Teacher-Librarian/Learning Support

Location

UWC ISAK Japan Campus, Karuizawa

Compensation

Start Date

01/08/2025

Application Deadline

03/12/2024

Job Description

Position Summary

The Teaching Librarian is responsible for integrating the library’s resources into the educational framework of the school, promoting literacy, and fostering research skills among students. This role combines traditional library services with a teaching responsibility.

Current Contract Period

August 1, 2025 – July 31, 2027. Thereafter employment may be renewed by agreement.

 

 

Key Responsibilities

Library Management:

  • Curate and manage the library’s collection, ensuring a diverse, inclusive, and up-to-date selection of books, digital resources, and media.
  • Develop and maintain the library’s budget, making data-driven decisions for resource acquisition and renewal.
  • Oversee the organization and cataloging of materials to facilitate easy access for students and staff.
  • Maintain a welcoming, safe, and conducive to learning environment.

Instructional Support and Collaboration:

  • Collaborate with teachers across various subjects to incorporate library resources and research skills into curriculum planning.
  • Provide support in research projects and integrating information literacy skills into classroom learning.
  • Teach students effective research techniques, digital literacy, and how to critically evaluate sources.
  • Conduct library orientation and ongoing workshops for both students and staff on research tools, citation practices, and academic integrity.

Technology Integration:

  • Manage and teach the use of online databases, e-resources, and other technological tools that support research and learning.
  • Promote the integration of digital tools and platforms for reading, research, and collaboration.
  • Ensure equitable access to digital resources for all students.

Reading and Literacy Advocacy:

  • Promote a culture of reading and a love for literature through book talks, reading programs, and school-wide reading challenges.

Student and Staff Support:

  • Provide personalized reading and research guidance to students, matching them with appropriate resources for their academic and personal interests.
  • Offer professional development opportunities for teachers in the use of library resources, research strategies, and technology integration.

Leadership and Professional Development:

  • Stay current with trends in library science, education, and technology through continuous professional development.
  • Participate in school committees and contribute to curriculum development and instructional planning.
  • Serve as an advocate for the role of the library within the school community, promoting its importance as a hub for learning and discovery.

Teaching Responsibilities:

  • Information science, digital citizenship, and/or media literacy.
  • Experience in learning support – EAL or SEN

 

Qualifications

Education

  • Teaching qualification; Library Science qualification.

Experience

  • Experience in a school library setting or a combination of teaching and library roles.

Skills

  • Strong knowledge of library management systems, databases, and digital resources.
  • Excellent communication and instructional skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with teachers, students, and staff.
  • Familiarity with current educational trends, information literacy frameworks, and inquiry-based learning.
  • Ability to foster a love of reading and support the development of research skills in students of varying abilities.

 

Personality / Successful Traits

  • Resonates with the UWC ISAK leadership model and willing to be an active participant in it
  • Curious about and open to exploring mindfulness and design thinking in personal and professional life
  • Positive; enthusiastic about creating and contributing to a school that is evolving
  • Pragmatic and resourceful; able to identify needs and willing to address them
  • Patient and flexible; comfortable working in a school that is growing and evolving
  • Self aware and motivated; engaged in continuous reflection and improvement
  • Able to work independently and complete tasks without supervision while respecting existing roles and structures within the school
  • Able to work in a team; enjoys collaborative teaching among different fields and inspired to work interdisciplinarily
  • Enjoys a residential lifestyle; understands the demands and flexibility required of adults in a residential environment, including needs that come up unexpectedly.

 

Safeguarding

All employees must adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy at all times. If, in the course of carrying out their duties, a teacher becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the School, they must report those concerns to the DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead) or DDSL (Deputy Designated safeguarding Lead) immediately.

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    How To Apply

    Please submit the following documents to [email protected] by December 3, 2024:

    • Cover Letter
    • CV (including any experience teaching IBDP, listing the subject and years taught)
    • Copy of teaching credentials
    • If you are selected for an interview, we will ask you to submit the following: diploma related to the subject to be taught (with relevant transcript), diploma from highest degree earned (with relevant transcript).
    • Note: Successful candidates will need to complete a criminal background check (arranged and paid for by the school) before the final employment contract is issued.

    General Information

    A Shared UWC Mission

    UWC makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.

    Our Distinct Identity

    At UWC ISAK Japan, we empower each other to be transformational leaders who explore new frontiers and make a positive impact today and in the future.

    We believe not only in the power of education, but also in the power of young people to become catalysts for positive change. We aim to create an environment where students learn to understand and appreciate different perspectives, challenge themselves academically and emotionally, and develop their innate potential as change-makers who can identify what is most important and needed, take action in the face of discomfort, use diversity as a strength, and support others in this practice.

    Our Motto

    Our school motto reflects our hopes for and dedication to all UWC ISAK Japan students as they journey through one of the most important and exciting times of their lives.

    One Life. Realize Your Potential. Be a Catalyst for Positive Change.

    One Life
    Realize Your Potential
    Be a Catalyst for Positive Change

    Leadership Education at UWC ISAK Japan

    At UWC ISAK Japan, we empower each other to be transformational leaders who explore new frontiers and make a positive impact today and in the future.

    We believe not only in the power of education, but also in the power of young people to become catalysts for positive change. We aim to create an environment where students learn to understand and appreciate different perspectives, challenge themselves academically and emotionally, and develop their innate potential as change-makers who can identify what is most important and needed, take action in the face of discomfort, use diversity as a strength, and support others in this practice.

    We believe in transformational leadership.

    Who is a transformational leader?

    A transformational leader is someone who consistently identifies what is most important and what is needed, takes action in the face of discomfort, uses diversity as a strength, and supports others in this practice. With continuous practice, a transformational leader creates positive change within self and the community at large.

    A transformational leader consistently applies these foundational skills of leadership:

    • Awareness: Deeply observes oneself and the environment, and understands what is important for self and the greater good.
    • Connection: Empathizes with members of a community, understands their diverse potentials and values, and supports them towards a common goal.
    • Action Taking: Steps out of one’s comfort zone to courageously bring ideas to life.
    • Self-Discipline: Responds positively to challenges with measured reflection, growth mindset, resilience and optimism.
    • Creativity: Generates innovative ideas and questions and builds upon those of others

     

    Leadership is a practice.

    Leadership is not a position or status that a selective group of people earn, whether by the virtue of their economic or social position in society or their innate demeanor or personality. At UWC ISAK Japan, we believe that leadership is a practice. This practice is integrated into our curriculum​, and we believe that with practice, individuals can grow and integrate the essential skills of leadership.

    About UWC

    Founded in 1962, UWC (United World Colleges) is a global education movement that makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. UWC is comprised of schools and colleges in 18 countries, with national committees and selection contacts in more than 155 countries. UWC fosters a lifelong commitment to social responsibility, and to date has inspired a network of 60,000 alumni who believe it is possible to work for positive change.

    The majority of students attending UWCs are selected by UWC national committees. In support of the belief that education should be independent of a student’s ability to pay, 70% of national committee selected IB Diploma students receive full scholarships. The UWC movement places a high value on experiential learning, outdoor education, service and other cultural understanding, alongside the academically challenging International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).

    About UWC ISAK Japan

    UWC ISAK Japan is Japan’s only full-boarding international high school and the newest member of the United World Colleges movement. Following the Japanese school system, UWC ISAK is a three-year high school, with all students in grades 11 and 12 following the IB Diploma Programme curriculum. The school is accredited by the Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT) and all graduates receive a Japanese high school diploma. Currently approximately 200 students from nearly 80 countries attend UWC ISAK Japan, with 70% of students receiving full or partial need-based scholarship support. 30% of enrolled students are Japanese, with the remaining 70% coming from homes outside of Japan.

    Location

    Karuizawa is located in Nagano Prefecture, home to the 1998 Winter Olympics and fondly referred to as the “Roof of Japan.” Karuizawa has been attracting an international mix of visitors since the late nineteenth century. The mountainous climate keeps Kaurizawa cool and comfortable during Japan’s summer months, making it a popular escape from Tokyo’s heat and humidity. Karuizawa experiences four seasons with regular snow in the winter which generally lasts from early December through February. Monthly temperatures average between 21 and -5 throughout the year.

    While the full-time population of Karuizawa is around 20,000, the population of the town increases dramatically during the summer tourist season. From Tokyo, it takes approximately 70 minutes to reach Karuizawa station on the Shinkansen (Japanese bullet train).

    Karuizawa is a favorite destination for outdoor enthusiasts and offers year-round recreation including hiking, cycling, tennis, golf and skiing. In addition, a vibrant arts & crafts scene includes art galleries and museums, a performing arts center, a symphony hall, and a community symphony. There are also many good restaurants with wide ranging cuisines, a large upscale outlet mall with designer shops, a variety of onsen hot springs and a local volcano, Mt. Asama.

    UWC ISAK Japan is located on the outskirts of Karuizawa, in a quiet residential community and the school is not within easy walking distance to a train station or a large supermarket. Schooling options for faculty children are limited to the local public schools where all instruction and communication is in Japanese. We are not able to guarantee admission to UWC ISAK for faculty children in grades 10-12 or to guarantee scholarships if faculty children are admitted.

    For more information about the town of Karuizawa, please go to the following website:
    http://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-city-guides/karuizawa-guide