Deerfield Academy, a private coeducational boarding school founded in 1797 and annually serving approximately 650 students grades 9-12, seeks Early Career Teaching Fellows with a start date of July 1, 2024. The Early-Career Fellowship at Deerfield offers curious, optimistic, and energetic individuals an opportunity to explore independent school teaching. Our program seeks to develop novice teachers who aim to lay a strong foundation for a career in education. With the ongoing support of an experienced mentor teacher, fellows immerse themselves in all aspects of life at Deerfield. They teach courses, advise students, supervise in our residence halls, and coach or supervise in our co-curricular program. Appointments in specific academic departments will vary year-to-year depending on the Academy’s needs. Weekly meetings with the program director and mentor teacher introduce them to effective pedagogical techniques, assessment design and grading, methods for cultivating students’ sense of belonging and inclusion, and curricular considerations.
We select candidates who have a keen interest in boarding school life and a desire to work in a high-challenge, high-support environment. Our great strength at Deerfield is our community. Together we value rigorous inquiry, inclusive collaboration, open discourse, and sustained reflection. We are especially interested in hiring and supporting candidates traditionally underrepresented in boarding school faculties and those who bring diverse ideas and experiences to our community.
Early-career fellowships are initially two-year, salaried positions with campus housing provided. Fellows who have demonstrated success in the classroom, dorm, and co-curricular responsibilities may be reappointed for additional years. Deerfield believes that the best faculty is a learning faculty, and fellows will be eligible for support for professional development and education in their field of study.
Why Deerfield?
Deerfield Academy offers faculty an opportunity to contribute to a dynamic educational institution, continue to develop professionally, and live in a close-knit community. Among the reasons faculty are drawn to and continue to work at Deerfield:
- Our students, who come to us from 36 states and 47 countries, are excited to learn, work hard at their studies, and actively engage in a variety of activities outside the classroom.
- Our 300-acre campus boasts exceptional facilities and access to the picturesque natural surroundings of Western Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley. Our physical spaces on and adjacent to campus support powerful teaching, learning, and community building.
- Our proximity to the Five Colleges network (Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst) provides ample opportunities for collaboration beyond our campus.
- Our faculty are committed to continuous growth for themselves and our programs, and we provide extensive support for that growth. Over the past five years, we have committed $1.6M to funding faculty professional development, including supporting 33 faculty in their work towards advanced degrees.
- Our faculty enjoy an excellent benefits package, including on-campus housing, meals, and use of campus facilities for themselves and their families.
We will begin our review of applications in late January/early February 2024 once we have a sense of our departmental staffing needs. However, you are welcome to submit an application at any time.