Young Audiences is seeking highly experienced teachers to submit their qualifications to be contracted as
an Instructional Coach during the Summer Arts & Learning Academy (SALA) in Summer 2020.
The SALA Instructional Coach
The SALA Instructional Coach is the key to ensuring rigorous and meaningful learning in both literacy and
math at SALA sites. They are considered the “experts” in the building and are the first point of contact for
content, collaborative planning, co-teaching, arts integration, lesson plans (how to write them, how to
submit them, what we are looking for), classroom management, observations (in partnership with site
leadership), and accommodations for students with special needs--with or without IEPs and/or 504’s. There
are two Instructional Coaches at each site: one for grades PreK-2 and one for grades 3-5. Instructional
Coaches should have general knowledge in both literacy and math and strong instructional practices and
pedagogy to support teacher and artists in planning, co-teaching and reflecting on their work.
About the Summer Arts & Learning Academy
Baltimore City Schools Summer Arts & Learning Academy (SALA), operated by Young Audiences/Arts for
Learning Maryland (YA), is an action-packed, full-day, five-week program that introduces students to a wide
variety of art forms—from illustration and spoken word to percussion, drama, and dance—and gives
students a chance to work alongside students from across the city and be taught by professional artists.
Daily literacy and math classes are co-taught by a teacher and professional teaching artist allowing students
to experience reading, writing, and math like never before...through the arts! Students have the
opportunity to imagine, create, and express who they are through the arts and try on art forms they never
imagined. Students travel to different arts destinations across the city, and their work will be celebrated
through a student showcase on the final day of the program. YA will host eight Summer Arts & Learning
Academy sites throughout the City, locations TBD. Each site will host 10-13 classrooms of 26 students each.
Mission and Core Values
The mission of Young Audiences elementary grade Summer Arts & Learning Academy is to provide students
with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend a summer learning from the best teachers and teaching
artists our state has to offer. Through a dynamic, creative, and supportive environment, students will
explore math and literacy in a unique arts integrated environment that prevents the summer learning slide,
allows them to develop socially and emotionally, expands their personal creative process, and introduces
them to many different art forms taught by professional artists.
We...
● believe unwaveringly that ALL students can achieve high standards in and through the arts;
● provide opportunities for students to develop powerfully articulate voices through art forms and
honor their creative processes along the way;
● create safe, brave learning environments for students to grow, make mistakes, and contribute to
the community;
● collaborate and reflect by learning from and with each other at every step of the process,
cultivating positive relationships between all ages;
● encourage the development of critical thinking, problem solving, inquiry, imagination, and
creativity, and provide multiple ways for students to demonstrate knowledge and mastery;
● learn about, honor, and leverage the cultural knowledge, experiences, and frames of reference of
our students and community to make learning more relevant and effective;
● ensure that our students are known, loved, supported, celebrated, and valued.
Request for Qualifications
● Worked at SALA for at least one summer.
● Hold a current teaching certification and preference is given to those who hold special education
certification.
● General knowledge in the content areas (math and literacy) in either grade band (PreK-2 or 3-5) as
demonstrated by certification area, years of experience, and/or evidence at SALA in past summers.
● A strong understanding of effective arts integration and co-teaching.
● Experience coaching, leading professional development, mentoring, and/or being part of an
instructional support team are a plus.
● A passion for students: building meaningful relationships, and a desire to “go above and beyond” to
ensure each student’s success.
● A strong desire to fully integrate into a non-traditional learning environment where flexibility is
strongly valued and where new and innovative ideas are not only cultivated but expected from all
staff.
● All staff must be willing to use either the school office landline or their personal cell phone (number
blocking is acceptable) to contact parents as needed.
● Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory to instructional programs.
● Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with students, peers, and parents.
Dates and Times
To fulfill this contract, teachers must be able to commit to attending all program days. All other paid
planning hours, course development time, and time spent designing content and artistic experiences for
students can be completed at the teachers’ discretion.
● All SALA Instructional Coaches will need to attend at least four professional development
trainings. Details about each training are below. All sessions are required and paid.
o Position Training (4 hours)
o All Staff Orientation and Cookout: This will take place on a weeknight evening. (2 hours)
o One Site-Based Saturday PD as support, which will be held on a Saturday or Sunday. (5
hours)
o One Content Training as support, which will be held on a Saturday or Sunday. (4 hours)
● Training and Professional Development Week- June 24, 25, 26, 29 and 30 (35 hours). Specific
locations and start/end times TBD. This is required and is paid.
● Academy Dates: For all 5-week sites, the program will begin on July 6th and end on August 7th.
Program hours are 8:30 am (Breakfast) to 3:00 pm. Instructional Coach Time Commitment is 9:00
am - 3:00 pm and 1 additional hour per day for planning with teachers/teaching artists to be spent
before or after the program. Note: one Academy location will run an additional week and end on
August 14th.
● Two 1-hour planning meetings/staff meetings per week (times TBD, most likely staff meetings on
Tuesday and Thursdays at 8:00 am).
Compensation
● Instructional Coaches will be compensated based on a number of factors, including experience and
the specific circumstances of their contracted position (i.e. site location, number of teaching hours
etc. Instructional Coaches will be paid an hourly rate of $27.50 - $29.85 and coaches completing
the entire program will be paid up to $6,187.50 - $7,552 for working the whole summer.
Scope of Work
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
● Support the Literacy and Math Professional Development on Content Training Day prior to PD
Week.
● Support teachers/artists in big picture planning/collaborative conversations before they dive into
the lesson plan template during PD Week.
● On the last two days of PD week, check in with teachers/artists on site to ensure that they are
prepared for the first day: plans ready, expectations posted, community building/classroom
management in place, etc.
● Throughout the program, design and deliver mini workshops for staff based on needs that are
being seen in classrooms. Engage artists/teachers who are shining to help facilitate. This can
happen during staff meetings in conjunction with Site Directors OR during the one of the required
extended days for planning.
MENTORING/COACHING
● Meet artists and teachers where they are and support their growth, understanding that staff come
in with very different levels of experience and expertise.
● Set up a coaching schedule each week to be in classrooms to:
○ Provide on-the-spot feedback in the form of notes while observing;
○ Provide coverage so that teachers/artists can visit other classrooms based on what they are
curious about or need additional support with;
○ Co-teach as needed/wanted--so that one of the partners can observe and reflect.
● Check in with each teaching pair at least once a week either to coach (described above) or help
plan.
● Set a deadline for pairs to have lesson plans ready for review each week. (Please make sure that
this is consistent across Instructional Coaches and blessed by Site Leadership.)
● Review lesson plans (via the “Work in Progress” folder, google docs or weekly check-ins) before
they are submitted to provide feedback and insight:
o Do the lesson plans reflect the Collaborative Planning Map?
o Is there robust and meaningful arts integration?
o Are the standards represented in the lessons?
o Are there any red flags?
o Do you see any connections across classes? If so, you can connect artists and teachers who
are doing similar work or who might benefit from collaboration.
● Collect final lesson plans at the end of each day and keep them in a binder.
● Maintain the standard SALA spreadsheet of lessons collected. We will ask for this at the end of the
summer in order to release Planning Payments.
● Remind artists and teachers that they will get their Planning Payment only if they have completed
lesson plans for each day.
● Check math manipulatives in the first two weeks--those that are not being used in a classroom
should be pulled and put in a central location. Remind teachers and artists to visit the room to sign
out supplies as needed.
● Connect teachers/artists to resources and ensure that they have the materials, texts and resources
needed.
● Identify strong artist-teacher pairs who can become part of a cadre who delivers demo lessons in
the future.
● Collect student art work and artistic products that reflect strong arts integration with the lessons
from which they came.
● Create a space in the building to highlight best practices--ie. display work products, connect staff,
etc.
● Be a part of the Observation Team that uses the Observation Tool to visit classrooms.
● Monitor distribution and collection of all pre and post assessments and surveys. Ensure that
someone is inputting the data and that YA gets all the copies.
INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND STUDENT SUPPORT
● Develop, adapt, modify, and individualize educational materials, resources, techniques, methods,
and strategies to meet the needs of students with disabilities within the SALA framework (focus on
differentiation, scaffolding and co-teaching).
● Work with parents of special education children to ensure ongoing communication and
instructional support system.
● Coordinate instructional activities and collaborate with other professional staff both school and non
school-based, as required to maximize learning opportunities.
● Demonstrate the use of both traditional and innovative instructional methodologies in working
with various sub-groups within the population of students with disabilities.
● Build relationships with students, staff, and parents and create a positive, supportive community
within the classroom and site.
● Assist with the preparation and planning of the final student culminating showcase.
ADDITIONAL DUTIES
● Use part of the staff meeting each week to give timely updates, share shout outs, offer specialized
workshops.
● Facilitate the Literacy or Math portion of Family Night (which one will be determined by the
Instructional Coaches).
● Participate in a weekly call with all Instructional Leads to share successes, challenges, and questions
and to get timely updates and problem solve.
To apply:
For consideration, complete the Teacher Application that can be found here:
https://www.yamd.org/programs/summer-arts-academy/work-with-us/ AND the Instructional Coach
Application which can be found here: https://www.tfaforms.com/4774458
Applications are due January 3, 2020.
