Early Childhood Program Mentor/Coach

(Position is 30 hours per week)

PRIMARY FUNCTION

The Early Childhood Program Mentor-Coach provides supportive mentoring of teaching staff through an interactive process incorporating teacher feedback and reflection, classroom observations, and analysis of child outcome data. The Mentor-Coach will model, demonstrate, and provide feedback in a supportive, instructive and non-judgmental manner. Individualized and group training will promote problem solving that encourages teachers to develop their own strategies through reflective inquiry and practice. Through the facilitation of group discussions focused on addressing common teaching challenges, the Mentor-Coach will encourage group problem-solving, best-practice sharing, as well providing modeling of appropriate intervention strategies.

KEY ROLES (Essential Job Responsibilities):

• Utilizes Practice-Based Coaching components for the purpose of assessing needs, engaging in focused observations, and providing reflection and feedback in order to set goals and develop action plans.
• Recognizes and builds on staff strengths and encourages staff to continue professional growth by attending classes, workshops and training designed for Early Childhood educators.
• Guides education staff to make adaptations to activities based on each individual child including children with special needs and/or English Language Learners
• Promotes best practices in Early Childhood development and assessment based on Head Start Performance Standards and Creative Curriculum: assists education staff with appropriate curriculum planning and implementation.
• Uses reflective practice and additional strategies as needed to promote positive outcomes for the teaching staff and the children they work with.
• Ensures teacher-child interactions and instruction is responsive, intentional and developmentally appropriate to ensure children are provided socially supportive, organized, and instructionally meaningful interactions to support their development (i.e., social-emotional, physical, cognitive and language) and learning (i.e., literacy, math, science, technology, social studies, and the arts).
• Analyzes data to inform strategies and to determine overall effectiveness. Create reports utilizing various data sources including child and family assessments, Teaching Strategies Gold, school readiness goals, and community needs assessments.
• Participates in the development of program policies, service delivery plans, and ongoing monitoring of program quality. Attend workshops, conferences, and other necessary trainings to support component goals
• Ensures all mandates of Head Start performance standards, state and local licensing are met.
• Provides ongoing training and professional development to support staff in fulfilling their roles and responsibilities.
• Knowledge of the Head Start Early Learning Outcome Frameworks: Ages Birth to Five.
• Utilize the T/TA system for support and trainings.

Skills / Knowledge Required

• Must have Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education/Child Development, Child and Family Studies with a concentration in Early Childhood/Child Development.
• Must have four (4) years' experience in working directly with preschool children, ages 0-5, at least two years teaching children ages 0-3 years.
• Be familiar with and adhere to the Head Start Program Performance Standards, State of MA licensing requirements, Education Work plan, and agency's policies and procedures.
• Must be or become CLASS Reliable, Conscious Discipline trained, ECRS certified, and Practice Based Coaching trained
• Established and effective classroom management skills.
• Have knowledge and experience supporting the implementation of high-quality teaching and instructional practices for the purpose of stressing the powerful impact of teacher-child interactions and intentional approaches on school readiness and later school success.
• Identify professional and staff development needs for classroom staff.
• Ability to facilitate curriculum planning and implementation
• Peer observation, coaching, mentoring, and conferencing skills
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Must work independently with little supervision
• Maintain an open friendly, professional relationship with all staff and families, to include respect for culture, diversity and ethnicity.
• Must possess the ability to communicate effectively and relate positively to children, parents, staff and volunteers in a diverse environment.