Teacher

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position supports the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit, charitable organization committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Teacher is responsible for creating and maintaining a nurturing, engaging, and safe learning environment that supports the developmental needs of young children. This role involves planning and implementing a developmentally appropriate curriculum, while adhering to state licensing regulations and organizational standards. The Teacher works collaboratively with families and colleagues to build positive relationships, promote inclusion, and ensure each child’s individual needs are met. As a key role model, the teacher upholds the values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility, fostering a love for learning and a strong foundation for future success.

 ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Support the development and implementation of a developmentally appropriate curriculum that fosters cognitive, social, and gross motor skill development, aligning with MA EEC guidelines and meeting individual child needs.
• Prepare and present weekly lesson plans for indoor and outdoor activities to the Lead Teacher, ensuring plans are accessible for review.
  
• Conduct and document ongoing assessments of each child’s progress, maintaining portfolios to reflect developmental milestones.
• Facilitate parent/teacher conferences twice a year.
  
• Follow all EEC licensing regulations for early childhood education and maintain necessary EEC records including daily attendance.
  
• Incorporate Y Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) Standards into daily routines through positive role modeling.
  
• Design and maintain engaging classroom learning centers in accordance with the ECERS Environmental Rating Scale.
  
• Execute planned classroom activities and maintain routines in the Lead Teacher's absence.
  
• Conduct daily health checks, document findings, and follow all health, safety, and emergency protocols.
  
• Participate in staff meetings, trainings, and professional development opportunities.
  
• Foster a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment by building supportive relationships with children and families.
  
• Communicate professionally, modeling YMCA values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.
  
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe classroom and workplace environment.
  
• Work collaboratively with the Lead Teacher to support and participate in special events and parent/family-oriented activities.
  
• Serve daily snacks/meals following child nutrition program guidelines and maintain related documentation.
  
• Serve as a positive role model by maintaining a professional appearance, ensuring clear identification as YMCA staff, and upholding a demeanor that positively represents the organization.
  

 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:

• Engaging Community: Builds bridges with others in the community to ensure the Y’s work is community-focused and welcoming of all, providing community benefit. 
• Inclusion: Values all people for their unique talents and takes an active role in promoting practices that support diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as cultural competence. 
• Communication: Listens and expresses self effectively and in a manner that reflects a true understanding of the needs of the audience. Understands and expertly utilizes current methods of communication.
• Critical Thinking & Decision Making: Integrates logic, intuition, and sound judgment to analyze information to identify greatest opportunities, make sound decisions, and solve problems.
• Emotional Maturity: Demonstrates ability to understand and manage emotions effectively in all situations. 
• Change Capacity: Leads self and others through change by navigating ambiguity appropriately and adapting well to new situations, obstacles, and opportunities. 
• Quality Results: Demonstrates and fosters a strong commitment to achieving goals in a manner that provides evidenced-based quality experiences. 

 Qualification:

• Must possess oral, auditory and written communication skills appropriate for interacting with both children and adults.
  
• Positive role model with strong leadership, conflict resolution and diplomacy skills. 
  
• Must be capable of directing the daily administrative, program related, and supervisory responsibilities of the ECE classroom.
  
• Certifications required before working with children: Child Abuse Prevention Training, New Employee Orientation, all RI DHS and MA EEC requirements. 
  
• Certifications required within the first 60 days of hire: YMCA approved basic lifesaving skills such as Pediatric CPR & First Aid, AED, and Emergency
• Oxygen, RI DHS Pre-service Health & Safety Training. This position must have the ability to respond to safety and emergency situations.
  

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

Have a high school diploma if you are under 21 years old. 

Coursework Requirements:

• You must have completed a 3-credit college course (from an accredited college) in Child Growth and Development or Human Growth and Development. Other courses may substitute for Child Growth and Development but will require MA ECE approval.

If you do not meet the course requirement, you can substitute it with:

• A valid Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) from the Council for Professional Recognition
  
• A Chapter 74 and EEC Approved High School child care program in Massachusetts (must have graduated after 1989). 
  
• A recommendation letter from the high school program director (the recommendation letter, on the school's letterhead, must include total hours of classroom experience and age group). 
  
• A copy of your high school diploma and official transcript.

Work Experience Requirements:

• You must have 9 months of supervised work experience, of which at least 3 months are with either age group or a supervised practicum (where college credit was earned) with the appropriate age group. 
• You must have an official transcript from the practicum and a practicum verification form signed by your college supervisor.
• Work experience in a mixed toddler/preschool group counts towards both infant-toddler and preschool certification.

Work experience requirements can be reduced if you meet the following substitutes:

• An associate or bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field (counts as 6 months of work experience).
• A bachelor's degree in an unrelated field (counts as 3 months of work experience).
• 1 CEU (10 hours of instruction) from Child Care Education Institute in Infant and Toddler Development or Care and/or Program Planning (counts as 3 months of work experience; available for infant-toddler teacher only)

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Salary : $18 - $19