Dive In Commonwealth is a free summer and school-year program for high-achieving middle-school students from low-income communities across greater Boston. Starting the summer after sixth or seventh grade and lasting until the fall of their freshman year, Dive In students engage in accelerated coursework and exciting extracurriculars, preparing them for rigorous high schools and the path to top colleges. Like our parent school, Commonwealth School, Dive In empowers motivated students by offering enriching activities in a close-knit community of like-minded peers. Our unique urban campus is located in the heart of Boston’s historic Back Bay, easily accessible by public transportation.

Dive In Commonwealth seeks an engaging part-time Humanities instructor to teach a two-week seminar exploring a cycle of myths from the ancient Mediterranean world. This summer course for rising 9th-graders will directly precede a year-long Ancient History course; the goal is to whet student’s curiosity for the field by exploring an accessible and self-contained topic within it. The exact theme and disciplinary approach are to be determined by the instructor but must assume zero knowledge of the ancient world or of literary-historical methods. Close reading and in-depth analysis should be prioritized over comprehensive historical overview. The class will unfold across eight classroom sessions, half which are an hour and half two-hours long (for twelve total hours of in-person instruction). No take-home work will be assigned, meaning that all activities, readings, and writing assignments must be completed in-class.

Possible Topics May Include

• What is a myth? What were the lived contexts in which ancient myths were performed and memorialized? What did these myths mean to different peoples and what social purposes did myth-making serve?
• An investigation of the primary sources through which ancient myths have survived (literature, architecture, material culture, etc); how these sources were variously preserved, lost, and rediscovered; how contemporary scholars work with these materials to construct and/or question historical narratives.
• A literary and thematic exploration of key mythic figures and fables; their formal structure and aesthetics; their explicit and implicit cultural values; how various literary and artistic figures have transformed these myths through successive retellings.
• While we have a slight preference for topics derived from ancient Greece or Mesopotamia, we are also open to ancient Egyptian and Hebrew myths.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Design and deliver engaging lessons that make the ancient world come alive and leave students wanting to learn more in the school year ahead.
• Develop a coherent topical throughline while alternating different classroom formats and learning modalities (i.e. the course should have a sustained focus but be varied enough to hold teenagers’ interest).
• Foster a supportive and encouraging classroom environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and taking risks.
• Communicate effectively with Dive In administrators to ensure smooth program operations and address concerns about students in a timely manner.
• Provide brief written feedback on student participation and progress at the conclusion of the seminar (approximately 50-100 words per student)

Essential Skills and Qualifications

• Commitment to Dive In’s mission and desire to help middle-schoolers excel
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills 
• Ability to design and implement lessons around humanities topics of your choosing
• Demonstrated interest in the ancient world and enthusiasm for the material
• Experience leading, facilitating, or coaching a small group of people
• High energy and a sense of humor!

Preferred Experience 

• Previous teaching experience and/or tutoring or camp-counseling experience
• Experience working with middle-school age students
• Familiarity with local museums (e.g. Museum of Fine Arts, Isabella Stuart Gardener) and willingness to integrate field trips into classroom curriculum (if relevant)
• While a bachelor’s degree is preferred, it is not required. If you have a strong understanding of the humanities and a passion for education, we encourage you to apply.

Compensation

• $80 per hour paid on a biweekly basis

Schedule

• July 7 to July 17, 2025
• Mondays through Thursdays: one-hour teaching block on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, two-hour teaching blocks on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
• Lunch provided

Applying

Interested candidates should email the following materials to Dive In Assistant Director Paul Brunick (pbrunick@commschool.org) by May 30, 2025. Questions about the role can be directed to Paul as well. 

• Résumé or CV 
• Brief email or cover letter describing one’s commitment to the Dive In mission and qualifications for this position
• Names of at least two references and their contact information 

Commonwealth School is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate against any individual based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, veteran status, military service, application for military service, or any other characteristic protected by law.