Teacher Coach
About The Position
The Teacher Coach supports high-quality early education and child development in the Head Start Program, including services for children with disabilities, to promote cognitive, social, and emotional growth and later school success. The role supports teachers in planning, organizing, and implementing education best practices and services. It collaborates with the Early Childhood, Head Start, and Early Head Start teams; the YWCA Quality Team; center directors and staff; and the Child Care Resource and Referral Training Team. The position reports to the Education Manager. The Teacher Coach provides classroom coaching, teacher observations, professional development, technical assistance, and guidance on curriculum and child assessment. The position helps ensure inclusive, developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive learning experiences and compliance with licensing and Head Start requirements. The schedule is Monday through Friday, with occasional Saturdays, and may vary based on agency needs.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from an accredited institution.
- Meet Department of Children and Family Services requirements for licensure.
- Complete a minimum of 15 hours of professional training annually related to early childhood or the position's responsibilities.
- Ability to lift 35 pounds and sit on the floor, bend at the waist, kneel, and/or stoop for 75% of the time.
Nice To Haves
- Bilingual Spanish language skills are an asset.
Responsibilities
- Work with classroom teachers to provide age-appropriate activities aligned with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (HSELOF).
- Conduct regular teacher observations using a research-based coaching model to support best teaching practices.
- Develop ongoing professional development plans that support Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) and HSELOF.
- Provide technical assistance for the COPA Database, Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG), and other education-related programs.
- Coordinate training and technical assistance with the Child Care Resource and Referral Quality Team.
- Support and model nurturing, responsive practices, interactions, and environments that foster trust and emotional security.
- Assist with planning organized activities, schedules, and lesson plans using Creative Curriculum, including learning in language, literacy, social and emotional development, math, science, social studies, creative arts, and physical development.
- Assist with dual language acquisition and with teacher-directed, child-initiated, active, quiet, large-group, and small-group activities.
- Coach teachers on best practices and structured assessments to evaluate each child's progress using Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG).
- Earn CLASS Infant/Toddler Certification within one year.
- Work closely with disabilities and mental health specialists to ensure inclusive services meet children's needs.
- Work with partner child care providers and staff to establish plans and procedures for children's safety and security.
- Use daily active supervision to help ensure each site and program complies with applicable licensing and Head Start requirements.
- Maintain a strong understanding of Head Start Program Performance Standards, Head Start curriculum, and ExceleRate Illinois.
- Participate in the Annual Self-Assessment and Community Assessment.
- Assist with two home visits and two parent-teacher conferences per year with each parent.
- Use data to provide mentorship, guidance, and coaching sessions to colleagues and teachers.
- Provide staff support, training, and technical assistance on planning and implementing culturally responsive, developmentally appropriate curricula and experiences.
- Create a Personal Professional Development Plan and complete at least 15 hours of annual professional training related to early childhood or the position's responsibilities.
- Participate in center meetings, assist with Policy Council meetings, and attend YWCA meetings as directed by the direct report.
- Assist with planning YWCA special programs and events, align work with YWCA key deliverables, and establish and meet deadlines.
- Become an ITN trainer within one year of employment with the agency.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
