American International School of Johannesburg Elementary School Visual Arts Teac

Position Description

CAMPUS: Johannesburg Campus | SUPERVISOR: ES Principal | START DATE: 1 August 2027 |

POSTING DATE: 05 October 2026| CLOSING DATE: 28 October 2026

Inspire Learning to Build Our Better World. At the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ), we are committed to providing an exceptional education that empowers global citizens to fulfill their future purpose. Our vision is to inspire learning to build a better world. We seek a dedicated and passionate professional who aligns with our commitment to excellence and believes in the transformative power of education. Every team member is crucial in creating a supportive and nurturing learning environment. At AISJ, we value every employee as a learner and expect them to embody and support the AISJ Portrait of Learner (Resilience, Mindful, Thinker, Globally Connected, Curious, Contributor) through their work. We are dedicated to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within our school community.

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Position Overview

The Elementary School Visual Arts Teacher inspires creative expression, visual literacy, and socio-emotional growth across Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5 in alignment with AISJ’s Vision to inspire learning and build a better world. Grounded in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework, the Visual Arts Teacher designs and delivers a dynamic, transdisciplinary arts curriculum that fosters student agency, conceptual inquiry, and artistic appreciation. Through studio-thinking models and play-based, inquiry-led experiences, this role nurtures each child's unique social, emotional, and learning profile within an inclusive, culturally responsive environment. Partnering collaboratively with grade-level and specialist teams, the Visual Arts Teacher leads divisional art celebrations, integrates visual arts across content areas, and empowers learners with the academic and dispositional competencies needed to thrive as global citizens.

Qualifications & Experience:

Required Educational Qualifications & Certification

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Fine Arts, Art Education, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Valid teaching license or certification in K–5 Visual Arts or Elementary Education from an accredited body.

Required Professional Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of full-time, successful Visual Arts teaching experience in an elementary school setting.
• Demonstrated experience designing, delivering, and assessing art curricula aligned with the National Core Arts Standards (NCAS).
• Demonstrated expertise in concept-driven inquiry, studio practices, and age-appropriate visual arts techniques.
• Proven track record of planning and executing student art exhibitions, community showcases, and collaborative arts events.

Preferred Qualifications & Specialized Experience

• Experience teaching within a multicultural, top-tier international elementary school with IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) training (Category 1 or 2 preferred).
• Qualification or experience in Responsive Classroom practices and positive behavior support environments.
• Professional familiarity with Adaptive Schools frameworks and the Seven Norms of Collaborative Work.Key Responsibilities:

Curriculum, Studio Instruction & Inquiry

• Design and implement a rigorous, concept-driven Visual Arts curriculum grounded in the IB PYP framework, emphasizing inquiry, play, and conceptual transfer.
• Create physical, temporal, and social learning spaces that honor diverse cultures, foster student agency, and support the socio-emotional well-being of every child.
• Manage art studio resources, specialized equipment, digital media, and learning environments efficiently to support active, hands-on studio learning.

Assessment, Exhibition & Community Engagement

• Systematically analyze, document, and share student learning and artistic growth through portfolios, rubrics, and developmental frameworks.
• Lead, coordinate, and organize the annual Elementary Artsfest celebrations and ongoing divisional art exhibitions.
• Collaborate with the creative arts team to support visual elements for community showcases, school gatherings, and the Elementary School Production.

Collaboration & Transdisciplinary Integration

• Collaborate effectively with grade-level and specialist teams to integrate visual arts seamlessly into transdisciplinary units of inquiry.
• Strictly adhere to the Seven Norms of Collaborative Work when co-planning, analyzing student work, and designing differentiated art experiences.
• Take an active, collaborative role in the ongoing review, revision, and vertical alignment of the AISJ Visual Arts curriculum.

Professional & Operational Contributions

• Model academic and dispositional competencies, upholding the AISJ Portrait of a Learner to equip students as successful global citizens.
• Engage in continuous professional learning, reflective practice, peer observations, and professional coaching cycles to enhance pedagogical practice.
• Develop positive, supportive relationships with families, colleagues, and the broader AISJ community to advocate for arts learning and well-being.

Additional Responsibilities

• Chaperone and support students during the Elementary Classroom Without Walls (CWW) program and off-campus trips.
• Sponsor or facilitate student service groups and lead/co-lead at least one Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) per academic year.
• Perform assigned campus supervision duties during break times and recess.
• Participate in and support school-wide weekend functions, community gatherings, and divisional events as required.

Teacher Competencies

Planning for Learning

• Curriculum Design: Creates personalized, challenging learning sequences that build on prior knowledge while ensuring knowledge transfer and regular reflection opportunities.
• Collaborative Planning: Partners across disciplines and specialties to create cohesive learning experiences

that connect global contexts while anticipating student needs.

• Inquiry-Based Learning: Designs flexible conceptual units that honor student choice, pace, and multiple pathways to demonstrate understanding.

Maximizing Teacher Efficacy

• Student Agency & Critical Thinking: Creates self-directed learners who think critically, set goals, and drive their own learning journey.
• Research-Based Instructional Excellence: Implements proven teaching strategies that adapt to individual student needs through continuous assessment and adjustment.
• Connected Learning Design: Weaves together global perspectives, real-world applications, and cross-disciplinary connections to create meaningful learning experiences.
• Collaborative Leadership: Builds a learning community where students develop leadership skills through structured collaboration and personalized engagement.

Reflecting as Practitioners

• Student Agency: Builds student capacity for self-assessment through modeling, tools, and targeted feedback that drives individual growth.
• Data-Informed Practice: Analyzes student achievement data to align curriculum, refine teaching strategies, and measure instructional effectiveness.
• Professional Growth: Engages in collaborative reflection and data analysis with colleagues to continuously improve teaching practices and student outcomes.

Promoting Relationships, Community, & Culture

• Builds strong community-school partnerships and actively participates in community initiatives to enrich the learning environment.
• Adapts teaching practices by staying informed of educational and societal changes while understanding each learner's unique cultural background, learning style, and needs.
• Creates an inclusive learning environment that embraces diversity, challenges stereotypes, and connects learning to students' real-world experiences and cultural contexts.
• Fosters a growth mindset by encouraging calculated risk-taking and developing students' autonomy, personal responsibility, and ownership of learning.

All community members are expected to be committed to the AISJ Community Principles.

• We are better when we act together.
• Our differences make us stronger.
• Every voice counts. Every voice matters.
• Every team needs individuals. Every individual needs a team.

Work

Number of Work Days: : Monday through Friday - 188 (one hundred and eighty-eight) days per school year.

Work Day: 7:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and from 7:10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

Other Duties As Assigned: The Teacher will be expected to perform any work assigned to them that is within their skills and capabilities and to be flexible about changes to this function that may be required from time to time for operational reasons. This includes other duties as assigned by their supervisor from time to time.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, please complete the electronic form [Click here]. Information captured will be securely stored and used for a reference check on the candidate's compatibility. AISJ reserves the right to appoint the strongest candidate before the closing date if required.

SAFEGUARDING & CHILD PROTECTION

AISJ maintains robust child protection policies to ensure a safe, secure, and caring environment for our students. All employees must undergo criminal background checks, attend annual training, and sign a safeguarding agreement.