Summary of Responsibilities:

To provide a successful, safe and supervised educational setting for children while they are in the Head Start or Child Care environment (classroom, outdoor play area and field trips). To promote the social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of enrolled children. Encourage parent involvement in all aspects of the program. To develop individual goals for children, provide on-going assessment on progress and facilitate transition into the next grade.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Prevention and Early Intervention/Disabilities Services: Supervise and monitor children at all times.

• Participate in regularly scheduled team meetings to plan for and deliver collaborative services across all components.
• Respond appropriately to crisis or emergency situations that may occur.
• Work with lead classroom teacher, developing a collaborative approach that benefits all children in the classroom.

Individualization: Adapt activities to address and meet individual goals for children according to developmental level.

• Assess individual and group needs, attending to special needs, specific interests, strengths and concerns.

Curriculum and Assessment: Assist in the development and utilize integrated activity plans, which reflect parental and cultural influences, and promote the social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of enrolled children.

• Follow a consistent schedule, which includes small and large, indoor and outdoor group experiences, choice time, music and movement, large and small motor activities, skill development, meals, tutoring and effective transitions between activities.
• Encourage experimentation, exploration, problem solving, cooperation, socialization, and choice-making; ask open-ended questions and listen respectfully to the answers.
• Assist in establishing weekly goals that promote individual and group educational.
• Prepare classroom materials to support developmentally appropriate curriculum plans; create and change learning centers as needed.

Parent Involvement & Community Partnerships

• Provide an atmosphere that promotes and reinforces parental involvement in the classroom.
• Assist lead teacher in communicating with parents, regarding each child's progress.
• Help plan and conduct regular parent meetings with team members.
• Work with appropriate agencies in developing specialized planning for children and families as needed.

Utilize Information Systems to support child/family and agency outcomes: Assist in documenting all significant classroom issues and parent/public school contacts; include documentation in End of Month packet to Family, Health & Community Partnerships Manager.

• Support Family, Health & Community Partnerships Manager with documentation regarding particular concerns with families and children at scheduled staffings.
• Monitor and report child abuse.

Additional Job Responsibilities: Assist with breaks, transportation/bus monitoring and other classroom needs as requested.

• Attend meetings, trainings and appropriate professional development activities.
• Assure general maintenance and security of facility and assist with inventory of equipment and supplies.
• Other duties as assigned by Site Supervisor, Lead Teacher or Early Childhood Director.

All communications are potentially sensitive and are subject to Early Childhood Department policy on confidentiality.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to apply Early Childhood Development theory in daily classroom activities, and adapt to the individual needs of children.
• Ability to set and maintain professional boundaries with families.
• Keyboarding skills, computer literacy and familiarity with various applications such a database, word processing, e-mail and internet.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to obtain Community CPR & First Aid certification and Food Handler's Card.
• Knowledge to make frequent significant decisions to assure developmental progress of children.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise enrolled children and ensure a safe learning environment including the ability to monitor and respond to events going on at all times in classroom, outdoor play areas and on field trips. This includes the physical ability to move quickly in order to respond to children who are very active and may need restraint or redirection in order to insure their safety or the safety of others in the environment.
• Ability to respond appropriately (both mentally and physically) to an emergency or a crisis situation.
• Daily kneeling, stooping, bending, and sitting on the floor to attend to children's needs.
• Occasional lifting up to 50 lbs.

Certifications:

• Active Driver’s License

Conditions of Employment:

The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma operates a drug-free workplace.

• Must submit to and pass applicable drug test.
• Must pass background investigations for suitability of character identified in accordance with the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act.
• Negative Annual TB Testing results.
• Negative Annual Diphtheria and Pertussis results.
• Annual physical documenting fitness to work with young children.