Instructional Coach

Position purpose

The Instructional Coach supports embedded professional development of teaching staff at partner sites to ensure teachers instructional strategies are effective in helping children increase social emotional and academic skills to succeed in an elementary school setting. The Instructional Coach collaborates with partner site leadership to ensure educational programs comply with state licensing, YoungStar, Office of Head Start Performance Standards, and policies and procedures.

Responsibilities/Duties/Functions/Tasks

• Facilitates full and effective implementation of evidence-based instructional practices to continuously improve teaching and learning with the aim of accelerating childrens learning.
• Provides mentorship and coaching to assist teaching staff in the successful delivery of weekly classroom experiences with particular emphasis upon high quality teacher practice and quality feedback regarding teaching and learning opportunities.
• Assists staff in the planning and implementation of the classroom teaching behaviors that result in quality outcomes as evidenced by the CLASS.
• Supports staff in the arrangement and utilization of the indoor and outdoor environments to maximize teaching practices for children.
• Supports classroom staff through planning and implementing of developmentally appropriate practice, child guidance that adhere to program policy and procedures.
• Facilitates the use of technology to aid in the tracking of coaching and teacher practice outcomes.
• Conduct annual CLASS and ITERS observations.

Professional Development

The Instructional Coach promotes a culture of professionalism, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The Instructional Coach structures routine contexts for individual and group-based professional development for teachers to work collaboratively to reflect on and examine practice, solve application challenges and promote continuous learning and improvement in professional practice, research, and child outcomes. Specifically;

• Lesson Planning Provides sample lesson plans, discusses and helps teachers to perform the plans. Monitors to ensure the lesson plan meets the Head Start Performance Standards.
• Reflective Coaching – Provides individual reflective coaching to support, develop, and encourage teachers to reflect on their teaching pedagogy.
• Coaching- Implements a variety of coaching strategies to support instructional growth and teacher effectiveness.
• Makes presentations to staff about quality teaching and learning.
• Participates in the design and implementation of staff training.

Education Program Development

The Instructional Coach supports the coordination of the schools education program for children ages birth to five, including implementation of the following core features and evidence-based practices:

• Supports the implementation of research-based, comprehensive curriculum and content-based, supplemental curricula (e.g., literacy, math, executive functioning, social/emotional) are in place, and that alignment exists among the curricula and early learning standards, outcome goals, formative assessments, and instructional strategies;
• Supports responsive teacher-child interactions and high quality instruction to ensure children are provided socially supportive, organized, and instructionally meaningful interactions to support their development and learning
• Encourage teachers to use knowledge of child temperament and developmental abilities to inform individualized planning.

Interdisciplinary Work and Collaboration

• Encourage teachers to engage and involve parents within the program
• Collaborates with other coaches to support integration of coaching practices.
• Collaborates with teaching staff to develop and implement individualized professional development plans.
• Maintain effective communication and collaboration with partner site leadership. Schedule regular meetings with partner leadership.
• Participate in quarterly interdisciplinary site meetings with other Next Door staff and partner site staff.

Administrative Support

• Supports implementation of all Head Start/Early Head Start performance standards, state and local licensing requirements, YoungStar/accreditation and other funder requirements related to teaching practices.
• Participates in the development of Next Door program policies.
• Conduct ongoing monitoring of various educational requirements.
• Ensures all assigned program area reports are completed and submitted on a timely basis.
• Maintains coaching documentation that provides a primary focus upon data-driven high quality teacher practice.
• Assist with entering and maintaining accurate data in Child Plus Database.

Data Utilization

• Utilizes data to monitor childrens outcomes to evaluate coaching efficacy.
• Determines coaching intensity based on a variety of program data.

Accountability and Performance Requirement

In the performance of respective tasks and duties, all employees are expected to conform to the following:

• All staff members are accountable for knowing and performing the responsibilities associated with their individual position in an efficient and effective manner, understanding that each of us plays an integral role in the success of our mission. All staff will support the agency mission, vision and strategic directions and support administrative decisions. This must be demonstrated by maintaining a positive work by behaving and communicating in an appropriate manner with children, families, coworkers, supervisors, and the public while achieving performance expectations.

• Bachelors Degree Early Childhood Education, Education, Interdisciplinary Studies-emphasis Early Childhood Education, Family Studies-emphasis Early Childhood Development, and/ or related degree with at least 18 credit hours from an accredited university/ college designating that the course work meets or exceeds Early Childhood Coursework requirement.
• Direct experience working with children birth to five and their families (at least 5 years of experience).
• Experience facilitating Early Childhood Trainings.
• Registry Level 14, ability to obtain Registered Trainer Endorsement required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain CLASS and ITERS reliability certification.

Special Position Requirements

• The incumbent must have access to a personal vehicle to use on a daily basis, maintain a valid driver’s license and automobile insurance with liability limits of $300,000 (bodily injury) and $25,000 (property damage for each occurrence).

Work Requirements

• Other duties as assigned.
• Knowledge of and ability to implement early childhood curriculum and developmentally appropriate practice for the specific age group (birth to 5) and be able to remain abreast of developments in the child development field.
• Demonstrated leadership abilities and ability to utilize reflective supervision.
• Knowledge of and ability to assess, analyze, and interpret Head Start/Early Head Start Standards, state and local licensing requirements, YoungStar/accreditation, and the organizations philosophy.
• Ability to work as a cooperative and supportive member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Ability to communicate and cooperate with diverse families, various professionals and community groups.
• Ability and willingness to work in a program located in a high-risk, low-income community.
• Ability to exercise discretion in handling confidential information and materials.
• Intermediate knowledge of computer applications and the ability to learn and master computer technology/software programs as needed.
• Ability to communicate and respond in a manner that consistently demonstrates respect and concern.

Safety and Health

Next Door is committed to providing a safe work environment and to foster the well-being and health of its employees. An essential part of all employees job is the development of safe working practices and the observance of safety rules, including:

• Following safety warnings and directions at all times.
• Using personal safety devices when required.
• Reporting any unsafe conditions to their supervisor.
• Following process for reporting suspected child abuse and neglect.
• Reporting unsupervised children, after ensuring childs safety.
• Implement active supervision practices at all times, including transitions.
• Ensure knowledge of each assigned childs location at all times.

Physical Demands

• Primarily active work; occasionally lifting up, holding or moving up to 50 lbs.

Physical Activity

• Bending, stooping, kneeling, sitting on the floor, walking/transporting, handling, reaching, climbing, balancing, crouching, crawling, talking and speaking clearly, hearing conversation level, smelling, and seeing; ability to interact daily with children outdoors in varied weather condition.

Work Environment

• Mainly classroom/office setting and travel to various sites.

Personal/Physiological

• Ability to make frequent, significant decisions to understand and react to the development process of children.
• Ability to respond quickly and competently to an emergency or crisis situation in order to keep children safe.