Job Description: Literacy Coach – at Middle School. A literacy coach builds the capacity of Tier 1 (core) classroom teachers to close the literacy achievement gap by supporting teachers’ capacity to implement best practice instruction, increasing student engagement and improving student academic achievement.
This support will take place in a variety of ways:
1. Job Embedded Coaching and Professional Development.
Effective literacy coaches spend 80% of their time working directly with teachers to enhance teacher practice and improve student learning through coaching on evidence-based practices. They make effective use of their time by using a multi-faceted approach to coaching to carefully determine what types of coaching can be done effectively with large groups, small groups and individual teachers.
2. Instructional Literacy Leadership.
Effective literacy coaches are integral members of literacy leadership teams at the school and/or district level. Literacy coaches serve as literacy leaders within their schools by working with administrators and other teachers to establish a school-wide literacy vision, aligning instruction to state academic standards, analyzing data and helping teachers use the data to make decisions and developing assessments.
3. Collaboration.
The instructional coach teams with administrators, other coaches, the Family Literacy Specialist, and classroom teachers in a collaborative, reflective relationship to enhance instructional capacity and maximize student learning. On occasion, other teachers or specialists (like interventionists) may be included in professional learning teams, but the coach’s primary role is to support classroom teachers delivering core instruction using evidence-based practices. Coaching provides seamless teacher support from the learning of new content and practices through the implementation process.
Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesUse a variety of strategies to establish rapport and trust with coaches
Provide comprehensive literacy coaching in evidence-based practices through action planning, co-planning, observing, modeling, and co-teaching that is differentiated to meet professional learning needs and non-evaluative
Apply principles of adult learning theory when working teachers
Provide grade level/team level professional development on evidence-based practices
Reflect on coaching practices and engage in continuous improvement to meet the diverse needs of teachers
Serve as a literacy leader on leadership team and school committees that focus on literacy and student achievement
Advocate for equity by collaborating with all stakeholders to identify the instructional practices that will help teachers meet the needs of all learners, especially underserved students
Fulfill all MDE CLSD requirements