Head Start Teacher Assistant

Overview

To assist the teacher in providing a successful, safe and supervised educational setting for children, while they are in the Head Start environment (classroom, outdoor play area, and field trips).

• To assist in the promotion of social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of Head Start children relative to the Creative Curriculum, Head Start Performance Standards/Domains and Licensing guidelines.
• To encourage parental involvement in all aspects of the program
• To assist in the development of individual goals for children, provide on-going assessment on progress and facilitate transition into kindergarten.

• Essential
  
  Job Responsibilities:
  
  Performance Indicators – Child Contact/Classroom Time (40%)
• Assist in meeting the needs of all children, including those with special needs, those who are gifted, and those who are culturally diverse.
• Assist in integrating all Head Start service areas into classroom time.
• Assist in developing and utilizing lesson plans, which reflect mandated elements, parental and cultural influences, and promote the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of Head Start children.
• Implement ongoing early child/family literacy activities.
• Follow a consistent schedule, which includes small and large group experiences, choice time, music and movement, large and small motor activities, skill development, meals, and effective transitions between activities.
• Observe and record behaviors of children to assist the teacher in the identification of each child's strengths and areas to grow.
• Encourage experimentation, exploration, problem solving, cooperation, socialization, and choice making; ask open-ended questions and listen respectfully to the answers.
• Provide an atmosphere that promotes and reinforces parental involvement in the classroom.
• Assist with ongoing assessments for children and record data using the Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies Gold web-based assessment tool.
• Assist with the supervision and monitoring of children at all times.
• Respond to crisis or emergency situations that may occur and provide first aid and/or CPR. Prevent the spread of blood borne pathogens, and access emergency services as needed.

• Documentation – Written Documentation (20%)
• Assist in maintaining accurate written records, including assessments, special education documentation, screening instruments, anecdotal observations, documents for transition to public school and Parent/teacher Conference, Home Visits And Other Required Forms.

• Collaborative Service Delivery/Home Visits (15%)
• Participate in regularly scheduled team meetings to plan for and deliver collaborative services across all service areas.
• Serve as a Bus Monitor to help ensure children's safety to and from Head Start centers.
• Meet regularly with parents, and other staff regarding each child's status and progress.
• Assist in conducting two regular home visits and parent/teacher conferences for purposes of assessment and support, and to share information on classroom progress, educational strategies and parenting.

• Curriculum Development (20%)
• Assist with the assessment of individual and group needs, attending to special needs, specific interests, strengths and concerns.
• Assist with parental involvement and the development of balanced lesson plans, which are developmentally appropriate, intellectually challenging and address each child's specific strengths and needs.
• Assist in the establishment of daily and weekly goals, which will promote individual and group educational plans and include other Head Start service areas.
• Assist in the preparation of classroom materials to support lesson plans, in addition to changing and creating learning centers as needed.
• Assist in adapting curriculum to address and meet individual goals for children as identified in their individualized plans.

• Miscellaneous (5%)
• Attend meetings, trainings, and appropriate professional development activities.
• Assist in the general classroom maintenance/sanitization and laundry.
• Assist in maintaining inventory of classroom equipment.
• Other duties as requested.

Knowledge/Skills/Experience/Documentation

Required:

• Head Start teaching assistants…