Head Start Early Childhood Teacher

Watertown, South Dakota

Duties and Responsibilities

Educational Duties

1. Implement curriculum with fidelity and assessment as directed.
2. Plan individual and group activities to stimulate growth in language, social, motor, and cognitive skills such as attending to tasks, developing social relationships, and utilizing educational materials.
3. Access meaningful community resources to support the educational activities for the children by contacting businesses, professionals, and special guests for classroom activities.
4. Plan, prepare and develop lesson plans that promote the development of language, social, motor, and cognitive skills based on the individual skill level of the children.
5. Promote sound social and emotional growth through recognizing individual differences, diversity and cultural backgrounds.
6. Cooperate with therapists, school district and special needs specialist in providing services for special needs children.
7. Facilitate parent-child conferences.
8. Motivate parents/guardians to become involved in the child's classroom and home activities and be responsive to parent input concerning child development.
9. Instruct children in practices of personal cleanliness and self-care.
10. Create a balanced daily schedule of child-initiated and adult-directed activities.
11. Encourage responsibility by allowing and enabling children to act independently in the area of caring for equipment and personal belongings.
12. Gathers data on children's progress in each of the eight domains of learning and development on each child in conjunction with the parents. Accurately uses the data to track progress to generate reports related to the Child Outcomes Framework. Utilize ChildPlus system as appropriate.
13. Promote emergent literacy, numeracy and language skills based on the development level of each child.
14. Set up classroom in defined learning areas.
15. Establish daily schedule for classroom.
16. Facilitate all phases of in-kind collection, including educating parents/guardians of the importance of the in-kind, assisting in tracking in-kind contributions, and assuring that in-kind reports are submitted timely and that adequate in-kind contributions are provided.

Social Service Duties

1. Coordinate services provided to meet the child and family's needs through finding organizations with resources to meet those needs, if applicable.
2. Provide integrated and continuous case management services and support to families.
3. (HS ½ day and EHS) Perform home visits to all families assigned to their Head Start Pre-Birth to Five class, if applicable.
4. Submit supplies and equipment needs necessary for classroom activities to the Education Specialist.
5. Seek out opportunities to educate the public regarding Head Start Pre-Birth to Five. Be available to speak at service groups when given those opportunities.
6. Encourage and promote the families' achievement of self-sufficiency.
7. Participate in the Head Start Pre-Birth to Five Career Development Committee Staff Association.
8. Submit all records/reports in a timely manner.
9. Compose and type routine correspondence, reports and various other materials and projects.
10. Operate various equipment to include photocopier, telephone, fax machine, computer, laminator, calculator, VCR and TV, Camera and Camcorder, tape recorder, record player, CD Player, and various classroom materials.
11. Maintain client confidentiality at all times.
12. Attend meetings, training, and seminars as deemed appropriate and necessary by ICAP.
13. Participate in the Career Development Committee.
14. Perform duties in a manner consistent with safe practices and policies.
15. Perform other duties as deemed appropriate and necessary.

Supervisory Duties (Head Start Center Teachers)

1. Directly supervise the Assistant Teacher and any other support staff positions in the Child Development Services department.
2. Supervise volunteers in the classroom.
3. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.
4. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
5. Oversee support staff weekly time sheets and forward to the Education Specialist.

Minimum Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and Experience

1. Bachelor's degree in an accredited program in Early Childhood Education, Baccalaureate, advanced degree in Early Childhood Education or a degree in a related field, with a pre-school teaching certification preferred.
2. One (1) year experience working with children, preferably with preschool age children in an Early Childhood facility or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
3. State awarded certificate for preschool teachers.
4. Experience with low-income families would be beneficial.

Language Skills

1. Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
2. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
3. Ability to speak effectively before groups of clients or employees of organization.

Mathematical Skills

1. Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

Other Work Related Abilities

1. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
2. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
3. Ability to be punctual and organized.
4. Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Certificates, Licenses, Examinations

1. Valid South Dakota Drivers License.
2. South Dakota Certification through the State Department of Education and Cultural Affairs.
3. Child Development Associate (CDA) Certificate.
4. Subject to random drug testing.
5. Other such examination as deemed appropriate and necessary by the ICAP.
6. Ability to be bonded.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear.
2. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, and reach with hands and arms.
3. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.
4. The employee must frequently lift and/or move 10 to 30 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
5. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Salary : $17 - $25