Summer 2022 Instructional Coach

Breakthrough Overview

Breakthrough San Francisco at SF Day School provides intensive academic enrichment and ongoing support to motivated San Francisco students with limited educational opportunities, ensuring they are academically successful, on the path to college, and celebrated for all pieces of their identity. Our students are extremely hard working but are under-represented in higher education: of the 254 fifth - twelfth graders currently in our program, 100% are of color; 71% speak a language other than English at home; and 92% will be the first in their families to attend a four-year college. Simultaneously, we train outstanding college students from across the country for education careers. For our summer 2019 residency (our last typical year), we selected 32 out of 292 applicants to be Teaching Fellows. 100% were high achievers at their colleges and universities; 71% were of color.

The intensive six-week summer program for rising fifth - ninth graders is a key component of Breakthrough’s effort to ensure students are receiving academically rigorous instruction throughout middle school and are prepared for a successful high school transition. Summer programming consists of four core academic classes (math, literature, writing, and science), as well as electives, such as knitting, Spanish, and slam poetry. Because Breakthrough utilizes a “students teaching students” model, all summer classes are planned and taught by exceptional college students who are considering an education career. Our Teaching Fellows bring energy, commitment, and a willingness to learn, and Instructional Coaches bring experience and knowledge. Because of this successful partnership, our college students leave the summer inspired: at the end of our 2021 summer program, 88% of Teaching Fellows reported increased interest in an education career, while 100% felt better prepared to be a classroom teacher, if they so choose.

Position Overview

Instructional Coaches (ICs) are experienced and successful professional educators who provide content-specific support and mentoring for Breakthrough’s Teaching Fellows (TFs) and engage fully in the Breakthrough San Francisco community. ICs dictate the level of academic rigor during Breakthrough’s summer program through their interactions with TFs. Each IC manages four TFs, leading weekly department meetings, visiting classes, evaluating lesson plans, and meeting frequently with individual TFs regarding their on-going work. ICs are accountable for the quality of instruction Breakthrough students receive and are responsible for supporting Breakthrough TFs through their first teaching experience. ICs also receive professional development in order to broaden their coaching and leadership skills and set them up for future coaching opportunities in their own schools and districts.

Specific Instructional Coach Duties

Pre-summer:

• Complete two - three training sessions in May (on weekends or weeknights, depending on availability of the entire IC team)
• Complete pre-summer readings
• Refine existing unit plans in specific content area
• Create assessments for content-specific units
• Meet with program staff to plan teacher orientation workshops

Teacher Orientation:

• Help facilitate teacher training on topics such as classroom culture, lesson planning, and teaching practices
• Participate fully in all orientation workshops and rapidly build professional relationships with TFs
• Guide TFs through lesson planning, sample teaching, and rigorous preparation for the teaching experience

Summer Program:

• Provide four TFs with support and regular feedback as they design and revise lesson plans
• Hold TFs accountable for professional deadlines and creating structures to allow them to rapidly grow
• Observe each TF in class at least twice weekly
• Conduct weekly one-on-one debrief sessions with TFs, in which they receive concrete feedback
• Plan and lead departmental meetings, at least twice per week
• Lead at least one professional development session, either live or self-paced
• Check in and communicate regularly with the Director of Curriculum & Instruction regarding TF progress
• Engage fully in the Breakthrough San Francisco community

Wrap-Up Week (done remotely):

• Submit a final narrative evaluation and letter of recommendation for each assigned TF
• Work with TFs to provide revisions and suggestions on curriculum for next summer’s TFs and coaches
• Evaluate overall summer program

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred
• Outstanding track record as a professional classroom teacher for at least three years (preferably in grades 5-8)
• Outstanding knowledge of subject matter and broad knowledge of available resources
• Excellent presentation, writing, and organizational skills
• Exceptional interpersonal skills: ability to hold others to high standards while also offering support and maintaining positive relationships
• Ability to deliver positive, constructive, and honest feedback, both written and verbal
• Ability to reflect proactively on and participate in discussions around identity, race, gender, and issues of social justice
• Experience with curriculum development and implementation
• Creativity, energy, and commitment to excellence
• Prior experience with Breakthrough or Summerbridge highly desirable
• Familiarity with San Francisco schools highly desirable

Commitment

Pre-summer trainings and preparation (approximately 25-30 hours)

• Two - three trainings in May, to be scheduled based on availability of the IC team
• Curriculum refinement and teacher training preparation, to be done independently

Teacher orientation, June 9 - 17, 2022 (approximately 9 am - 4 pm daily; if your school year commitments extend beyond June 9, we’re happy to have a conversation about your situation)

Six-week program, June 21 - July 29, 2022 (25 - 30 hours/week)

• Mon - Thu 8 am - 2 pm, possibly finishing earlier some days
• Fridays will be largely off or used for completing work as needed, remotely
• End-of-Summer Celebration, Thu, July 28, 6 - 8 pm
• May require some work off-site via email or phone with TFs as needed

Wrap-Up Week, August 1 - 3, 2022 (completed by ICs remotely)

Compensation

Compensation is in the form of a $8,000 stipend.

To Apply

Please apply using the link in this posting. Note that Breakthrough Collaborative is a national organization; the application is for sites across the country, so please be sure to indicate your interest in coaching at the SF Day School site. Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis until March 31, 2022.

Questions? Contact Sara Marcopulos, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, at 415-568-3662 or sara@breakthroughsf[dot]org.