PRESCHOOL CLASSROOOM ASSISTANT TEACHER

Job Description

Job Description

The Assistant Teacher works under the direction of the Lead Teacher or Assistant Lead Teacher and is responsible for ensuring the health, safety, care and well-being of Center children, implementing the curriculum, maintaining the classroom and joint-use space, and supporting the Lead Teacher/Assistant Lead Teacher in parent communications.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Assist in supervising the children as directed by the Lead Teacher/Assistant Lead Teacher in accordance with Center policies and procedures.
• Interacts with children during free play, group activities, and routine times (diapering, toileting, mealtime, transitions).
• Completes daily paperwork as requested to maintain licensing, Child Care food Program, and YMCA requirements including attendance, meal counts, accident and incident reports, permission slips.
• Performs other job-related duties as requested and necessary.
• Promotes a safe environment to prevent and reduce injuries.
• Sets up classroom in advance of children’s arrival and cleans up throughout the day and after the children’s departure:
• Supports other classrooms including substituting as needed.
• Builds relationships with parents, children, and co-workers; encourages families to build relationships and to understand the YMCA mission.
• Greets children and families upon arrival and departure and completes a visual health check for each child.
• Promotes good health and nutrition and provides an environment that contributes to the prevention of illness.
• Understands and utilizes positive guidance discipline techniques with children during all activities; complies with Center discipline policy, child abuse policy and code of conduct.
• Registers with PINJ (Professional Impact New Jersey) within one week of employment and attends center and licensing mandated trainings (minimum of 20 hours per year):
  • Attends trainings, seminars, and conferences as required
  • Attends and contributes to staff meetings as required.
  • Together with lead teacher set professional development objectives and actively pursues them.

Assistant Teacher, Substitute:

The Assistant Teacher may function in a substitute role. The Assistant Teacher, Substitute is expected to:

• Check in with Lead Teacher or assigned classroom supervisor.
• Defer to assigned classroom staff on appropriate information to communicate to parent regarding child.
• Make effort to proactively engage with assigned classroom staff.
• Accept assignment when needed in a positive and open manner.
• Take initiative to learn policies and procedures specific to assigned classroom.

Supervision of Youth:

• Adhere to policies related to boundaries with youth.
• Attend required abuse risk management training.
• Adhere to procedures related to managing high-risk activities and supervising youth.
• Report suspicious or inappropriate behaviors and policy violations.
• Follow mandated abuse reporting requirements.
• Adhere to employees and volunteers screening requirements and use screening instruments to screen for abuse risk.