IUM Preschool Teacher

The (Ili Uusim Mahtawa’apo – Head Start) Preschool Teacher teaches in an early childhood classroom.  The incumbent plans, organizes, implements, and delivers a program based on the Head Start Performance Standards, which provides a safe learning environment for children to develop socially, culturally, and academically.  Incumbent acts a lead teacher in the classroom, providing mentoring, training for the teacher assistants, and classroom volunteers.  The preschool teacher participates as a member of an interdisciplinary team. The IUM Preschool Teacher will operate under an annual Teacher Employment Agreement between the individual and the Education Department.  In addition to their annual salary, a $5,000 bonus will be given upon completion of a full school year at the end of the year. 

1. Provide a stimulating and challenging environment, where preschool children may develop to their full potential, and prepare them to succeed in school.
2. Plan and coordinate lesson plans to promote education, health, and well-being of young children as described in Head Start guidelines.
3. Create lesson plans and activities, which are developmentally and linguistically appropriate and inclusive of children with disabilities; recognize that children have individual rates of development.
4. Develop weekly lesson plans and submit to the Manager and Education Supervisor for review; these lesson plans will promote academic rigor, including but is not limited to, foundational literacy, math and science skills, and promoting healthy social emotional and physical development.
5. Introduce and reinforce Hiaki Language and culture through implementation of lesson plans and materials.
6. Use and implement positive, humane, research-based, classroom management techniques to maintain organization, orderliness, student safety, and a productive learning environment.
7. Work towards invoking a critical consciousness within each student.
8. Promote, advocate, and respect, understanding, appreciation, inclusion, and love at every level of service.
9. Attend scheduled staff meetings and professional development workshops.
10. Evaluate students’ academic performance while implementing the curriculum and associated activities.
11. Ensure that parents are informed of the methods employed in the classroom to access the child and advice parents/guardians of instructional methods they can use at home, promote family engagement in the child’s learning activities outside the classroom, and support techniques the parent/guardian can use to develop a positive attitude toward learning.
12. Inform parents/guardians of student progress and school activities.  
13. Assist with the development of the Individual Educational Plans, follow through on recommendations from the therapists/specialists, consistently track and document pertinent academic issues and social-emotional concerns to make data backed referrals as required.
14. Serve as a lead to teacher assistants and classroom volunteers, monitor work, provide direction, training and demonstrate positive and professional classroom comportment, when dealing with children, which may be modeled by team members.
15. Observe behavior of children in the classroom and on the playground.
16. Maintain a daily contact log, student files; compile documentation related to attendance, training, home visits, and referrals.
17. Provide a monthly report to the manager covering; the daily attendance record, sign in/out sheets, summary of training referrals to coordinator for special needs, lesson plans, and parent contacts including home visits. 
18. Conduct home visits, which include compiling home-base activity kits and guiding parents through the application.
19. Perform other duties of a similar nature or level as requested by supervisor or director.

Knowledge of:

• Interweaving Yoeme and Tribal knowledge and understandings into curriculum and lessons;
• DHHS/Head Start academic standards and benchmarks;
• Teaching strategies to work with diverse learners;
• Child growth and development;
• Early childhood education methods and practices;
• Applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations;

Skills and Abilities:

• Always keep the students' needs and rights first and foremost in any educational decision;
• Apply early childhood education principles and practices;
• Apply applicable local, state and federal laws, rules, and regulations;
• Utilize social and academic scaffolds necessary to dramatically increase the level of student success;
• Work effectively with diverse learners, including children who may have exceptionalities;
• Assess students’ developmental, cognitive and social needs and provide developmentally appropriate instruction to meet those needs;  
• Select, adapt, individualize materials appropriate for diverse student populations, and skills;    
• Create, develop, foster critical thinking, reasoning, and problem solving; 
• Collaborate and communicate regularly with families in making educational decisions, and utilize family and community resources to support learning;
• Demonstrate competence in the Arizona Educational Early Learning Standards of Effective Instruction.  Facilitate positive interactions between students and teacher, student and peers, and student and other adults;
• Assess own instructional effectiveness;
• Organize and multi-task;
• Prioritize work and perform multiple tasks;
• Maintain records and preparing reports;

• Operate a variety of office equipment, including a computer and related software applications;
• Good communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with co-workers, supervisor, management, Council members, and the public.  Have ability to sufficiently exchange or convey information and receive verbal and written work instructions.

Bachelor Degree or advanced degree in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Special Education, or any other relevant degree. Classroom experience in an Early Childhood classroom, Elementary, Primary School, or Private Early Childhood Educational Institution is preferred, but not required. 

Special Requirements:

• CPR and First Aid Certifications;
• Food Handler’s Certification
• Must possess and maintain a valid Arizona Driver’s License;

Salary : $5,000