INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES

Instructional Coaches help lead the Breakthrough Summer Session team, guiding the teaching fellows and helping prepare them to lead summer classrooms.

Instructional coaches (ICs) are experienced professional educators. They provide content-specific support for Breakthrough teaching fellows throughout the summer and engage fully in the Breakthrough Fort Worth community. ICs guide the level of academic rigor for Breakthrough’s summer program. Exemplary ICs effectively communicate content specifics to their assigned teachers, advise the teachers through effective planning and execution, and hold both teachers and students to high expectations. Each IC has six teachers in their department and is expected to lead department meetings, visit classes, and evaluate lesson plans and curriculum overviews. IC's meet individually with teachers regarding their ongoing work and give constant feedback and support to their teachers. Since ICs are the only professional teachers onsite, they are accountable for the quality of instruction Breakthrough students receive and are responsible for supporting Breakthrough teachers throughout their summer teaching experience.

Pre-summer:

Complete training sessions (8-hour training on a Saturday in April/May date TBA)
Familiarize yourself with Breakthrough curriculum in your grade level; modify curriculum as needed in consultation with Breakthrough directors
Meet with program staff to plan orientation workshops

Teacher Orientation/Training (June 3-14):

Lead one or two orientation workshops relating to instruction or classroom management
Co-facilitate all instruction and classroom management sessions
Lead purposeful department meetings
Coach teaching fellows through their mock lessons and provide constructive feedback

Six-Week Summer Program (June 17-July 26):

Guide teachers through using Breakthrough curriculum, understanding student assessments and locating appropriate teaching resources
Provide teachers with support and regular feedback as they prepare lesson plans
Observe each teacher in your department twice weekly. Each full observation will be followed with a debriefing session in which teachers receive concrete feedback based on Breakthrough’s Teacher Excellence Rubric.
Meet twice a week with the Programming Director and Dean of Faculty to discuss teacher and student progress
Plan and lead daily department meetings
Lead at least one large group, mid-summer professional development session
Engage fully in the Breakthrough Fort Worth community, sharing our passion for learning, leading and teaching.

Evaluation Week (July 29-31):

Submit a final evaluation and letter of recommendation for each of your assigned teachers
Evaluate the overall summer program
Supervise teachers as they evaluate student final assessments
Read and edit student evaluations

Bachelor’s degree required; certification in field and master’s degree preferred
Outstanding track record as a professional classroom teacher for at least two years, preferably in grades 6-9
Superior presentation, writing and organizational skills
High degree of flexibility; ability to effectively shift between projects
Ability to deliver positive, constructive and honest feedback, both written and verbal
Experience with curriculum development and implementation
Outstanding knowledge of subject matter and broad knowledge of available resources
Comfort and confidence in working with children and adults
Creativity, good energy and commitment to excellence
Commitment to and passion for teaching middle school students from diverse backgrounds

Highly desirable candidates also have:

Prior experience with Breakthrough (also known as Summerbridge)
Familiarity with Fort Worth schools
Experience in an academically rigorous college-preparatory program

If interested in learning more or applying for the upcoming summer session, contact:

Jessica Manzano-Valdez, Programming Director

jessica.manzano-valdez@fwcd.com

Office: 817-302-3280 office

Call hours: 9:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday

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