The role of the Literacy Mentor will be to provide ongoing support for new teachers with 3 or less years of service in schools with high teacher turnover and/or high numbers of teachers new to the field and teachers implementing Leading and Learning (L&L) innovations. The literacy mentor supports new teachers in the use of evidence-based practices through planning, modeling, observing, and providing feedback and to enhance teacher and leader collaboration. The Literacy Mentor provides training and support for a cohort of selected schools, as identified in the CLSD 2025 application. The Literacy Mentor works with district-level and school-level staff to ensure all students receive high quality literacy instruction and to increase the population of highly effective teachers. Approximately 80% of the literacy mentor’s time must be spent directly supporting new teachers.
This position reports to the District Literacy Coordinator.
Key Responsibilities
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Oversee the implementation of two of three evidence-informed L&L Innovations as measured by scaling the Innovation to at least one additional site within the LEA by the end of the subgrant.
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Spend 80% of their time supporting teachers
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Coach teachers through implementation of high-quality instructional materials
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Observe teachers, provide feedback, and identify next steps to improve instruction in core ELA instruction and intervention for the purpose of support and not evaluation through high-quality instructional materials
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Provide teachers with instructional support in five areas: theory underlying instruction demonstration of evidence-based strategies, observation of teachers practicing evidence-based strategies, feedback and reflection about instruction, and supporting collaboration
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Build collaborative relationships among schools, ECEs, and LEAs for teachers and leaders to learn from each other
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Support coherence of literacy instruction across the schools supported and throughout the LEA
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Support school and school system leaders in the development and monitoring of a local literacy plan
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Participate on the LEA-Level Team to bring insights and perspectives from site-level collaboration, ensuring feedback and continuous improvement
? Provide teachers with localized ELA supports while also leveraging the
communication, feedback, and support of LDOE
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Collaborate with school systems staff and Department staff to evaluate and improve program implementation
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Report on program implementation to key stakeholders
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Demonstrate and communicate an unwavering belief in all students’ abilities to become successful readers
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Participate in all LDOE and school system mandated professional development, including monthly LDOE Communities of Practice and Teacher Leader Summit
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Stay abreast of the research and elevate evidence-based strategies for instruction and professional development to share with the teachers
Additional Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required
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Minimum of 3 effective years of experience as a certified ELA teacher
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Science of Reading trained or plan to complete training within the calendar year
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Proven results when working with struggling readers
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Strong knowledge of how children learn to read
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Knowledge and experience working with high-quality reading curriculum
Qualifications
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Master’s or advanced degree in Education preferred