Assistant Teacher

Statement of the Job

Under the overall supervision of the Early Childhood Director and the direct supervision of the Center Manager or Center Manager/Teacher, carries out educational duties as assigned.

• Maintain a professional attitude with staff, parents, volunteers, and children at all times.
• Promote developmentally appropriate practices in the center.
• Responsible for forming positive, trusting and nurturing relationships with children.
• Assist teachers by:
• observing children regularly and individualizing for each child based on these observations,
• creating a warm and welcoming environment that supports children’s growth and development,
• providing activities to facilitate children’s growth and development and
• ensuring the health and safety of children.
• Take every safeguard to protect children and makes careful decisions as he/she works with them daily.
• Feel that his/her job is as important and responsibilities are as great as that of the Teacher and work accordingly. Work with children as assigned.
• Encourage the involvement of the families of the children and support the development of relationships between children and their families.
• Assist with the orderliness and cleanliness of the center.
• Perform other duties as needed and required for efficient operation of the center and needs and welfare of the children.
• Work cooperatively with other classroom/center staff.
• Promote good eating habits by sitting at the table and eating with the children when food is served, conversing with children and encouraging good table manners.
• Assist in obtaining and documenting In-Kind for parent and community activities.
• Attend and participate in center staff meetings. Participate in parent meetings and staffings as requested.
• Must be able to see, hear and respond to children’s needs, emergencies and conflicts that might occur in the classroom, playground, bathrooms or other areas used by children.
• Responsible for data management in designated child development areas.
• Assist in the avoidance or appearance of fraud in the center.

• Respect confidentiality in all aspects of the Head Start Program.
• Document attendance of a minimum of 15 clock hours of approved professional development per year that is high-quality, sustained, intensive and classroom-focused.
• Willing to participate in training to further education as required by Head Start to maintain the position.
• Able to handle stress, tension and exasperation that contact with many children and adults may bring every day.
• May be called upon to administer first aid to children or staff at any time in the program. The incidental nature of this circumstance effectively establishes first aid as a collateral duty, rather than a primary one.
• Perform other job-related duties as necessary for the overall operation of the program.

• Educational Requirements:
• High school diploma or GED AND Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential with Preschool Endorsement required. Being enrolled in a Child Development Associate credential program to be completed within 2 years of hire or enrolled in a program leading to an associate or bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education may be accepted in lieu of current CDA if deemed appropriate.
• Experience Requirements:
• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Three months experience working with young children (3 to 5 years of age).
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus
• Physical Requirements:
• Good physical condition.
• Able to lift children and sit and stand for long periods of time.
• Participate in activities requiring bending, stooping, kneeling, and jumping. Occasionally stand or walk on uneven surfaces.
• Must pass tuberculosis screening assessment annually and initial health examination within 90 days of hire.
• Valid driver's license, access to transportation with liability insurance and willing to use vehicle for Agency related travel.
• Must be able to travel out of area overnight to attend training.
• Able to hear and communicate orally with children and adults.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance and peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Occasionally lift and/or move…