Social Studies Teacher

About ReThink Microschools

ReThink Microschools is a specialized educational institution exclusively serving students with high-functioning autism in grades K-12. We celebrate neurodiversity as a strength and provide personalized, rigorous education in small classroom settings. Our mission is to create learning environments where every student is seen, supported, and inspired to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Position Overview

We are seeking a passionate, creative Social Studies Teacher to join our mission-driven team. In this role, you'll teach history, geography, civics, economics, and cultural studies to small groups of students with high-functioning autism (maximum 8 per class). You'll have the unique opportunity to make abstract social concepts concrete, connect historical events to students' interests, and help neurodivergent learners understand the world around them through systematic, engaging instruction.

Key Responsibilities

Instructional Excellence

• Design and deliver engaging, differentiated social studies instruction across disciplines (History, Geography, Civics, Economics, Culture)
• Implement inquiry-based learning that connects past to present
• Utilize timelines, maps, primary sources, and visual supports to make history tangible
• Make abstract social concepts (government, economics, culture) concrete through examples and simulations
• Connect historical content to students' special interests (military history, ancient civilizations, transportation, etc.)
• Break down complex historical narratives into clear, sequential cause-and-effect relationships
• Teach perspective-taking and historical empathy while respecting students' concrete thinking styles
• Foster critical thinking about sources, bias, and multiple perspectives

Autism-Affirming Support

• Develop individualized learning plans that build on student strengths in factual recall and systematic thinking
• Explicitly teach social and cultural concepts that neurotypical students learn implicitly
• Provide clear, concrete explanations of abstract social norms, customs, and expectations
• Support executive function challenges (note-taking, organizing information, essay writing)
• Use visual organizers, timelines, and graphic representations of historical events
• Build predictable routines while exploring diverse cultures and time periods
• Address anxiety around current events and help students process social/political information
• Leverage intense interests (wars, presidents, flags, maps, etc.) to drive engagement
• Teach vocabulary explicitly, especially abstract social/political terms

Student Relationships & Communication

• Build authentic, trust-based relationships with students in our small class setting
• Understand and respect each student's communication style and social preferences
• Provide direct, specific feedback on written work and historical thinking
• Help students understand different perspectives without requiring them to "put themselves in others' shoes" in ways that feel overwhelming
• Communicate regularly with families about content, projects, and current events discussions
• Collaborate with families to support learning through documentaries, museums, and historical sites

Social-Emotional Integration

• Integrate social skills instruction within social studies content naturally
• Use historical examples to teach problem-solving, decision-making, and consequences
• Help students understand societal expectations and "unwritten rules" explicitly
• Address current events in age-appropriate, anxiety-reducing ways
• Teach media literacy and critical evaluation of information sources
• Support students in developing their own informed opinions and self-advocacy skills

Collaboration & Professional Growth

• Work closely with support staff, therapists, and educational team
• Participate in ongoing professional development in autism education and social studies pedagogy
• Contribute to curriculum development and program improvement
• Share effective strategies and successful lessons with colleagues
• Maintain accurate records of student progress and portfolio work
• Coordinate field trips to museums, historical sites, government buildings, and cultural centers

Classroom Environment

• Create an organized, sensory-friendly classroom with maps, timelines, and visual supports
• Implement clear routines and organizational systems for materials and assignments
• Establish expectations for discussions and perspective-sharing
• Use autism-affirming language that respects different ways of understanding social information
• Celebrate neurodivergent approaches to understanding history and culture
• Display student work, timelines, and historical artifacts

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in History, Social Studies, Political Science, Geography, or related field
• Valid Arizona teaching certification (or ability to obtain)
• Experience teaching social studies at the K-12 level
• Demonstrated understanding of autism spectrum characteristics
• Strong content knowledge across social studies disciplines
• Ability to make abstract social concepts concrete and accessible
• Excellent communication skills with students, families, and colleagues
• Commitment to autism-affirming, neurodiversity-celebrating education
• Patience, flexibility, and cultural competence

Preferred:

• Master's degree in History, Social Studies Education, or Special Education
• Special education certification or autism endorsement
• Direct classroom experience teaching students with autism
• Training in inquiry-based learning, document-based questions (DBQ), or historical thinking
• Knowledge of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and differentiation
• Understanding of executive function challenges and writing support strategies
• Experience with visual supports, graphic organizers, and structured note-taking methods
• Familiarity with social studies-related technology and interactive maps/simulations
• Background in multicultural education and diverse perspectives
• Experience facilitating civil discourse and perspective-taking activities

Essential Attributes:

• Deep respect for neurodivergent learners and their unique perspectives
• Enthusiasm for making history and social studies come alive
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills
• Ability to explain social abstractions in concrete, literal terms
• Growth mindset and commitment to continuous learning
• Collaborative spirit and team-oriented approach
• Sensitivity to current events and their impact on anxious students
• Understanding that autistic students may process social information differently—and that's okay

Understanding Our Students

Our students with high-functioning autism are thoughtful learners who may:

• Excel in memorizing facts, dates, names, and historical details
• Demonstrate intense focus on specific historical topics or time periods
• Prefer concrete, factual information over interpretive or emotional narratives
• Need explicit instruction in understanding perspectives, motivations, and social dynamics
• Require additional support with abstract concepts like "democracy," "justice," or "culture"
• Have encyclopedic knowledge of specific interests (WWII, ancient Egypt, trains, flags)
• Benefit from visual timelines, maps, and graphic organizers
• Experience anxiety around current events, conflicts, or social injustice
• Need direct teaching of discussion norms and respectful disagreement
• Think systematically about cause and effect in history
• Ask questions that reveal deep, literal thinking about historical events

Your role is to help them make sense of the social world—past and present.

What We Offer

• Transformative Impact: Small class sizes allow you to deeply support each student's understanding
• Creative Freedom: Design lessons that connect to student interests and make history engaging
• Specialized Training: Ongoing professional development in autism education and social studies pedagogy
• Collaborative Culture: Work with passionate educators committed to the same mission
• Resources & Materials: Access to primary sources, maps, curricula, and multimedia resources
• Field Trip Opportunities: Take students to museums, historical sites, cultural centers, and government buildings
• Meaningful Relationships: Time to build genuine connections with students and families
• Reasonable Workload: Manageable class sizes and dedicated planning time
• Competitive Compensation: Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications

A Day in the Life

Your typical day might include:

• Teaching a lesson on the American Revolution using a visual timeline and role-specific fact cards
• Facilitating a small group discussion on current events with clear conversation guidelines
• Supporting a student's independent research project on their fascination with ancient Rome
• Using a map activity to teach geography and cultural regions with concrete examples
• Adapting an economics simulation to include clear rules and visual supports
• Collaborating with the ELA teacher to support historical essay writing
• Communicating with families about an upcoming field trip to a history museum
• Celebrating a student's detailed presentation on their special interest area
• Helping students process confusing social dynamics in historical events
• Witnessing students connect historical patterns to current events