EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER AND EARLY HEAD START TEACHERS- Full or Part-Time

TITLE: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION LEAD TEACHER

BASIC FUNCTIONS: Responsible for all aspects of classroom management ensuring appropriate education, safety, hygiene and communication.

REPORTS TO: Director of Early Childhood Education

FLSA: Hourly

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Early Childhood Education teachers enhance children’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development by providing a safe and nurturing educational setting, developing individual goals for children, providing on-going assessment on progress and facilitating transition into preschool. Teaching staff support parents in their role as primary caretakers and educators of their children and encourage their involvement in all aspects of the program.  They maintain ongoing contact with families and work with all other components (health, nutrition, family services, mental health, special services, parent education and resource/referral) to integrate services into the family setting and help parents move toward self-sufficiency.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. While ultimately supervised by the Director of Education Services, teachers are accountable to the first shift Supervisor for attendance and scheduling and teachers are accountable to the Education Coordinator for programming aspects.
2. Plan, schedule and implement developmentally appropriate curriculum and daily program activities at the level of assigned children.
3. Complete developmental assessments and screening for all assigned children and develop individual goals.
4. Complete planning of curriculum, encouraging input from parents.
5. Complete and maintain all necessary documentation to demonstrate compliance with EHS performance standards.
6. Implement federal, state and local health and safety policies, procedures and performance standards.
7. Develop and maintain relationships with families and review their needs and progress.
8. Work cooperatively with support staff in the provision of direct services and the development of goals for children with disabilities.
9. Document children’s progress, or lack of progress, and complete all required forms and reports in accordance with federal requirements
10. Plan classroom activities for parents and children.
11. Attend and participate in workshops and other meetings to acquire and disseminate information.
12. Communicate with parents through parent conferences, written correspondence, telephone and home visits to apprise them of their child’s progress, upcoming events, classroom activities, individual education plan changes, or other relevant information.
13. Provide care, supervision and protection for assigned children. Maintain a safe environment conducive to children’s growth and development.
14. Respect the dignity and basic rights of children.
15. Maintain attendance and meal records.
16. Assure that cleaning and safety policies are implemented with consistency.
17. Monitor child administration of medication and assure proper storage.
18. Conduct a minimum of two home visits for each assigned child annually.
19. Perform other duties as assigned.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

1. CDA (until Sep. 30, 2011), Infant and Toddler Credential, or Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education
2. Shall be at least 18 years of age.
3. Ability to work as a member of a team.
4. Must be reliable and flexible to meet the needs of the program.
5. Ability to work effectively with diverse families.
6. Ability to work in a fast paced environment.
7. Must possess a desire to learn new skills.
8. Shall be physically able to work with young children including lifting them, as needed based on their age and needs.

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.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel.  The employee is required to stand and reach with hands and arms.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.

La Casa de Esperanza is an equal opportunities employer.