Why become a teacher at our school? This is what our teachers say:
Do you want to become a teacher or assistant?
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To be part of a Swedish community, where you have the opportunity to participate in Swedish traditions such as Lucia celebrations and Christmas parties, Semmelkalas, outdoor days and Walpurgis celebrations.
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For the opportunity to delve into Sweden and our cultural and historical heritage in a variety of areas such as writing, language, literature, grammar, culture, history, geography, etc.
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For the feeling of doing good and contributing to and following children's linguistic development.
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Because through your involvement with young people you feel involved in passing on the Swedish cultural heritage.
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Because the community, the working climate and the exchange with colleagues is not only pleasant but also very rewarding and enriching.
What do we base our teaching on?
Two instruments guide our operations. One is the Swedish National Agency for Education's curriculum for supplementary education for Swedish students abroad, which we are obliged to follow. The other is the school's own curriculum, which is developed based on the Swedish National Agency for Education's.
What is the purpose of our school?
Our purpose is to educate children aged three to eighteen in Swedish as a second language and give them an enriching sense of Swedish cultural history.
Do you need to be a certified teacher?
No, you don't need to have a teacher education, but experience in teaching, dealing with children and insight into Swedish as a second language are clear advantages.
What knowledge and experience are sought?
At the core, there must be a genuine joy in working with children and young people, and an enthusiasm for what you are teaching. Our teaching team is small, so the ability to collaborate is highly valued.
Our teachers must have a strong command of the Swedish language, including spelling, pronunciation, and basic grammar. An interest in Swedish literature (appropriate to the age group taught) and Swedish culture is also essential.
It is also important that teachers at our school are self-motivated, able to work independently while still following the school’s curriculum and guidelines, and possess strong planning skills, initiative, and the ability to think ahead. Flexibility is key — being able to adapt or shift activities when things don’t go as planned.
Finally, it is essential to be able to communicate care, attention, and support for students in a way that is also clear and reassuring to their parents.
Teaching aids and materials
We use Swedish teaching materials and have a variety of materials for all ages, reference literature, dictionaries and grammars, etc.
Reasonable compensation for personal expenses, such as copy paper and ink cartridges, will be provided. Larger purchases must be made in consultation with the principal.
How much work is involved?
The school's classes take place at Meridian High School in Falls Church on Saturday mornings from September to May.
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30 teaching sessions per academic year - 3 hours each time.
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Two endings - about 4 hours each time.
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Three teacher conferences (fall, spring, and summer) devoted to education, pedagogy, planning, student issues, and other current topics for teaching.
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Teacher meetings, as needed but about 2–3 per semester, usually before school starts.
The workload is estimated at 4 hours per week, of which 3 are teaching hours and the rest are planning, producing/compiling materials, communicating with parents, the principal and colleagues. The work usually takes up more hours per week at the beginning of the autumn and spring semesters, but fewer as the semesters roll on.
What does it mean to be employed by us?
We offer hourly employment based on approximately 30 lessons per school year on Saturdays from September to May for a good and individually set salary. The school has no full-time staff and cannot offer work permits as we only teach on Saturdays.
It is an exciting, challenging and stimulating job to successfully teach children from the most diverse backgrounds and levels of knowledge who come together with Swedish as a common denominator.
We have a low staff turnover. Many of our teachers and assistants have been with us for 5–10 years. In the lead-up to the start of school in recent years, we have had to hire 2–3 teachers and/or teaching assistants per school year. This is mainly because the school has grown and more teachers and assistants have been needed. We have also had to replace teachers who have moved away, had their working hours changed or other life circumstances changed.
If this has piqued your interest or if you have any questions, please contact the school's principal, Monica Koppelman, at rektor@svenskaskolanwashingtondc.org