Whole Child Problem-Based Learning Coach

The mission of Sankofa School of Success, Inc. is to create an environment that is safe, nurturing and seeks to meet students’ academic, social and emotional needs using neuroscience, mindfulness, and rigorous education.

The ideal candidate has a passion for teaching skills beyond core literacy and math, with a particular emphasis on employability skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and self-awareness. This role will lead a K-6 multidisciplinary problem-based learning department focused on helping students develop future employability skills such as problem solving, communication, and collaboration. Major duties include program management, problem-based learning experience planning, and coaching of four teachers. The Whole Child Problem-Based Learning team will teach in a “specials” model where they teach each group of students in the school once per week and lead innovative interdisciplinary problem-based learning experiences with a rotating grade level once per week.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's Degree required

LICENSE: Must hold a valid Indiana State Teacher's License. Must be deemed Highly Qualified in accordance with the Indiana Department of Education.

EXPERIENCE

Required:

• 3 years experience as an effective or highly effective licensed teacher
• Experience leading problem-based learning
• Demonstrated history of increasing student achievement
• Demonstrated history of influencing other adults to improve student achievement

Preferred:

• Experience teaching in an elementary specials or related arts model
• Experience teaching in a schoolwide problem-based learning, project-based learning or interdisciplinary model
• Instructional coaching and/or formally leading adults (i.e. manager or team leader)
• Experience working in a Title I school or with a similar population of students

• Plan weekly interdisciplinary problem-based learning experiences that incorporate authentic audiences and experiential learning in collaboration with PBL teachers and general education teachers.
• Train other school staff with strategies and systems to reinforce the development of social emotional and employability skills developed in Whole Child PBL classes.
• Provide professional development, modeling, and coaching to help PBL teachers design units and lesson plans that follow principles of problem-based learning and develop and assess employability skills
• Provide specific, actionable feedback and meaningful recognition to team members, with special attention to supporting apprentice teachers
• Teach Whole Child PBL lessons in the event of team member absences or vacancies
• Effectively communicate team progress, resource needs, and growth opportunities to instructional coaches and administrators

• Lead team to create and maintain environments conducive to safety and learning that promote both intellectual growth and emotional well-being
• Oversee the delivery of rigorous, engaging lessons tailored to meet the diverse needs of all students
• Implement evidence-based instructional strategies and apply neuroscience and mindfulness principles to support students' developmental needs

• Frequently assess and document student skills and growth across academic, social, emotional, and behavioral domains
• Utilize common assessments and shared data systems across the team to evaluate student learning and instructional effectiveness
• Collaborate with colleagues to analyze student work and assessment data and plan targeted instructional adjustments

• Meet and communicate regularly with leaders across the school to collaboratively own student engagement and achievement
• Develop and monitor shared communication and collaboration systems for the Whole Child PBL team that align with schoolwide systems
• Encourage meaningful family involvement in the educational process, including their participation in PBL experiences
• Collaborate effectively with administration, student support staff, and all staff
• Seek and utilize community resources to enhance instructional programming, particularly as partners and audiences for PBL experiences
• Resolve conflicts promptly using reason and emotional intelligence, focusing on solutions rather than blame
• Uphold school policies and procedures while contributing to a culture of excellence and accountability.

• Attend and participate fully in all professional development opportunities
• Solicit and respond to feedback to continuously improve instructional practice
• Proactively communicate challenges with a solutions-mindset

Perform other duties as assigned.

The above job description is designed to denote the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications of employees assigned to this job.