Assistant Teacher Early Childhood Ages 6 weeks-6 yrs

Job Description

Job Description:\n\nAbout This RoleJob Description Position: Assistant Teacher *Ages 18+ *because of working with infants* Supervised By-Reports To: Lead Teacher & Director- not allowed to be alone in a classroom until 455 hours & all pdis classes are completed-Salary range: $17/$18/hr DOE Qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent, at least 18 years of age. Ability to complete 22 hours of training via Colorado Shines online, free training before working. Experience: Some previous hands-on experience working with childrenSummary of Position: The Teacher Assistant means a staff member who works under the supervision of the Lead Teacher, Program Director & is responsible to assist with a group of children, with doing routine tasks so the Lead teacher has more time to ‘teach’ and assists in the implementation of social/emotional training/modeling for the children 1st/foremost. Teaching children how to be a good human, manners, teaching sign language & language skills is essential.General work habits:Arrives on time to work or 5 minutes early.Is reliable in attendance.Gives ample notice for absence. *2 weeks preferred*Remains calm in a tense situation.Performs duties, cleaning needs, laundry, preparation & clean up before/after activitiesParticipate as an equal team member of all center staffAsk lead teacher &/or director what you can help with or what needs to be done & do it in a thorough & organized, yet quick fashion *any extra 5 minutes can be used to helpTeachers do not sit very often, when we do, we are directly talking to or teaching children how/when/who/why, Aids need to ensure teachers have the supplies they need & take care of laundry, dishes, stocking without disturbing themMaintains a gossip free and positive work environment.Follows the policies and procedures of the program.Health & Safety routines:Takes the lead to ensure all children wash their hands when o The 1st time we enter the classroom for the day (lead them & assist in washing-our children are all too young to effectively wash their own hands) o Teach kids to sing ABCs while lathering soap outside of the stream of water before rinsing coming in from outside play o before eating o after diaper changes & potty-training trips to the bathroomMaintain a safe, clean environment, but allow children to have ‘messy play’ oftenHave pleasant conversations with children during routine times (diapering, eating, transitions to encourage learning and social development). Give ample time to children verbally & visually when transitions will/are occurring. *Tablets have timer countdowns on them, we also have a large visual timer clock downstairs. Have frequent conversations with children or telling them what they’ll be doing next & when is essential.Communicating with fellow staff in the classroom working with you is also essential. Refraining about personal information, life issues need to be kept to a bare minimumContinually teach children self-helps skills o use of utensils o clean up (visuals are VERY helpful in teaching clean up skills) o teach them how to open shoes to put them on or take them off, same with socks o put coat on-when age appropriate and/or take them offProvide a quiet, calm and pleasant environment for rest time and naps.Children who have a hard time napping, might need their routine adjusted- how can you ease them into it better? After 30 minutes laying down give them something quiet on their cot to do or set up a quiet table activityUse proper procedures & appropriate times/situations for teacher hand washing. Always think about what you last did/touched with your hands before moving on to something elsePractices universal precautions to avoid/control blood borne pathogens & the passing of everyday germs o Always think about the sanitation with anything you do before you do itCleans children- when children have a dirty face &/or dirty hands, we clean them, every time.We should never send a child home with a dirty face, dirty hands or a dirty diaperChange diapers a few minutes before you expect a child to be picked upTeaches and explain reasons for safety to children in a short, simple mannerLeave bathroom door ajar when inside helping a child with the potty, always wash hands even if no one wentInteractions with children:Shows friendly, warmth and affection through appropriate contact (touching lightly on the shoulder, patting on the back, returning child’s hug).Eye to eye interaction at child’s level. Get down on their level, when they’re upset so you can help them calm down & work through the problemSit down on floor as often as possible near children, use your senses to hear/see what is going on & encourage cooperation, sharing & nice play.Uses the child’s name when speaking to them.Uses moderate and appropriate voice.Shows respect for children.Is aware of developmental levels & eager to learn more.Recognizes developmental differences between solitary play (playing alone), parallel play (playing along-side) and cooperative play (playing together).*no kisses on skin*Encourages independence and self-help as often as possible. Example; sitting down next to them instead of picking them up- having them try to put on/take off shoes or socks before you help themIntentionally spends time with children each day to support positive interaction and relationships.Avoids stereotyping and labeling.Reinforces positive behavior.Uses positive guidance techniques (redirection, use of own words, calm down time/take a break).Gives positive attention (smiling, watching, and chatting) to children when they are behaving well.Sitting down- teachers are expected to sit on the floor with the children in proximity. Sitting in one place across the room from the children, ‘watching’ them is what a babysitter can do, we are more aware & more educated about children & don’t/cannot do that. You are expected to interact with them, show them how toys & other items work, encourage them to extend their learning, give them examples, ask lots of questions for them to think & expand their knowledge.Teachers should sit at the table with kids when doing table activities & when eating & constantly interacting with them. Children learn from us every day in all of the things we say & do with them.Classroom Management:Creates an inviting learning environment.Keeps environment clean enough to be safe during the day. Play & teaching trump cleaning.Maintains a safe and organized environment, where children are supervised at all times.Follows the lead of the Lead teacher to include a balance of routines- alternate times of active activities & calming activitiesProvides age-appropriate activities, following the direction given from the Lead teacherSelects books and other language materials that are appropriate for children in classroom & teaches children how to properly & gently care for our books, toys & other materials. Example; we don’t step on books or toys, we walk around or we move it out of our way. *Pretend you’re buying the books/toys*Enriches children’s vocabulary by introducing and explaining the meaning of new words, teach them new words weekly.Helps children to learn about printed letters, words, colors, shapes and numbers in their everyday lives (crayons, markers, play-doh, scissors and puzzles). Giving names to things, verbally saying the words, visually showing the childrenProvides activities & experiences from all domains of developmentAssist Lead teacher in providing opportunities for children to explore and experiment with a variety of art materials without having to follow a set example or model (open ended).Assist in teaching how to build, put things together, take things apart, filling up buckets, emptying themProvides a variety of musical experiences such as singing, dancing, and finger play. Large motor/active moments are a necessity several times per dayParticipates & on occasion, leads a variety of musical experiences, stories, fingerplays. Sing along with songs/fingerplays, dance to the music with the kids, use expressive voices, creating excitement & participation from the kidsAbility to be silly, change your tone of voice, ‘act like a kid’, read a book with different voicesCreates opportunities for dramatic play by encouraging children to assume different roles (firefighter, doctor, chef) and creatively use their imaginations.Facilitates growth in all areas of development.Serves as an appropriate role model for not only the children but other staff members.Anticipates problems and redirects behavior.Is flexible and responsive to children’s needs.Assists Lead Teacher in preparation of activities, crafts & projects as lead teacher requestsAsk Lead Teacher ‘what else needs to be done’, ‘what else can I help you with’Completes items on checklists of daily duties as time allowsAbility to multitask to keep classroom cleaned up, tables cleaned after use, floors swept after messy activities, the assistant cleans while the lead teachesYou are there to help the Lead Teacher & learn from themHelps children learn about transitioning to the next thing by giving them time warnings, using timers is a great way to get them used to ‘counting time until the next activity’.Outside playWalks around the playground continually watching, listening & encouraging nice verbal & physical interactions & play between children.Show children how to use playground items & toys.Encourage them to increase their skills.Plan outdoor activities & games, we have many different items & options for children to use & learn from.Assist lead in doing quarterly assessments of children’s large motor skills by placing certain items & assessing their current skills to help them reach the next level. This is something parents love to hear/see about how their child is learning/growingEnsure only safe items are available for children, any broken items or trash needs to be taken care ofWorking with parents:Smile, make eye contact & greet parents individually o share daily, positive information about their child. Any difficulties or negative information should be worded tactfully & after a positive commentAvailable and approachable with parents.Encourages parents to become involved in our program.Communicates well with parents through listening and speaking.Listens to parents respectfully and responds appropriately.Is tactful with negative information & directs parents to Director with questions/concerns that need additional decision making or consultations.Shows respect for those from diverse backgrounds.Protects and maintains confidentiality for children and parents.Seeks partnerships with parents.Regularly shares information about the child’s progress in a positive manner.Alert Lead teacher and/or Director if suspecting a child needs referrals to other resources or professionals for help and information which will then go to Director &/or OwnerInvolve parents in center activities and events by keeping them informed of any upcoming changesGreet and share information about children to parents each day during arrival and departure in a positive manner. Also assist in classroom by entering info into Tadpoles for Lead teacher & helping update the wipe off board. Help assist in taking photos & videos of each child daily. *Delete the bad ones right away* Give an example of something the child did today that was cute, using manners, sharing, being a good friend before talking about any negative/needs improvement issuesWorking with Co-workersIs friendly and respectfulCommunicate well with other staff through listening and speaking.Before leaving for a break, communicate with the person covering as to what you’re doing, what needs to be done before leaving the roomStrives to assume fair share of work. There’s always something to do & help other staff withAsks other staff members for help when needed.Shares ideas and materials.Shares daily information about children in the Center with other staff when making shift changes to ensure consistent care & communications open.Communicates directly to avoid gossip.Approaches criticism with a learning attitude.Looks for ways to be helpful. Ask how you can help the Lead Teacher several times per dayAsk Lead Teacher how you can help, what tasks need to be done each shift/daySolves problems independently or seeks assistance from Director or Assistant Director. *example something isn’t working quite right or broke, if you cannot fix it or figure out what’s wrong, write it down to alert your Director the same dayAsks supervisor for feedback about work performance.Recognize personal signs of stress & works to prevent or limit its’ affects.Has several appropriate ways to deal with stress at work effectively.Following the lead of your lead classroom teacher o Help them with preparing activities o Assisting in keeping Tadpoles & wipe off boards up to date o You are there to learn from the lead teacher & improve your skills as well as gain hands on experience with childreno You are the initiator of cleaning, diapering so lead teacher can teach- you change more diapers than the lead teacher. Be sure you follow EVERY step in proper diapering. Prepare ahead of time by putting on gloves & getting supplies for that particular child, alert them it’s almost diaper time o Set up a diaper schedule for the lead teacher & assistant teacher *assistant teacher should be doing a little more diaper changing/potty help than the lead, the lead needs to be leading activities more often than the assistant teacherKeeping conversations with co-workers respectful & work related, leaving personal conversations/topics for your personal time away from workWorking with the Owner/DirectorCommunicate directly to Owner/Director about issues being faced or challenged with (whether it is with another teacher, a child or a parent).Honest in communication (If the Owner/Director doesn’t know, it can’t be fixed)If you break something, confess, I need to address possible dangers & repair items quicklyComfortable going to Owner/Director no matter what the circumstances are.Approach criticism with a learning attitude.Communicates with Owner/Director about additional learning experiences.Completes required trainings in a timely manner, making them a priorityProfessionalism and growth:Dresses and groomed appropriately. *NO cleavage up or downstairs*Practices ethical conduct (confidentiality, honesty, trustworthiness, and truthfulness).Takes job seriously and seeks skills improvement.Performs every job/task to the absolute best of their abilityStrives to go above & beyond by ‘seeing’ what needs to be doneEnsuring that any ‘down time’ is used to benefit the center as a whole & help other staff complete daily duties, not time for personal itemsAbility to change how something is done if there’s a more efficient/effective wayAbility to seek out answers before asking questionsAbility to look for things in logical places before asking for help (troubleshooting)Locates and registers for trainings and educational opport