Instructional Coach

WHO WE ARE

WriteBoston fosters deep learning for youth and educators. We elevate and reshape the role of literacy – writing, reading, and discussion – so that all youth think critically and can use their voice to create change. WriteBoston offers professional development and coaching for educators and afterschool and summer programming for youth. All of our work seeks to enhance the learning experiences of young people. To learn more about our work, visit writeboston.org. 

At WriteBoston, we are a collaborative, mission-oriented team. View our staff norms to learn more about how we operate and what our team culture entails. 

CORE JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

The primary focus of this role will be to provide coaching and professional development to middle and high school educators in Greater Boston and Gateway Cities. The hours of our daily work vary depending on the needs of the partners we are serving. In this role, you would work with a range of educators/stakeholders, such as:

• Individual teachers (e.g. observe lessons and offer feedback through debriefs or asynchronously, co-plan and/or co-teach lessons, share relevant resources for curriculum or instruction, etc.) 
• Grade level and/or content teams (e.g. offer tailored PD on topics such as increasing student engagement or authentic uses of literacy–reading, writing, and discussion–in content areas, align curriculum or assessments, analyze student work, etc.) 
• School based coaches and/or teacher leaders (e.g. provide PD on adult learning, support alignment on teaching or coaching best practices, co-observe and plan feedback, co-facilitate meetings, etc.) 
• Administrators (e.g. serve as a thought partner on aspects of school-wide professional learning, organize and implement instructional rounds, etc.)
• Volunteers or out-of-school time staff (e.g. provide PD centered on best practices for mentoring young writers and readers, drafting college essays, etc.) 
• WriteBoston Staff (e.g. collaborate with the coaching/PD team weekly, attend WriteBoston staff meetings regularly and support organization-wide initiatives, collaborate with and be supported by the Director of Professional Learning, collect data and collaborate with members of the advancement team, etc.)

The structure of the work can include embedded partnerships (which involve working with educators at one specific school site 1-2 days per week for a full school year), workshops (which can be standalone or part of a series), and institutes (longer professional development sessions, primarily run over the summer or during school breaks).

WHO YOU ARE

We at WriteBoston recognize that people from marginalized backgrounds are often less likely to apply for a role if they don’t meet every job requirement. We encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply for this position. In addition to the skills and experience listed below, the right orientation is equally important. 

Qualifications (Experience & Skills) 

Explicit & Transformational Educational Vision

• Clear and strong vision for high-quality, effective, meaningful instruction and curriculum and makes that vision explicit in your work and conversations with other educators

Curriculum & Instruction Expertise

• At least three years of full time classroom teaching experience at the middle and/or high school level with student populations similar to the communities we serve (ELLs, students with disabilities, highly heterogeneous classes, etc). WriteBoston instructional coaches work across subject areas, so we are open to different content backgrounds. 
• Deep familiarity and experience with student-centered best practices, culturally responsive/sustaining pedagogy, and creating assets-based, linguistically affirming, and actively equitable learning environments

Coaching/Adult Learning Competence

• Experience facilitating/leading adult learning in schools (e.g. planning and leading PD, mentor teacher, grade level leader, PLC or CPT facilitator, department chair, instructional coach, administrator, etc.)
• Strong facilitation skills (e.g. asking intentional questions, creating inclusive spaces, crafting purposeful agendas, use of technology for learning, etc.)
• Commitment to continuous learning, reflective practice and on-going improvement, for yourself and with others

Fostering Strong Relationships through Communication & Emotional Intelligence

• Ability to build and center trusting relationships with multiple stakeholders
• Thoughtful communication and problem solving. This job requires a willingness to have difficult conversations when needed and a solutions-oriented outlook to find paths forward despite challenging circumstances. 
• Highly collaborative and has the disposition and skills needed to bring people together to learn and work effectively in teams

Equity Literacy

• Commitment to improving your ability to recognize and respond to biases, inequities, and oppressive ideologies

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Timing: The start date for this position is flexible and would be in August or early September of 2024, in preparation for the 2024-25 school year. This is a 12 month position. 

Location: WriteBoston’s office is at 555 Amory Street, Suite 3R, in Jamaica Plain, MA. Coaches primarily work on-site, in-person with partner organizations and schools throughout Greater Boston and Gateway Cities 3-4 days per week with typically 1-2 days in the office or remote. The person in this role must be able to regularly commute to and from partner schools.

Position Details: At the moment, this position has the possibility to be half-time or full-time, depending on how many new partners we have for the coming school year. We encourage people with an entrepreneurial spirit who like to explore new possibilities and may even have their own connections to bring to the table in terms of partners. 

We are an explicitly family-friendly organization. We expect employees to work hard but also prioritize work/life balance and a culture of work that is both rigorous and humane. 

Candidates: 

WriteBoston actively seeks to build a staff that is composed of people who share aspects of their identity and background experiences with the students and communities we serve. 

In all of our work, we acknowledge that our education system has been deeply shaped by systemic racism, resulting in far-reaching inequities in both opportunities and outcomes for BIPOC and other historically marginalized students. WriteBoston’s work is guided by our conviction to create a more equitable and just education system that our students deserve. As an organization, we stand against racism and all forms of oppression including homophobia, transphobia, classism, sexism, ableism, and xenophobia. We commit to focused and sustained action to dismantle racist systems, policies, practices, and ideologies within ourselves and our networks.