About this role
Department: Optimal Learning Program (OLP) Reports To: Head of OLP Employment Status: Employed directly by Student Families (Paid via Ergosimo / Direct Family Agreement) Working Schedule: Monday – Friday, School Hours (On-site) Location: On-Site | Chalandri, Athens, Greece About the Role & ACS Athens Facilitation At ACS Athens, we embrace a student-centered, inclusive educational philosophy guided by American principles and values. A Shadow Teacher is a dedicated professional who provides 1-to-1 support to students with diverse learning, emotional, or behavioral needs within our inclusive classroom environment. Note: Shadow Teachers are employed directly by student families, with ACS Athens facilitating the matching process to ensure a strong collaborative bridge between home, school, and specialized support. The ultimate objective of a Shadow Teacher is to empower the student, foster personal accountability, facilitate academic continuity, and progressively guide them toward educational independence. Key Responsibilities Individualized Academic & Behavioral Advocacy
• In-Class Guidance: Provide structured 1-to-1 support to assist the student in processing curriculum content, maintaining focus, and functioning effectively within busy classroom environments.
• Skill Reinforcement: Review concepts, research targeted interventions, and create supplementary materials tailored to the student's specific learning profile.
• Promoting Independence: Implement scaffolding strategies that encourage the student to take responsibility for their learning, self-regulate, and seek help from teachers.
Structured Communication & Boundary Management
• Progress Logging: Compose clear, evidence-based weekly Log Notes and submit by set deadline
• Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: Establish transparent communication channels between educators, the OLP Specialist, administration, and family members while maintaining strict professional boundaries between home and school.
• School Policy Alignment: Attend required meetings, follow all ACS Athens policies, and demonstrate flexibility in adjusting strategies based on school feedback.
Student Well-Being & Child Safeguarding
• Positive Reinforcement: Foster resilience, self-control, and perseverance through positive encouragement and scheduled sensory/reconstruction breaks throughout the day.
• Social Integration: Encourage the student to build respectful, positive relationships with peers in inclusive settings.
• Safeguarding Excellence: Uphold the highest standards of child protection, safeguarding processes, and ethical conduct at all times.
Key Qualifications & Requirements
• Educational Background: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Special Education, Psychology, Educational Psychology, or Learning Differences.
• Certifications: Valid teaching license or professional certification in Special Education/Psychology (preferred).
• Language Proficiency: Fluency in English (all instruction and reporting are conducted in English).
• Pedagogical Expertise: Deep understanding of differentiation strategies, child/adolescent development, behavioral management, and specialized instruction in writing and conceptual mathematics.
• Technical Proficiency: Fluent with digital collaboration tools, including Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive) and MS Office Suite.
• Interpersonal Mastery: Exceptional organizational skills, data tracking ability, and the capacity to build constructive relationships with students, parents, and faculty.
Why ACS Athens At ACS Athens, you become part of an international community committed to excellence, innovation, collaboration, and continuous growth. You are supported through meaningful professional development, diverse learning opportunities, and a culture of cooperation, belonging, and trust, while contributing your talents and expertise to a shared purpose: empowering learners to become architects of their own learning, thrive as conscious global citizens, and improve life and living on the planet.