Floater - Teacher (All Locations)

YMCA Floater

As a thought-leader and best-in-class provider in education, wellness, youth development, and community-building, The YMCA of Metro Atlanta is one of the oldest and most essential non-profits serving in Atlanta. Today, we're looking for you to join us as we carry out our mission to positively impact lives and communities across the state.

At the Y, we're an association of like-minded people (staff, volunteers, and members), on the forefront of a movement to ensure that everyone -- especially children -- experience an equal opportunity to reach their full potential. In the course of a year, we provide more than 3,000 children, ages 6 weeks through Pre-K with high-quality literacy and STEAM-infused learning; give 58,000 youth and teens access to sports, aquatics, day and resident camps, teen leadership development programs, and employment opportunities; provide over 200,000 members with programs, services, and facilities to enjoy connection and maintain wellness regardless of age; and engage over 25,000 volunteers and donors from across Atlanta to share in the gift of supporting their communities.

Nature and Scope

Under the direction of the Center Director, Assistant Director and Education Manager, the Floater is responsible to support the delivery of a high-quality educational experience for the children and families under his/her care. Must implement the program based on the programs goal and objectives. All decisions must be guided by the YMCA, Bright from the Start licensing, and Quality Rated. Parent involvement is critical to the impact and success of the overall program.

Responsibilities (Including, But Not Limited To):

Ensure School Readiness/Academic Instruction:

• Utilize the curriculum goals and objectives to assist the lead and assistant teacher in developing lesson plans to support the early learning standards and include educational experiences in Language/Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies, Creative (Music, Art and Drama), Social & Emotional, and Physical Development.
• Work as a team member to meet the needs of the children classroom and center.
• Develop individual relationships with children by providing care that is responsive attentive, consistent, comforting, supportive, and culturally sensitive.
• Assist in activities that relate to the weekly studies and extend on what they know about each student's interest and their families.
• Implement family style meals, sit and eat with children, and engage them in conversation.
• When appropriate participate in open communication with parents.
• Ensure that the classroom environment is being kept clean and organized in accordance to program goals and philosophy.
• Keep all appropriate records and documentation that is required to when in a classroom.
• Daily assignments may include coverage for other staff during breaks and planning time, cleaning toys and other classroom equipment, clean common areas such as bathrooms, and outdoor play areas, removing garbage, inventory supplies, organize art and supplies cabinets.
• Maintain a safe and healthy environment
• Maintain compliance with the Y's Way to the Creative Curriculum goals and objectives.
• Arrange the learning environment to support learning content areas and ITERS and ECERS criteria.

Empower Healthy Living/Health & Safety

• Follow the design that has been created to protect the children's Health and Safety at all times. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that all Physical Hazards are always inaccessible to students.
• Assist in creating an environment that prevents challenging or disruptive behaviors through – classroom strategies/designs, effective transitions and engaging activities.
• Use positive redirection to address inappropriate behaviors. Behavior charts cannot be displayed in Pre-K classrooms. No employee can use any form of corporal punishment as a method of discipline. Any violation will be grounds for automatic termination. Teachers are mandated reporters and are required by law to report the witnessing of inappropriate discipline or knowledge of child abuse.
• Provides adequate supervision as defined by BFTS, Quality Rated, and the YMCA of children during all activities (indoors & outdoors) as well as during all times when children are under their direct care. Any lack of supervision that results in an injury of a student can be grounds for immediate termination.
• Must obtain First Aid/CPR & 10 hour Health & Safety Orientation (BFTS) within 30 days of hire and maintain the certification.
• Follows and teaches health practices relating to Hand-washing and Basic Hygiene Practices.
• Complete Incident Reports and to follow the required documentation steps and protocol in reporting the incident to the Directors and families immediately.

Assessments and Evaluations (with the direction of the Lead Teacher):

• Supports the process of GOLD, Brigance and/or other assessments as needed. This includes, but is not limited to, following the schools Assessment Timeline for evaluation of each student development and organization of student portfolios.

Family and Volunteer Engagement:

• Floaters will use a variety of formal and informal strategies to become acquainted with and learn from families about their family culture and structure.
• Floaters work in conjunction with Lead and Assistant Teachers to work together to plan activities for student and teachers strongly encourage family involvement during all branch activities and events.

Professional Development:

• Floaters evaluate and improve their own performance based on ongoing reflection and feedback from supervisor, peers and families. Teachers develop a staff development plan with their supervision.
• Must attend all trainings that are guided and selected to ensure BFTS and YMCA training requirements are met.
• Utilize planning time to help develop lesson plans (with lead teacher) and other task to support the overall program goals.
• Commit to an agreed upon work schedule and is flexible, if needed to adjust hours with little notice.
• Attends Pre-service, In-service and any special training sessions required by the program.
• Teachers must to be prepared to meet all Partnership Training Requirements which include Rollins Center, PCA Start for Life.
• Perform other duties as related to the delivery of a quality program.

Minimum Requirements:

• Must have a high school diploma or GED
• Must be 19 years of age
• CDA, TCC (preferred)
• Have experience working with children
• Excellent verbal/written communication skills
• TB screening and a Physical must be submitted before working

Organizational Competencies – Team Support:

Mission Advancement: Models and teaches the Y's values; ensures a high level of service with a commitment to improving lives through wellness initiatives; seeks and supervises volunteers; cultivates relationships to support fundraising (may be responsible for team or division).

Collaboration: Champions inclusion; builds relationships to create small communities; practices active non-evaluative listening skills, communicates for understanding; and able to empathetically manage conflict when it occurs; provides staff with feedback, coaching, guidance and support.

Operational Effectiveness: Provides others with framework for making decisions; conducts pilots for new programs; develops plans and manages best practices through engagement of the staff team; effectively manages budgets; holds staff accountable for high-quality results using a formal process to measure progress.

Personal Growth: Shares new insights and trends; facilitates change and models adaptability; utilizes non-threatening methods to address sensitive issues or inappropriate performance or behavior.

Ergonomic Requirements: Bending, stooping, standing, lifting up to 40 pounds, seeing, verbal communication and hearing. Annual TB and Physical results submitted.

Effect of End Result:

Children and Families will experience a high-quality pre-school program. Children will be supervised at all times. Staff will comply with all rules and regulations of BFTS, Quality Rated, and the YMCA. The program will remain in compliance at all times with Bright from the Start and all policies that are set forth by YMCA of Metro Atlanta.

Employment and Benefits package for this job posting is offered through Early Childhood Development Co., LLC, whose sole managing member is the YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc.

Employment Requirement:

• Ability to pass a pre-employment background check including Criminal Record check, Drug Screening and motor vehicle record (MVR) according to company policy.
• Must be legally eligible to work in the US without current or future sponsorship.

This job posting is subject to change at any time.

The YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta offers excellent benefits and career opportunities as part of our culture of excellence. The opportunities to serve are vast, and we're looking for like minded people, who share our values of CARING