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Uncommon Schools

High School History Teacher

🇺🇸 Newark, NJ 🕑 Full-Time 💰 $60K - $85K 💻 Teaching 🗓️ February 24th, 2026
K-12

Edtech.com's Summary

Uncommon Schools is hiring a High School History Teacher to deliver an engaging curriculum in World History, US History, American Government, and Economics. The role involves fostering student-led discourse, guiding analytical skills development, collaborating with the history department on academic goals, and using data analysis to adapt instruction and improve student outcomes.

Highlights
  • Teach AP and college-preparatory history courses focusing on textual analysis, argumentation, and historiography.
  • Facilitate student-led discussions and debates on historical topics to enhance critical thinking and global citizenship.
  • Analyze student data weekly with instructional coaches to inform differentiated teaching strategies.
  • Build a positive and inclusive classroom culture that empowers students' voices.
  • Partner with families to support student learning needs.
  • Collaborate with grade-level teams and participate in school-wide professional development and meetings.
  • Required qualifications include a bachelor's degree, academic expertise in related social sciences or humanities, and eligibility for New Jersey teacher certification.
  • Preferred 1-2 years of experience impacting K-12 students in urban communities.
  • Compensation ranges from $60,000 to $85,000 depending on experience and education.
  • Comprehensive benefits include paid time off, health insurance, pension plan, professional development, and wellness support.

High School History Teacher Full Description

Company Description
Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing public charter schools dedicated to providing an exceptional K-12 education in economically disadvantaged communities. Operating in Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark, and Rochester, we are committed to closing the college completion gap and preparing every student for college and beyond. Our students consistently exceed national benchmarks, reflecting our dedication to their success. We invest deeply in our educators, offering weekly coaching, feedback, and professional development to ensure excellence in teaching and leadership. Join us to work hard, do good, and make a lasting difference!

Job Description
Uncommon High School History teachers work in department teams to push students towards being self-guided learners. Our teachers become experts in their course content and have a keen sense of how to motivate and inspire high school students. History classes aim to empower students' voices and develop them into global citizens by emphasizing textual analysis, analytical writing, and discourse. At the conclusion of high school, students are prepared for academic autonomy and college preparatory work.

Responsibilities
1. Instruction
  • You'll teach a curriculum that prioritizes analysis of World, US History, American Government, and Economics in preparation for Advanced Placement (AP) and collegiate level coursework.
  • You'll facilitate student-led discourse of historical topics, where students grapple with open-ended guiding questions, engage in peer to peer debate, and synthesize arguments.
  • You'll guide students to understand the author's claim and the power of sourcing while developing the skills of argumentation, corroboration, inquiry, and historiography through primary and secondary source analysis.
  • You'll build an inclusive and safe environment where students are empowered to use their voices to express evidence-based opinions and perspectives.
  • You'll work with the History department to determine academic and engagement goals for students.
2. Data Analysis
  • You'll meet weekly with your principal and/or instructional coach to analyze and respond to trends in student work samples and assessments.
  • You'll learn and implement strategies to differentiate instruction for all learners in your classroom.
3. School Culture
  • You’ll build positive relationships with students to ensure they feel seen, loved, and heard.
  • You’ll partner with students’ families to ensure appropriate resources are available to support their child's learning needs.
  • You'll engage in practice-based professional development, mentorship, and coaching sessions.
  • You'll participate in weekly, school-wide meetings to cultivate community, model our core values, and encourage student achievement.
  • You'll partner with your grade level team to develop academic goals and practice instructional strategies.

Qualifications
  • A demonstrated commitment to supporting students’ social emotional and academic development
  • An enthusiasm for collaborating with internal and external partners in the best interest of students
  • A self-directed learner who solicits and implements feedback to improve outcomes and achieve objectives
  • Required Experience:
    • A demonstrated interest in impacting K-12 students in urban schools and communities (1-2 years experience preferred).
    • Academic expertise in Education, History, Geography, Political Science, Criminal Justice, Social Sciences, or the Humanities.
    • Prior to the start of employment, you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Teacher certification is not a prerequisite for consideration at Uncommon Schools in the state of NJ, but you do need to meet NJ state certification eligibility requirements (a final undergraduate or graduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 for graduates on or after 9/1/16, or 2.75 if you graduated prior to 9/1/16). All instructional staff are required to become certified in the state of New Jersey within a reasonable period after beginning employment.

Additional Information
Our people are what make us Uncommon. We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits that support the personal health, wellness, and finances of our staff and their families. Our compensation philosophy values equity & fairness and attracting & retaining top talent.

Compensation
Compensation for this role is between $60,000 to $85,000.
Starting pay is determined using various factors including but not limited to relevant full-time teaching experience, education certifications, and tenure with Uncommon Schools. Candidates without full-time Teaching experience will likely have a starting salary of $60,000. 

Benefits
  • Generous paid time off inclusive of sick time, paid holidays, and 10 weeks of paid breaks (Spring, Winter, and Summer). 
  • Extensive, best-in-class training and development  
  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans + pre-tax flexible spending (FSA), dependent care (DCFSA), and health saving accounts (HSA)
  • Financial Planning
    • New Jersey Pension program
  • Paid leave of absence options (parental, medical, disability, etc.)
  • Mental health and counseling support + wellness benefits
*A detailed list of all benefits is located HERE.
 
At Uncommon, we believe that a supportive and welcoming environment helps our students, staff, and community thrive. We are dedicated to building a team that brings a wide range of perspectives and experiences, reflective of the communities we serve---with over 70% of our staff identifying as people of color. Our organization values respect and open dialogue on important topics that shape our school culture.

As an equal opportunity employer, Uncommon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We also ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all privileges and benefits associated with employment and are provided reasonable accommodations for the interview process and to perform core job functions. If you would like to request an accommodation, please email recruitment@uncommonschools.org.