Early Learning Center Teacher | Early Learning Center

Full-time (40 hours/week) | Salary: $13 – $15 per hour

This position reports to the Department Director.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Early Learning Center Teacher is responsible for providing a developmentally appropriate education under the direction of the Director in a manner that contributes to the growth and development of children and families.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum

• High School diploma
• CPR/First Aid certified

Preferred

• CDA or 12 college hours in Early Childhood Education or Psychology.
• 1 year of Early Childhood Education experience or related field.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Interactions

• Provide a safe and healthy environment for children.
• Maintain teacher/child ratios and group sizes at all times.
• Relate to children with courtesy, respect, acceptance, and patience.
• Use positive guidance techniques to guide children’s behavior.
• Recognize and respect the uniqueness and potential of all children, their families, and their cultures.
• Report suspected abuse, neglect, and exploitation to PRS or to law enforcement.

Curriculum

• Use developmentally appropriate practices to guide and teach children.
• Create curriculum to meet all the developmental domains of learning for children.
• Co-teach with other staff and use collaboration skills to teach children.
• Maintain an organized, developmentally appropriate classroom.
• Conduct parent conferences on a quarterly basis or as needed.

Professional Development

• Take initiative in researching resources for needed program skills and knowledge of staff and self.
• Continue education by enrolling in Early Childhood classes to meet NAEYC Education requirements on an annual basis.
• Completes a self-evaluation and creates a Professional Development plan bi-annually.

Record Keeping

• Maintain classrooms records.
• Observe children on an ongoing basis and assesses children’s growth and development according to their milestones.

PERIODIC FUNCTIONS:

• Attend all meetings including staff meetings, parent meetings, and outside trainings.
• Attend Bright Beginnings trainings (if applicable).
• Assist with parent meetings (when needed).
• Act as a floater teacher when needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Director and/or Assistant Director.

JOB COMPETENCIES:

• Adaptive: An ability to create and sustain a vision, to inspire, to model, to prioritize, strong decision making, clear judgment, to provide clear and effective decisions, and to innovate – all in an effort to achieve the objectives of the funded programs and the changing needs of target population and staff.
• Interpersonal Skills: Should be empathetic to children’s emotions and teachers and parent’s needs.
• Patience – The ability to exhibit patience when working with school-aged students and their families and supervise staff and understand that it is imperative to be the pacifying agent in certain high-tension situations.
• Good communication skills – Able to communicate effectively with students, parents, and peers in a professional manner.
• Conflict resolution skills – Ability to think quickly on their feet and help resolve conflicts as soon as they arise. Staff should be skilled at acting as a mediator to help calm situations.
• Team player – An ability to function as part of a team and how to motivate those staff that they supervise towards a common goal.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Standing: Must be able to stand for long periods of time when teaching or supervising active games.
• Lifting: Must be able to lift up to 40lbs. as needed.
• Bending: Must be able to bend or twist their body. Must be able to kneel, stoop, or crouch to interact with children.
• Walking: Walk or run to observe children in a classrooms setting and outdoors.
• Kneel, stoop, or crouch to interact with children.
• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, and tools.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Classroom and outdoors playground.
• Travel to attend local trainings occasionally.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Monday through Friday (schedule assigned)
• This position requires attendance of monthly after hour staff meetings and quarterly trainings for teachers associated with United Way Bright Beginning collaboration.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

• Annual Performance appraisal