the learning process
• Display student work to showcase their learning and accomplishments
• Engage collaboratively with parents at information evenings and for individual conferences

Professional Responsibilities

• Commit to ongoing growth and improvement 
• Commit to collaboration with colleagues, students, and parents
• Provide regular and appropriate communication to parents on academic progress and student well-being
• Contribute to opportunities for the development of the school through mission-aligned projects and sharing with a variety of audiences (e.g. colleagues, parents, board members)
• Commit to expanding options for students through offering an after-school activity or coaching
• Provide regular and appropriate contact with school administration to share information on progress, curriculum, the results of assessment, and overall learning environment

Learning Design   

• Design for learning based on agreed student learning outcomes in the context of a coherent school-wide, division-appropriate and subject-specific programme
• Focus learning design on conceptual understanding and “big ideas” of the discipline
• Involve students in planning for their own learning 
• Design provocations and invitations that are rich with potential and align with the values of our school.
• Integrate technology into planning to create, adapt and personalise learning experiences
• Integrate the diversity of student profiles (e.g. cultural heritage, linguistic profiles, learning strengths) into learning plans

Learning Facilitation  

• Cultivate a relational environment where students feel safe and motivated to stretch themselves
• Amplify positive learning behaviours, holding students accountable to excellent and ethical behaviour and work
• Use a variety of different teaching strategies and resources to cater to a variety of learning situations and styles
• Works with students in the art studio and classroom, facilitating and supporting small-group research, project work, and materials exploration.
• Where appropriate, empower students to feel responsible and to take action
• Involve students actively in their learning
• Pursue, where appropriate, open-ended inquiry and real-life investigations
• Utilise media and technology to support access, engagement, and demonstration of learning 

Assessment

• Take into account that planning, teaching, and assessing are interconnected processes
• Actively documents and interprets children’s learning processes, making learning visible through written narratives, photographs, videos etc.
• Use a variety of formative and summative assessment strategies to monitor, document, and support student learning in alignment with PYP assessment principles and practices.

Required and Preferred Qualifications

• The candidate should hold a recognised teaching qualification or certification.
• At least 2 years teaching visual art in an international setting
• Candidates with knowledge of the PYP curriculum framework and experience teaching within a pedagogy of inquiry-based learning are preferred.
• Candidates must have a Swiss or EU passport/valid Swiss work permit (or be approved for a Swiss work visa).

Application Process

Compensation

Compensation for this position will be commensurate with the responsibilities of the position and is very competitive globally.

What we offer

• Paid insurance benefits (accident insurance + long-term sickness)
• Generous pension fund contributions
• Professional development opportunities
• Tuition discount
• Social events
• A modern, dynamic and collaborative work environment

Key ISZL Reference Documents

• Guiding Statements
• Professional Standards
• Teaching Standards
• Learning Principles
• Inclusion Policy
• Visit the Employment section of ISZL’s website for more information

ISZL is an equal-opportunity employer

As such, ISZL agrees to support, respect, and seek inclusion with regard to the safety and care of all community members, including potential members looking to join our school. This includes but is not limited to: age; disabilities; ethnicity; gender; gender expression; gender identity; health needs; languages spoken; marital status; mental health; national origin; political affiliation; race; religion; sex; sexual orientation, and any additional characteristic protected under Swiss law.

ISZL endeavours to understand and protect the civil and human rights of all individuals, striving to maintain a high level of multicultural awareness and knowledge about all applicable laws and statutes related to non-discrimination and inclusion.

Child Protection

ISZL is committed to the use of the International Task Force on Child Protection screening and assessment practices for schools for all hiring processes. ISZL takes very seriously its responsibility for safeguarding our students against abuse and neglect. All staff and other adults associated with ISZL are expected to share this commitment and to immediately report any concerns regarding a student’s safety or well-being.