Preschool Teacher Assistant

Head Start Preschool Teacher Assistant (10-Month Position)

The Head Start Preschool Teacher Assistant works collaboratively with the classroom teacher to provide a safe, nurturing, developmentally appropriate learning environment for preschool-aged children. The Teacher Assistant supports the implementation of the Head Start Program Performance Standards, approved curriculum and assessment practices, and Rutherford County Schools Preschool policies and procedures. This position shares responsibility for the active supervision, safety, care, learning, and development of all children in the classroom and supports meaningful partnerships with families.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the classroom teacher in planning and implementing developmentally appropriate learning experiences that support children's cognitive, language, literacy, physical, social, and emotional development.
• Actively engage with children throughout the school day and support individualized learning experiences based on children's strengths, interests, developmental levels, and identified needs.
• Maintain active supervision of children at all times, including during classroom activities, meals, toileting, outdoor play, transitions, arrival, and dismissal, and participate in required name-to-face and child accountability procedures.
• Assist with implementation of the approved curriculum, child screenings, ongoing assessment, documentation of developmental progress, and maintenance of required classroom records.
• Support the inclusion and participation of children with disabilities and individualized needs in collaboration with the teacher, families, and appropriate program staff.
• Use positive, developmentally appropriate guidance strategies that promote children's social-emotional development, independence, self-regulation, and positive relationships.
• Assist in maintaining a safe, clean, organized, welcoming, and developmentally appropriate classroom environment.
• Follow all health, safety, sanitation, emergency, child release, confidentiality, and mandatory reporting requirements.
• Establish respectful and professional relationships with children and families and support family engagement activities, conferences, and communication as appropriate.
• Work cooperatively with the classroom teacher, program staff, school personnel, families, and community partners as a member of the educational team.
• Participate in required Head Start training, professional development, coaching, staff meetings, program monitoring, and continuous improvement activities.
• Maintain regular and dependable attendance, demonstrate professional conduct, and comply with Head Start Program Performance Standards, Rutherford County Schools policies, and Preschool Program procedures.
• Perform other duties necessary to support the effective operation of the classroom and Preschool Program as assigned.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

In accordance with 45 CFR §1302.91(e)(3) and Section 648A(a)(2)(B)(ii) of the Head Start Act, a Head Start Preschool Assistant Teacher must, at a minimum, meet one of the following requirements:

• Hold a current Child Development Associate (CDA) credential appropriate to the position; or
• Hold a State-awarded certificate that meets or exceeds the requirements of a CDA credential; or
• Be enrolled in a program leading to an associate or baccalaureate degree; or
• Be enrolled in a CDA credential program that will be completed within two years of the date of hire.

Employees hired under an enrollment pathway must maintain satisfactory progress toward completion of the applicable credential or degree and provide documentation of enrollment and progress as required by the program.

Nature of Work:

Provides support to the teacher in the instruction of students. A wide variety of tasks are performed to support the teacher in the teaching-learning process for students. The work is directed by specific instructions, precedents, and established policy. Problems are solved through the exercise of judgment in selecting the best course of action to be taken based on policies given. Errors are expected to be recognized promptly by the supervisor and corrected. The position is required to work under a limited supervision of the teacher and/or school administrator.

Specific Job Responsibilities and Functions:

• Academic Assistance: Gives group or individual instruction as prescribed by teacher, monitors work assigned by teacher, keeps students on task, reinforces achievement of students, reports student progress to teacher, reports student behavior to supervisor/teacher/administration, etc.
• Instructional: Support of teacher when needed, serve as proctor when needed, scores students' papers as instructed by teacher, distributes and collects instructional materials as needed.
• Reports and Records: Checks and reports attendance if needed, data collection of student behavior if needed, files data/forms according to regulatory requirements.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Needed:

• Working knowledge of effective methods for assisting with children.
• Working knowledge of the core subjects at the grade level to which employment is assigned.
• Knowledge of the Rutherford County Schools organization.
• Some knowledge of expected behavior of children based on the characteristics of the different ages and stages.
• Skill of operating common office machines (as needed).
• Skill to make learning aids which will strengthen lesson plans.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of all student and school information.
• Ability to record and store data accurately.
• Ability to follow detailed written and oral instructions without constant supervision.
• Ability to solve minor problems independently.
• Ability to apply impartially and consistently proper methods of recognition, reward, and discipline.
• Ability to impart information to the child's level of comprehension.
• Ability to comprehend the purpose of teacher designed strategies as a fulfillment of the instructional objective.

Disclaimer

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to this job.