2nd Grade Lead Teacher

A Day in the Life

Your day is 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM — the most academically dense schedule in the school. Mornings: chapter-book reading with explicit work on author's purpose, vocabulary, comparing characters, and summarizing. Math: addition/subtraction within 1,000 with regrouping, multiplication intro as repeated addition, foundational fractions (halves, thirds, quarters), time to the nearest 5 minutes, money and making change. Quran with the specialist mid-morning. Lunch and recess at midday. Wudu and in-class Dhuhr in the early afternoon. Halaqa discussions are increasingly student-led. Inquiry-based science — your kids ask the questions, run simple investigations, draw evidence-based conclusions. Writing workshop runs with drafting, revising, and editing as routine. The beginnings of formal study habits before dismissal at 3:00 PM.

Qualifications

Required

• • Bachelor's degree.
• • Authorization to work in the US (we do not sponsor employment authorization).

Preferred

• • 3+ years lead-classroom experience in elementary (with at least one full year in 2nd or 3rd grade).
• • Reading specialist credential, LETRS training, or equivalent structured-literacy preparation.
• • North Carolina K-6 teaching license, or in the process of obtaining one.

Key Focus Areas

Skills, Duties, and Responsibilities

• • Teaches chapter-book reading with explicit work on author's purpose, point of view, comparing characters, summarizing, and inference.
• • Develops multi-paragraph writing across narrative, opinion, and informational genres; runs writers' workshop with drafting, revising, and editing as routine.
• • Teaches addition/subtraction within 1,000 with regrouping; introduces multiplication as repeated addition.
• • Introduces fractions as halves, thirds, and quarters of shapes.
• • Teaches time to the nearest 5 minutes (AM/PM), money counting, and making change.
• • Runs simple inquiry-based science: students ask a question, predict, observe, and record findings in a science notebook.
• • Begins formal study habits: agendas, folders, organization for upper grades.
• • Establishes a safe, orderly classroom and a culture grounded in Akhlaq.
• • Manages classroom behavior using a graduated, restorative approach. Public shame and physical discipline are not used.
• • Walks students to wudu and leads in-class Dhuhr prayer daily. Reinforces Islamic etiquette throughout the day.
• • Knows and applies the NC Standard Course of Study and Common Core State Standards for 2nd Grade; develops lesson plans aligned to them.
• • Conducts formative and summative assessment routinely; adjusts instruction within days, not months.
• • Differentiates instruction across reading levels, math fluency, and home-language background.
• • Submits weekly lesson plans, mid-quarter check-ins, and quarterly report cards on time.
• • Communicates proactively with parents through school-approved channels.
• • Collaborates with grade-level peers and subject specialists during weekly faculty meetings.
• • Participates in school-wide events.
• • Open to feedback from administration and peers. Participates in professional development.
• • Other duties as assigned by the Head of School.

Faith Expectations

Lead teachers are not required to be practicing Muslims. All faculty are expected to respect the school’s Islamic mission, support daily prayer and Islamic etiquette in the classroom, and adhere to the dress and conduct standards in the Staff Handbook.

Compensation & Benefits

• • Salary: competitive, based on experience and credentials.
• • Benefits: paid school-year holidays and breaks (including Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha), professional-development budget, and tuition discount for staff children enrolled at Al-Razi School.