Early Head Start Teacher

Overview

Title:

Early Head Start Teacher

Immediate Supervisor:
Early Head Start Center Manager

Supervised:
None

Job Classification:
Exempt, Full Time

Organization Overview: United Way of Acadiana is committed to serving Acadia, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin, Iberia, and Vermilion parishes. United Way fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in our community. Our mission: to unite people and organizations with passion, expertise, and resources to create more opportunities for a better life. Our vision: an educated, prosperous, and safe Acadiana where all individuals and families are empowered to achieve their full potential.

The Early Head Start Teacher is responsible for working with all United Way Early Learning Center (UW-ELC) staff to better meet the developmental needs of Early Head Start children and their families as prescribed by the Head Start Performance Standards. This position provides quality services in the timeline mandated by the Head Start Performance Standards. The Teacher is responsible for supporting the social and emotional development of children and encouraging the support and participation of the families of the children in the UW-ELC program.

This job operates in a professional environment and may involve standard office equipment. Occasionally, an employee might be asked to carry/transport heavy items up to 40 lbs.

• Demonstrate knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards policies and procedures.
• Assist Center Manager in meeting all regulations and standards for providing a safe and healthy educational environment and an environment conducive to learning for enrolled children and their families.
• Encourage parents to fully participate in all scheduled programs or center-based parent activities.
• Plan and maintain a safe, clean, learning environment, and assure the well-being and safety of children in their care.
• Establish a caring professional relationship and a climate of mutual trust and respect for families.
• Plan and implement activities with children between zero and three years old, with the curriculum provided and Head Start mandated outcomes.
• Follow the Head Start Performance Standards, UW-ELC policies and procedures, and the UW-ELC written plan.
• Maintain a cooperative attitude when working with other teachers, volunteers, parents, and program specialists in planning and implementing classroom activities.
• Plan and implement daily activities that engage children in literacy, language, and math using songs, books, and games aligned with prescribed themes/topics.
• Use assessment information to interact with children during learning center times and other times for teaching identified concepts.
• Maintain accurate and current assessment information noting child’s progress across all developmental domains with anecdotal notes and examples of children’s work.
• Accurately complete all paperwork, including home visit forms, parent/teacher conference forms, lesson plans, and transition forms.
• Develop and implement weekly lesson plans consistent with the program curriculum and EHS guidelines.
• Encourage and model language expansion, extended learning, and problem-solving strategies throughout the day.
• Maintain discipline and supervision of children during all Head Start activities as outlined in UW-ELC Discipline Policies and Procedures.
• Assure child-staff ratios are always maintained.
• Monitor children on the playground to ensure safe and appropriate play and monitor play areas for safety and cleanliness of equipment; ensure children are always visible.
• Respond to crisis or emergency situations by providing First Aid or CPR, preventing the spread of blood-borne pathogens, and assessing the need for emergency services.
• Protect all children from physical punishment or verbal abuse by anyone in any program activity and immediately report any such incident to the ELC Center Manager or person in charge.
• Observe children to detect signs of illness, injury, emotional disturbances, learning disorders, speech problems, or other special needs and report those signs immediately to the ELC Site Services Director for needed follow-up.
• Obse…