Early Childhood Education Assistant Instructor

Overview

Join the Mission:
Inspire with Zoo Tampa. Are you driven by a passion for wildlife conservation and a love for teaching? Zoo Tampa is on the lookout for an Assistant Early Childhood Education Instructor ready to make a difference in young lives and contribute to our conservation efforts. Here, your work transcends traditional boundaries, merging education with passion to create a lasting impact on our community and beyond.

If you're ready to turn your passion into purpose, apply now and be the change you wish to see.

Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park is one of the most popular zoos in the southeastern U.S., with over 1.2 million visitors annually. We have grown to 56 acres of naturalistic wildlife habitats in a lush, tropical garden setting with wide-ranging activities. The Zoo, accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), offers popular educational programming, fun recreational amenities, up-close animal encounters and engaging seasonal events for which it has won awards as one of the country’s most family-friendly zoos.

Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and care for animals; create exceptional personalized experiences that connect people with wildlife and each other in fun, immersive ways.

Our vision is that everyone we touch is motivated to join us in taking action to protect and preserve wildlife.

Join us and become a part of creating unforgettable natural connections!

Assist and support the classroom teacher in providing a healthy, safe, and developmentally appropriate program and environment where children have the opportunity to develop social-emotional, language, intellectual and physical skills. Respect and support the family unit in their efforts to raise their children to become well-rounded individuals.

Essential Functions (including but not limited to):

• Supports social and emotional development of program participants and provides positive guidance.
• Values children’s play and promotes it. Displays children’s work at their eye level and changes it frequently (artwork, writing attempts, dictation or graphs).
• Shows respect for children’s feelings and consistently communicates the worth of each child. Models anti-bias practices and cultural sensitivity.
• Communicates and engages with children at their eye level.
• Translates and coaches in conflicts and problem solving.
• Uses and promotes positive guidance techniques. Encourages children to be independent.

• Advances physical and intellectual competence of program participants.
• Provides balance between child/teacher-initiated activities and between quiet/active learning activities.
• Conducts and/or assists with large and small group activities for appropriate lengths of time (matches developmental abilities of children). Provides stimulating, cognitively challenging classroom environment that encourages exploration and experimentation for all ability levels. Plans and executes appropriate learning experiences indoors and outdoors in accordance with the curriculum provided.
• Assists in implementing experiences that promote language and literacy development throughout all parts of the day (including transitions, routines, outdoor play, etc.).

• Assists assigned Early Childhood Education Instructor by:
• Supervising children at all times by sight and sound.
• Develops a warm and nurturing relationship with all children and parents.
• Observes children closely enough to be aware of any changes in behavior and health.
• Understand and use positive behavior techniques that help each child to develop the ability to be self-disciplined.
• Enforces all safety rules of the program according to the policy manual; understand and implement, as needed, emergency procedures for fire, storm, medical, first aid, CPR, etc.
• Promotes good hygiene through appropriate hand washing, diapering and sanitation techniques according to the policy manual.
• Operate the classroom in compliance with all child care licensing standards and those of our accrediting agency.
• Assists the classroom teacher in implementing the activities of the weekly lesson plan.
• Assists the classroom teacher in promoting language development through storytelling, music,…