Headstart Teacher

Early Years Program Workers - Annavale, Casual Openings (Job Inventory)

Full-Time/Part-Time Casual

Status

Opportunities Available Immediate opening for casual hours. Possibility to obtain more hours based on program needs

Category Healthy Growth and Development

Open Date 12/17/2025

Are you passionate about shaping brighter futures for children and families? Join our Headstart teaching team as a Headstart Teacher!

In this role, you’ll:

• Create a safe, caring, and engaging environment for children ages 0–5.
• Foster socio-emotional growth through play-based, child-centered learning.
• Collaborate with a supportive team guided by attachment theory and best practices in Early Years care.

What you bring:

teamwork skills, and a heart for making a difference.

You must have the ability to work in accordance to all MEDU / Public Health directives.

• Works with the team of RECEs to provide high quality care that reflect best practices and excellence in Early Years child-centered care.
• Ensures program practices reflect program philosophy and core elements of Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years, How Does Learning Happen?
• Works respectfully and responsively with children and their families and caregivers
• Responds to children’s needs in a manner that support positive relationships and social emotional growth, using attachment theory principles.
• Provides a stimulating learning environment for groups of infants, toddlers, and/or pre-schoolers, in alignment with ELECT and How Does learning Happen principles.
• Completes regular scheduled assessments and appropriate screening for every child to determine areas of enhanced support needs.
• Identifies children with special needs or learning challenges and makes appropriate referrals in consultation with the Headstart Team (e.g. to speech-language pathologist and family support community worker) and implements any recommendations by the specialist in consultation with the parents.
• Informally assesses each child’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive and language learning needs and plans activities to address both group and individual needs.
• Keeps parents informed of their child’s progress and maintains records of contacts.
• Provides support, information and resources to parents in their home environment as required.
• Works in accordance with the CCEYA.
• Prepares classroom for activities according to program plan and children’s developmental needs.
• Rides on the bus regularly to enhance contact with parents
• Acts as a role model in interactions with parents/caregivers and children

• Diploma in Early Childhood Education (ECE) is considered an asset.
• Valid First Aid (Standard) and CPR (infant and child) certificates required.

• Experience in Early Childhood settings with children ages 0 to six years; experience in Headstart settings an asset.
• Experience and flexibility working in diverse community-based programs with families facing multiple health risks and barriers (e.g., low income).
• Experience working with children with special needs and/or challenging behaviors an asset.
• Experience in program planning and delivery.
• Experience in a non-profit, community-based organization.

• Knowledge of child development and behaviour management.
• Understanding of family dynamics and issues relevant to working with low-income (multi-risks) parents/caregivers.
• Understanding of the developmental needs of children and demonstrated ability to use this understanding in program practices.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively and establish appropriate relationships with families and caregivers.
• Established ability to supervise children in a manner consistent with the goals and philosophy of the program and the community health centre.
• Knowledge of Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA) an asset.
• Familiarity with attachment theory principles and trauma-informed care an asset.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, oral and written, in English.
• Good organizational skills; flexibility; ability to adapt to changing situations; self-motivated and energetic.
• Demonstrated proficiency in the use of computers…