Instructional Coach

Job Summary

:
To provide essential leadership for the school's overall instructional program through
support, training, and coaching to build school and teacher capacity to increase student
achievement.

Essential Duties
Curriculum and Instruction

• Ensure implementation of state curriculum standards, Common Core Standards, district instructional models, and technology.
• Work with teachers in the development of daily, weekly, and unit lesson plans.
• Assist teachers with integrating literacy practices into their content instruction.
• Model best instructional practices through actual classroom demonstrations in rigorous technology-rich, standards-based teaching.
• Introduce teachers to new methods, materials, and instructional strategies that, through research, have proven to increase student achievement.
• Work with teachers individually, in collaborative teams, and/or with departments, providing practical support on a full range of instructional strategies.
• Participate in regularly scheduled grade-level, subject-specific, and team-planning sessions that focus on curriculum, instruction, and student work.
• Assist teachers in the analysis and selection of diverse content area texts and instructional materials that link to multiple ability levels and multicultural perspectives and connect to students' backgrounds and interests.
• Assist teachers in incorporating the use of technology into the instructional program.
• Observe teachers and provide feedback to teachers for the purpose of instructional support and program improvement (not evaluation).
• Regularly visit classrooms to collect informal data on teacher use of instructional strategies and student engagement with the strategies as well as to increase teachers' knowledge and skill in delivering instruction.
• Engage in reflective dialogue with teachers before and after visits to:clarify lesson objectives, including teachers' personal goals in delivering the lesson.identify the successes and challenges encountered in the lesson and what could be improved in terms of lesson content and delivery.focus on next steps, including how teachers might adjust instruction andinstructional settings to meet a range of instructional needs of individual students and to foster learning in the content area.Maintain a relationship of trust with teachers.Respect the confidentiality of the coaching relationship.Maintain documentation of coaching visits.

Assessment

• Use technology to disaggregate test data to evaluate curriculum and instruction.
• Assist teachers in analyzing assessment results to identify trends, patterns, and instructional deficiencies.
• Lead data sessions that examine both formative and summative assessment results and suggest and monitor intervention strategies and materials for struggling students.
• Analyze formative and summative assessments in order to ensure assessments are able to inform instruction and become a tool for improvement.
• Provide support and training to identify needed changes in classroom instructional strategies based upon the analysis of the data.

Professional Development

• Apply concepts of adult learning and motivation, including varied group configurations and presentation formats to engage adult learners as well as identification of appropriate professional development settings and schedules.
• Provide collaborative and one-on-one instructional coaching and facilitate teacher inquiry and related professional development.
• Participate fully in professional development for coaches, including peer observations, professional research and reading, and inquiry sessions to stay abreast of developments in best classroom practices, technology, and assessment.
• Assist with the development of school and teacher SMART goals (PDSA plans and GBE).

Collaboration

• Work collaboratively and communicate effectively with administrators, teachers, media specialists, guidance counselors and other school staff to strengthen all aspects of the instructional program.
• Work collaboratively and communicate effectively with district-level learning specialists and program coordinators to ensure rigorous, relevant curricula and instructional practices that will increase student achievement.
• Work collaboratively and communicate effectively with feeder schools to strengthen vertical articulation and to create a seamless K-12 instructional program.
• Work with administrators, teachers, and PLC's to plan and schedule meetings and staff development sessions based on staff input and assessment of what students in various grade levels and content areas need to work on to meet district and/or school goals.

Other Duties
Carry out other tasks and responsibilities as assigned.

Job Specifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required)
1. Valid South Carolina Elementary/Middle Level Teacher and/or school Elementary/Middle Level administration/supervision certification
2. Master's degree in educational administration from an accredited university preferred
3. Minimum of five years successful Elementary/Middle Level teaching and/or Elementary/Middle Level administrative experience
4. Experience in working with or teaching adults
5. Demonstrated proficiency in written and spoken interpersonal communication skills
6. Demonstrated proficiency in use of technology

Physical Requirements
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and reach with hands and arms; walk; sit; stoop or kneel; crouch or crawl.
Additional physical requirements include the following:

• Physically capable of frequently lifting or moving up to 40 pounds;
• Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to focus;
• Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time;
• Manual dexterity for the purpose of using a telephone and data entry;
• Read a computer screen and printed material with or without vision aids;
• Hear and understand speech at normal levels and on the telephone; and
• Speak in audible tones so that others may understand clearly in person and on the telephone.

Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Pay Grade: Teacher Pay Scale

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This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. The Curriculum Specialist will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other related duties as assigned by the Principal or other appropriate Administrators.