Early Childhood Instructional Coach

Overview

The Early Childhood Instructional Coach serves as a pedagogical leader who partners with educators to deepen their practice and make children's learning visible. Drawing inspiration from the Reggio Emilia approach, this role cultivates reflective teaching communities, strengthens instructional excellence, and ensures that every child's voice, ideas, and potential are honored through thoughtful, inquiry-based practices. The coach/pedagogista acts as a catalyst for professional growth, supporting educators working with children from birth through age six to continually refine their craft and embrace the joy and complexity of teaching young learners.

The Instructional Coach/Pedagogista supports the school as a premier early childhood provider by focusing on teaching quality, communication and relationships, and documenting growth while making the learning process visible. They educate current and prospective families about the Reggio Emilia approach and other education and parenting topics. They work with the Executive Director to support school fundraising, professional learning, and other initiatives.

• Instructional Coaching & Professional Development — Train and support teachers on learning assessment instruments and authentic assessment practices; onboard new employees with comprehensive orientation and regular check-ins; support teacher growth and retention through ongoing mentorship, goal setting, reflection, feedback, recognition of strengths, and responsive professional development; provide ongoing support to improve observation, listening, documentation, and classroom-based research; create and maintain a library of professional resources;
  
  facilitate collaborative planning sessions focused on curriculum development, emergent curriculum design, and project-based learning; design and deliver professional development on developmentally appropriate practices, child observation, and documentation strategies.
• Pedagogical Documentation & Learning Visibility — Guide teachers in making children's learning visible through documentation panels, learning stories, and portfolio development; model and support use of documentation tools (photography, video, transcription, visual displays); facilitate regular documentation review sessions to analyze work and plan next steps; create systems for sharing learning with families and the learning community.
• Curriculum Support & Environment Design — Collaborate with teachers to design rich, engaging environments as the “third teacher”; support integration of materials, provocations, and experiences that invite investigation and creativity; guide balancing child-initiated exploration with intentional teaching moments; ensure alignment with early learning standards while maintaining a play-based, child-centered approach.
• Reflective Practice & Teacher Inquiry — Cultivate a culture of reflective practice through individual conferences, team meetings, and study groups; facilitate teacher inquiry groups focused on pedagogical questions and classroom-based research; support teachers in developing observational skills and listening deeply to children; encourage critical thinking about educational practices, materials, and interactions.
• Family & Community Partnership — Support educators and engage with families to build strong school-home connections; offer opportunities to understand the educational philosophy through workshops, classes, and community events; help create systems for ongoing family communication about learning and development; facilitate community events that showcase children's work and the learning process.
• Social Media & Community Outreach — Use school platforms to educate parents and the community about programs and the Reggio Emilia approach; showcase project work and inquiry through engaging posts, photos, and stories; highlight classroom environments, materials, documentation, and the learning process; create content that celebrates teacher expertise and makes the pedagogical approach visible and accessible to families and prospective families.
• Collaboration with Administrative Team — Serve as a trusted member of the administrative…