Professional Learning Advisor
Purpose and Scope
The Professional Learning Advisor will meet two needs, providing teachers, school leaders, and content leads with a range of relevant professional learning opportunities, and providing teachers, school leaders, and content leads with practical planning and implementation resources and support to ensure integrity and effective curriculum implementation. Professional Learning Advisors will be experts in their content area and grade band, have extensive school level experience, and a deep understanding of the Tennessee Standards and aligned curriculum. While the focus of this role will be on Professional Learning, the Advisor will know and understand the structure and purpose of standards-aligned curriculum and be able to articulate conditions necessary for effective implementation and create Professional Learning and supports aligned to these conditions.
Essential Job Functions
- Uses data including informal classroom observations and school leader feedback to identify priorities and aligned supports for teachers. This includes planning, designing, and facilitating a series of content specific PL for both in-person sessions and virtual courses offered through a learning management system, content specifically for new teachers, and other relevant topics as needed.
- Uses school, zone, and district level data to identify priorities and aligned supports for leaders. This includes planning, designing, and facilitating a series of content specific sessions for principals, Instructional Leadership Team members, and PLC coaches.
- Participates in regular, informal walkthroughs of schools across SCS, focusing on content informal classroom observations, foundational skills, and Instructional Leadership Teams. The data collected will monitor the progress of curriculum implementation, inform professional learning and support, and identify any bright spots or opportunities for growth that need to be escalated and/or addressed.
- Manages a caseload of teachers in the Learning Management System, providing ongoing feedback, as well as grades for coursework completed.
- Manages a caseload of schools, providing ongoing feedback on teacher participation and outcomes related to professional learning sessions.
- Provides ongoing informal opportunities for teachers and Instructional Leadership Team members to meet and engage in dialogue around Problems of Practice
- Leads projects that will improve the quality of instruction at scale, fully aligned to the Tennessee Standards. In particular, this will include creating and facilitating district level regular cycles of teacher professional learning that is grounded in strong instructional materials and is intended to improve instruction and, ultimately, lead to improved student outcomes instruction districtwide.
- Develops supporting resources and documents for the curriculum (lesson planning support, authentic scaffolds and modification guidance, pacing calendars)
- Develops and manage relationships with school leaders, teachers and other stakeholders
- Contribute to the creation of high-quality, data-driven reports demonstrating the effect of newly created models on the quality of instruction
- Supports the use of the Learning Management system for all professional learning
- Works with the PL Clerk to organize all necessary trainings
- Performs other related duties as assigned or directed.
Minimum Qualifications
- Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public or Business Administration, Human Resources, Education or a closely related area PLUS four (4) years related experience, or equivalent, for a total education/experience of eight (8) years. Professional experience as a teacher preferred.
Degree Equivalency Formula:
- Bachelor’s Degree= 4 years plus required years of experience.
- Master’s Degree= 2 years plus required years of experience. Where Master’s degrees are required, years for Bachelor’s Degrees must be included.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Strong familiarity and expertise with the Tennessee Standards required, including a deep conceptual understanding of the instructional shifts
- Deep knowledge of content and instruction, and a proven track record of raising student achievement
- The ability to critically assess challenges and identify effective solutions, particularly in the area of academic strategy and professional development
- Experience developing and facilitating adult learning/training
- Experience and success coaching teachers or leaders
- Demonstrated independence in moving work forward, implementing an agreed-upon strategy and effectively identifying when that strategy needs to be adjusted
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- A deep understanding of student learning and skill progressions in ELA, math, science, or social studies, as well as expert knowledge in teacher development and adult learning strategies
- Experience with data, especially how it relates to curriculum and professional development; you can recognize trends and correlations better than most people and you use data to drive decisions
- Ability to design teacher professional development or curricular resources in a variety of modes and platforms, with evidence of success designing and delivering trainings online and in person
Physical Requirements and Working Environment
Physical Demands: Requires sedentary work involving standing or walking for brief periods, exerting up to 10 pounds of force on a regular basis; and some dexterity in operating office equipment; must be able to use hands and fingers for sign language.
Unavoidable Hazards: The position is exposed to no unusual environmental hazards.
Sensory (ADA) Requirements: The position requires normal visual acuity and field of vision, hearing and speaking abilities.
Americans with disabilities Act Compliance
SCS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. SCS provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.
Additional Job Details
K-5 ELA Advisor (1)
High School ELA Advisor (1)
About Organization
A Major, Urban School District on the
Cutting Edge of Closing the Achievement Gap
Our Mission
Memphis-Shelby County Schools is one of the 25 largest school districts in the nation located in a large city with a hometown feel, Memphis, TN. Here in the Bluff City, we are dedicated to preparing all students for success in learning, leadership, and life.
• Our promise is that by 2025, 80% of our students will be college & career ready, 90% will graduate high school, and 100% of graduates will enroll in post-secondary education.
• Our work is deeply rooted in the belief that every child is capable of learning and that education is the great equalizer. With 84% of all students considered economically disadvantaged, Memphis-Shelby County Schools truly is a place where progressive leaders in education can make a difference in the lives of our country’s most underserved children.
Our Future
Though our challenges are significant, we are a district on the rise.
• Memphis-Shelby County Schools has been a level 5 growth district—the highest achievable level in TN--for the past three years.
• Memphis-Shelby County Schools has seen district-wide math proficiency scores double in the past three years.
• Memphis-Shelby County Schools I-Zone schools were once performing in the bottom 5% of TN, and are now making significant gains towards the goal of performing amongst the top 25% within five years.
We are a district committed to progressive strategies and practices that promote student achievement. We do this by ensuring that every classroom has an effective teacher and every school is operated by staff and leaders committed to excellence.