Instructional Coach - Blacksburg Middle School

Position: Instructional Coach 

Salary Range: Teacher Salary Schedule 

Length of Service: 195 days 

Reporting to: Executive Director of Academics 

Job Goal: Instructional Coaches will facilitate change in instructional practices of teachers that will enable teachers to diagnose student needs more analytically; plan more productively; and teach more effectively. The instructional coach will use the practices for Student-Centered Coaching to provide support to teachers across grade levels and subjects. Coaching will be driven by student outcomes and will lead to the implementation of effective instructional practices in the classroom.

Description:Coaching Practice (70%)

• Have experience with, or a willingness to learn, how to implement the core practices for Student-Centered Coaching.
• Facilitate Student-Centered Coaching cycles across grade levels and disciplines.
• Use student evidence when co-planning lessons with teachers.
• Use the co-teaching moves for Student-Centered Coaching when working in classrooms.
• Collaborate with teachers to design and use formative assessments.
• Create opportunities for discourse among teachers and students.
• Work with teachers to ensure student ownership, engagement, and choice.
• Provide informal support to teachers in the areas of classroom management, curriculum design, or other expressed needs.
• Collaborate with teachers to create a culture of rigor, inquiry, and reflection by probing ideas and further pressing students to explore their intellect.
• Engage in weekly meetings with the principal to discuss the implementation of Student-Centered Coaching.

The Instructional Coach…

Works with teachers to design effective, standards-based instruction

• Plans and delivers professional learning along with the principal 

• Conducts coaching cycles with teachers 

• Focuses on clearly defined student learning targets Partners with teacher in planning student-centered instructional strategies 

Builds effective Instruction into coaching cycles 

• Coaches teacher(s) through the planning process using Curriculum Maps and Pacing Guides

• Models sound instructional planning 

• Engages teachers in collaborative inquiry on problems of practice 

• Leads Professional Learning Communities 

• Develops, maintains, and makes public a schedule of coaching 

• Sets goals for coaching cycles 

• Coaches in small groups, teams, and individual teachers 

• Co-plans and co-teachers on a regular basis 

• Provides strengths-based feedback 

Communicates the impact of coaching with administration 

• Prepares summaries of coaching cycles, goals and progress 

• Meets weekly with the principal to provide feedback on coaching cycles 

• Measures the impact of student-centered coaching on student achievement

Collaborative Practice or Learning Stance (15%)

• Partner with the principal to build a culture for coaching.
• Build trusting, respectful, and professional relationships with teachers.
• Engage in reflective dialogue with others.
• Model being a reflective practitioner and support others to reflect as well.
• Maintain a friendly, flexible, and collaborative disposition.

Curriculum and Professional Learning (15%) 

• Collaborate with colleagues to facilitate professional learning.
• Work with teams of teachers to unpack curricular units.
• Assist with the development of district curriculum, instruction, and assessments.
• Demonstrate presentation skills for conducting professional learning. 

• Partner with principal to implement Professional Learning Communities (PLC) in assigned schools 

Evaluation: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Board’s Policy. 

Location: Housed in district schools per Executive Director of Academics.