Position Summary:
The Literacy Coach
supports critical thinking, reading, writing, listening, and speaking across
all content areas. The coach organizes,
facilitates, and supports a school’s literacy initiatives. The coach coordinates the literacy
acceleration and intervention programs for students. The coach works directly with adults to support
the implementation of the Emphasize
Rigorous Literacy instructional plan and the Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards plan for the
district. The Literacy Coach will also
provide feedback to teachers to assist them in improving teaching and learning.
The Literacy Coach is an exemplary teacher who has demonstrated improvements in
student achievement. The coach is knowledgeable
about disciplinary literacy and instructional strategies across all content
areas. In addition, this person
communicates the components of the literacy plan to the community, and he/she
works with teachers to build their capacity to employ effective literacy
strategies into their daily classroom practices to meet the demands of Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Models literacy practices/lessons in classes, coach teachers on their implementation, and provides opportunities to engage in pre- and post-reflective discourse/analysis;
- Provides feedback to teachers on instruction through non-evaluative peer observations and reflections to support teaching and learning;
- Researches and provides information and guidance regarding a range of effective and innovative literacy practices through various venues such as individual discussions (formal/informal), study groups, and professional learning communities;
- Collaborates to build teacher capacity in areas of: 1) increasing the depth of understanding of literacy practices and their relationship to contents and student achievement; 2) use of research-based instructional strategies; and 3) planning for and implementing the principles of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL);
- Examines student work to inform instruction; effectively uses student literacy data to inform instruction;
- Participates in the school leadership team in planning a schoolwide literacy instructional and assessment program that provides consistency, continuity, and varied approaches to PGCPS curriculum implementation appropriate for the strengths and needs of students;
- Collaborates with school leadership to identify, define, promote, support and evaluate schoolwide literacy goals;
- Participates in vertical articulation within grade levels and between schools;
- Meets regularly with central office staff members to collaborate on school specific literacy goals;
- Attends professional development meetings collaboratively planned by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and the Office of Professional Learning and Leadership to share with leadership to determine appropriate implementation;
- Collaborates with school personnel to provide professional development that supports rigorous instruction and differentiation to improve student achievement;
- Dialogues with mentors and consulting teachers assigned to teachers when appropriate; and
- Performs other duties as assigned by curriculum and instruction.
Qualifications:
- Expert knowledge and skills in the areas of critical thinking, reading, writing, speaking, and listening;
- Excellence in teaching; thorough knowledge of Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards, assessment, and instruction;
- Ability to work well with teachers, parents, and administrators;
- Ability to coach, model, and build the knowledge and skills of teachers through professional development in the area of literacy;
- Excellent skills in analysis and use of data to support instructional decisions and acceleration of students. Strong technology skills and the ability to support schools with technology integration into the curricula, particularly in the areas of digital literacy;
- Excellent organizational and management skills; and
- Excellent oral and written communication, facilitation, interpersonal, and collaboration skills.
Education and/or Experience Requirements:
Bachelor's degree (Master’s
Degree or Master’s equivalent preferred) from an accredited institution; with
experience providing professional development training to teachers; a minimum
of five years of effective or highly effective teaching experience with three
years in PGCPS preferred.
Certification:
Standard
Professional Certification required; Advanced Professional Certificate
preferred; Coaching experience preferred.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
No direct supervisory responsibilities.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, talk, hear, walk, sit, and use fingers, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as to read handwritten or typed material, the ability to adjust focus, and depth perception. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally push or lift up to 25 lbs.
Working Environment:
The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job.
Additional Information:
None.
