Elementary School Counselor

AISG is a caring community that looks for passionate teachers who bring their forward-thinking pedagogy along with an empathetic approach to enrich each child’s learning. 

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
AISG embraces diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace, welcoming applications from all qualified persons. We strive to attract, develop and retain highly talented diverse staff who share this commitment and who can contribute their unique perspective and experiences to enhance our programs.

---JOB OVERVIEW---

TEACHING ASSIGNMENT

·         Plan and deliver developmentally appropriate guidance lessons that promote students' social-emotional competencies, positive relationships, self-management, and well-being, aligned with the International School Counselor Association (ISCA) standards and the school's SEL curriculum.

·         Collaborate with homeroom teachers, grade-level teams, and the PYP Coordinator to integrate social-emotional learning with the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), including the Learner Profile, Approaches to Learning, and units of inquiry.

·         Support students' social-emotional development through purposeful interactions and observations in classrooms, during play, and in other school settings, using developmentally appropriate approaches.

·         Provide responsive counseling services, including short-term individual and small-group counseling, to support students experiencing social, emotional, behavioral, or personal challenges.

·         Collaborate with teachers and school leaders to promote positive behavior, restorative practices, self-regulation, conflict resolution, and bullying prevention, fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment.

·         Contribute to the school's Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), collaborating with teachers, Learning Support, EAL specialists, and school leaders to identify student needs, implement appropriate interventions, and monitor student progress.

·         Partner with caregivers to support students' social-emotional development, maintain open and timely communication, and coordinate referrals to outside professionals when appropriate.

·         Facilitate professional learning, caregiver workshops, and informational sessions to strengthen understanding of child development, social-emotional learning, positive behavior support, and student well-being.

·         Support students and families during transitions into, within, and out of AISG, including new student orientation, grade-level transitions, and student departures.

·         Maintain accurate and confidential student counseling records and actively support AISG's student safeguarding policies and procedures, including participation in the School Safeguarding Committee and timely reporting of concerns.

·         Continuously review, document, and update guidance curriculum and unit plans, using student observations, feedback, and relevant data to inform programming and ensure alignment with the PYP framework, ISCA standards, and current best practices.

ADDITIONAL EXPECTATIONS

·         Lead an activity for two of the three sessions of the After School Activities (ASA) program.

·         Attend and actively participate in Wednesday faculty meetings, including full faculty meetings and professional development.

·         Participate in grade-level planning, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), Student Care Conversations, and Student Support Team (SST) meetings as appropriate.

·         Contribute to schoolwide initiatives that promote a positive school culture, student belonging, inclusion, and well-being.

·         Participate in assigned student supervision duties according to a rotating schedule.

·         Engage in ongoing professional learning, reflection, and collaboration to strengthen counseling practices and contribute to continuous school improvement.

---DESIRED QUALITIES---

The candidate with the best fit to join AISG will be passionate about wanting the following:

·         To continuously learn and improve as a teacher by participating in the multitude of professional development opportunities, by actively collaborating with colleagues, by reflecting on practices, and by co-creating a future pedagogical climate that promotes teacher growth and development.

·         To maximize the educational impact of flexibly designed learning spaces that are purposely built to drive innovation and creativity in the classroom. 

·         To contribute to a positive environment where the administration, teachers, parents and students alike are empathetic, supportive and believe in the well-being of everyone in the community. 

·         To apply the attributes of a positive and valued member of a Professional Learning Community and the IB learner profile attributes to ensure a holistic approach for student-centered learning. 

·         To embrace change by leveraging expertise in technology and bringing best practice to different learning environments so that students can perform at their optimal potential. 

·         To foster a culture that values diversity, advocates for equity, and celebrates inclusion by providing students with the necessary skills and knowledge to address real-world issues.

---EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS---

·         Bachelor’s degree or higher;

·         Teaching certification required;

·         Minimum of 2 years of successful full-time teaching experience;

·         Previous experience as a school counselor;

·         PYP experience preferred;

·         Working in PLCs (professional learning communities) preferred.

---MORE ABOUT AISG---

WHY AISG

·         Our vibrant, positive community spirit - what we see as the heart of AISG - is one of our greatest assets.

·         We are the longest established and only not-for-profit international school in Guangzhou, enabling us to reinvest directly back into the school in support of our educational mission.

·         We were founded in 1981as the first international school in southern China and have established a rich history of educational excellence.

·         We only recruit forward-thinking and dynamic instructional leaders who wish to contribute to an environment that values creative learning and quality teaching.

·         We recruit faculty who are not simply looking for a ‘job’, but who are seeking to join a connected community.

CURRICULUM

·         AISG is an IB Continuum School (PYP, MYP, DP), providing a globally recognized curriculum that balances academic rigor with personal growth.

·         Accredited by WASC and following AERO, Common Core, NGSS, and other internationally recognized educational standards and frameworks, our program prepares students for future success.

·         At AISG, learning is anchored in a clear vision: empowering every student to connect, collaborate, and take meaningful action through inclusive and authentic learning experiences. This vision is realized through AISG’s Transformative Learning Framework, Engagement for All, a single school goal designed to foster student agency, deepen connections to real-world contexts, and inspire purposeful action.

·         At AISG, the Professional Learning Community (PLC) model is implemented from Early Years through Grade 12. Educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to enhance both teacher and student learning.

FACILITIES

The Ersha Island campus is located in the heart of bustling Guangzhou City and is home to Early Years (Pre-K and K) and Lower Elementary students (Grades 1-3). All classrooms are well-equipped with cutting-edge touch screen TVs, flexible furniture, class libraries, and are well-lit with natural sunlight. Additional facilities include an air-conditioned multi-purpose room, a nurse's office, a maker-space area, and a central library. For sports, play time, and activities there is a playground with innovative play structures and an air-conditioned gymnasium that houses a full-size basketball court.

TECHNOLOGY

All classrooms are equipped with appropriate technology to support interactive instruction. Starting in Grade 1, students participate in a 1:1 device program, with iPads for Grades 1–5 and laptops for Grades 6–12. Teachers purposefully integrate technology into teaching and learning to support and enable the Transformative Learning Framework. Technology is used intentionally where it adds value to learning, with an emphasis on developing research, digital, and information literacy skills. Each teacher is assigned a MacBook laptop.

Key Software:

·         PowerSchool (Student Information Management System and grade book)

·         Microsoft Office 365

o   Outlook (school email),

o   Teams, OneNote and OneDrive (collaboration and learning engagement)

·         Managebac (Secondary)

·         Seesaw

CHILD PROTECTION STATEMENT
AISG is committed to the prevention of child abuse and to the protection of children in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which the People's Republic of China is a signatory. AISG is committed to child-safe recruitment practices. The school shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the selection and interview of potential new candidate hires are appropriately screened, and reference checks are conducted. All candidates will be subject to criminal background and employment checks. AISG will make direct contact with the candidates' current supervisors as part of our hiring practices. 

As mandated in the AISG Employee Code of Conduct, all employees must report suspected incidences of child abuse or neglect whenever the employee has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse or neglect.

---HOW TO APPLY---

This job posting is designed to outline teaching assignments and qualifications, not limit the employee nor AISG to only the work identified. It is the expectation of the school, that each employee will offer their services wherever and whenever necessary to ensure the success of our organization.

NOTE: Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as AISG reserves the right to conclude the search prior to the announced deadline.