Early Start Child Care Teacher

This position serves as the lead worker in a classroom of Early Start children by planning, implementing, and supervising all classroom activities. This position works with typically developing children and children with disabilities. Because this position is one part of a large system of services provided to children and families this position also serves as a social service referral person and shares responsibility for parent involvement in the program. The position of Teacher works in tandem with the rest of the parts of the system as an integrated team to support the goals of the program. The position may be reassigned to various classrooms/centers as deemed necessary for program operations.

B. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION

Duties of the position are described in major functional areas listed below. Additional duties may be assigned.

EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC JOB DUTIES

a. Program Development

1. Attends all required training and workshops to include but not limited to 21 hours of classroom focused professional development and methods that comply with applicable State and local laws for identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect.

2. Remains up-to-date on information that pertains to the needs of the children in the program including Head Start Performance Standards, child care licensing regulations and other applicable regulations and practices.

3. Works as a team member with the other education staff, parents and Parent Committee members to develop a curriculum that is meaningful and meets the individual and program needs.

4. Responsible for the weekly preparation of daily lesson plans, which includes objectives to be posted for parents, volunteers and visitors in the classroom.

5. Develops an individual plan for each child to include goal setting based on identified needs and prescriptions for objectives and activities to meet established goals (outcomes).

6. Schedules home visits and parent-teacher conferences with families as required and on an as-needed basis and documents these events.

7. Maintains strict confidentiality with respect to Early Start children, families and staff in accordance with established policies and procedures.

8. Prepares and maintains a safe, healthy learning environment for children that is positive, developmentally appropriate and experientially-based.

9. Develops individual training plans for all staff supervised making it clear what is expected and what the time frame is for completion of short and long term goals.

b. Preschool Program Implementation

1. Supervises all classroom activities, field trips and outdoor activities.

2. Plans and provides a developmentally and linguistically appropriate curriculum and experiences in a manner appropriate to the ages, languages and cultures of children served.

3. Directs any special needs problems to the appropriate manager/specialist/coordinator or supervisor.

4. Plans and implements learning experiences that advance the intellectual and physical development of children including improving the readiness of children for school by developing their literacy and phonemic, print and numeracy awareness, their understanding of the use of language, their understanding and use of increasingly complex and varied vocabulary, their appreciation of books, their understanding of early math and early science, their problem solving abilities and their approaches to learning.

5. Implements education lesson plans and daily programs for children in accordance with each child's need, based on a method of observing and recording children’s interests and current levels of functioning.

6. Supports social and emotional development and provides positive guidance and discipline.

7. Maintains a commitment to professionalism and continues own professional development so that decisions are based on knowledge of early childhood theories and practices.

8. Shares pertinent information with family services/case management staff to ensure coordinated services that meet the needs of individual children and families.

9. Supervises and eats nutritionally prepared meals with the children as a curriculum activity, to model good nutrition and proper social skills.

10. Provides a stable classroom routine and environment.

11. Ensures a well-run, purposeful program responsive to participant needs.

12. Screens, observes and documents children as required.

c. Record keeping

1. Submits monthly progress reports to the supervisor as scheduled.

2. Supervises or orders supplies as needed and takes inventory as requested.

3. Maintains child records in cooperation with the family services/case management staff.

4. Gathers and maintains individual, family and classroom data for documentation, on-going assessment, evaluation and record keeping for successful individual and program planning.

d. Parent Involvement and Community Relations

1. Sets up system to assure program's needs for parent involvement in each classroom are met.

2. Establishes positive and productive relationships with families focusing on a relationship of trust and rapport with the parents of the children.

3. Participates in the orientation of parents to Early Start throughout the year.

4. Facilitates and supports monthly Parent Committee meetings at the center.

5. Schedules and arranges meetings, and documents parent-teacher conferences as required.

6. Participates in the training of parents as requested.

• Involves parents in the educational activities of the program.
• Emphasizes their role as the principal influence on the child's education and development; and
• Assists parents to increase their knowledge, understanding, skills and experience in basic child development.

7. Identifies and arranges for parents to participate as volunteers in the classroom and work as substitutes as well as other volunteer activities.

8. Writes a classroom newsletter once every other month beginning in October and provides center news for the program newsletter as requested.

9. Directly orients, trains and supervises all classroom volunteers assigned in cooperation with the position with the responsibility for program volunteers.

10. Works closely with local school system(s), as appropriate, for shared activities, registration and smooth transition.

11. Encourages the involvement of the families of the children in an Early Start program and supports the development of relationships between children and their families.

e. Supervision

1. Makes daily job assignments within the classroom, provides instruction in performing job duties and models appropriate classroom practices.

2. Sets the standards of the classroom and goals for staff members supervised and other classroom staff, monitors progress toward goals, provides regular feedback and submits performance appraisals in a timely manner.

3. Provides daily supervision of all classroom staff, monitors employee performance and classroom activities. Conducts competency assessments and performance evaluation of assigned staff and volunteers.

EXAMPLES OF GENERAL JOB DUTIES

1. Attends all workshops and meetings as deemed necessary by the immediate supervisor.

2. Attends all required staff and parent meetings and activities.

3. Responsible for understanding NAEYC Standards and local child care licensing regulations.

4. Expected to be knowledgeable of the regulations associated with prevention of occupational disease and injury, including the exercise of universal precautions and the prevention of contamination.

5. Positively promotes Early Start in the community.

7. Models and exercises supervisory authority to support other employees in the execution of work duties in a manner consistent with Meriden-New Britain-Berlin YMCA standards for compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including Meriden-New Britain-Berlin YMCA policies and procedures reflecting best practices. In addition, supervisors are expected to model exemplary standards of ethical behavior and exercise careful stewardship of program funds, and support those they supervise in adhering to those standards.

8. Becomes thoroughly familiar with Meriden-New Britain-Berlin YMCA Employee Handbook, MNBB YMCA Childcare Training Manual and all other Meriden-New Britain-Berlin YMCA handbooks, manuals and resources and adheres to them.

9. Plans and directs the work of the staff supervised. Observes and gives feedback to staff or volunteers supervised where applicable and other staff as assigned on at least a weekly basis.

10. Makes appropriate personnel decisions that do not require higher approval and submits others as a recommendation to the supervisor.

11. Determines appropriate training needs to meet the program goals and objectives and makes the necessary recommendations.

12. Develops and supports the professional development plan for staff supervised.

13. Maintains strict confidentiality with respect to Early Start children, families and staff in accordance with established policies and procedures.

14. Monitors compliance with the content area work plans.

15. Develops and implements a plan and system of continuous ongoing monitoring and evaluation of activities within the program.

PERFORMS OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: From $43,000.00 per year

Expected hours: 30 – 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person