Teacher-Coach Science at Aga Khan Education Service, Kenya (AKESK)

Role Summary:
Teachers who are not only outstanding in their craft but also expert as coaches and developers of other teachers, are vital in building teaching capacity within the network. Teacher Coaches are based in one Academy but work across the network to develop quality and network consistency. They have a focus on building the capacity of others, working in a sustainable way.

Key Responsibilities:

How does the role look and feel in practice?

The Teacher-Coach is predominantly classroom rather than office-based, perhaps spending 50-75% of the working week working alongside teachers in supporting their teaching. The coach organises work in partnership with the Academies, with the Head of Academy/Dean of Studies/Principal or their designate, for example a Head of Department or a Programme Leader. He/she works in Academies for blocks of continuous time, for example throughout a unit of inquiry or series of lessons; and the coach keeps in touch with teachers/faculty teams between visits.

The Teacher Coach:

• Improves the quality of teaching, learning and support for students in their respective areas of responsibility across the network;
• Achieves these improvements by modelling, coaching, mentoring and developing Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) of common interest groups across the network;
• Supports the ongoing implementation and development of Aga Khan Academies aligned curriculum;
• Supports the quality of teachers’ planning and differentiation to personalise the learning of each student;
• Develops the use of data in tracking students’ performance and prompting early and suitable interventions;
• Supports the development of the Units of Inquiry, customised to meet the vision of the Aga Khan Academies through the Aga Khan Curricular Strands (visit https://www.agakhanacademies.org/general/aga-khan-curricular-strands for more information);
• Supports the Academies’ preparations for the IB’s evaluation and quality assurance visits;
• Builds capacity in the faculty to ensure improvements are sustainable;
• Supports students by helping to develop a culture of success and achievement in partnership with the Academy’s faculty and staff;
• Contributes to the strategic planning for teachers’ professional development across the network with respect to their discipline or specific area of expertise; and
• Plays a full part in the lives of the Academies while on campus.

The requirements

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Education or Science from an accredited university, with successful IB experience;
• Master’s degree in Science, Education, Educational Leadership, or a related area is preferred;
• Qualified Teacher Status;
• Candidates currently in Kenya will require TSC registration;
• A proven record of success as a MYP and/or DP teacher and a detailed understanding of the implementation of the relevant programmes;
• Proven successes as a teacher coach;
• An ability to work in partnership with Academy teams, building on their strengths to support their work in raising achievement of students;
• An ability to use technology in an integrated way to promote students’ learning;
• Intercultural appreciation of the work of teachers and support staff in the contexts of the Academies;
• An ability to bring the best out of teachers and to effect sustainable improvements in teaching quality;
• An understanding of students and what motivates them through their learning;
• Leadership experience in a school, at subject, phase, grade or programme level;
• A strong conceptual understanding of practice and pedagogy;
• An understanding of sustainable school improvement and the contribution effective teaching plays in this;
• An understanding of sustainable development and the role of education in building communities through the development of ethical leadership; and
• The skills of being a team player in a school and putting the development of others above that of oneself.