Tompkins Community Action

Job Description

JOB TITLE: Early Head Start Teacher

STATUS: Exempt

DEPARTMENT: Early Childhood

RESPONSIBLE TO: Center Manager

Job Summary:

Responsible for a Early Head Start classroom program in accordance with Head Start Performance Standards, regulatory regulations, TCAction policies and procedures. Implement adopted curriculum approach as well as defined department initiatives for children ages 6 weeks to 3 years. Use space, materials and routine as resources to encourage active exploration, physical, cognitive, and social/emotional development. Utilize developmentally appropriate strategies as the foundation for classroom management techniques, environmental set up, planning, and individualization. Complete and utilize anecdotal notes as the basis for individualized planning, completing assessments, parent/teacher conferencing, reporting, and supporting transitional requirements.

Program Delivery: (65%)  Participates in adapting program plan curriculum into classroom delivery plans, following required guidelines.  Takes lead responsibility for infant and toddler daily planning, room arrangement, schedule, and monitoring of assigned children.  Promotes children’s security and attachment by responding promptly and consistently to their needs; includes frequent and affectionate one-on-one contact  Support optimal and consistent development and education through strength based delivery of techniques to enhance families involvement in the home; creating family responsive relationships.  With Child Development Leader, create individualized program delivery plans that meet curriculum goals; ensure plans address temperament, learning styles and include materials and activities that meet a child developmental level to increase the active participation of all children in learning.  Ensure program delivery plans provide inclusive developmental and educational opportunities that support children with disabilities, access department resources, staff and consultants to enhance their participation; ensure all components of a Individual Family Service Plan are met.  Support the social and emotional development of infants and toddlers self awareness; encouraging trust-building and fostering independence; creating predictable routines and transitions according to each child’s needs; assuring opportunities for developing feelings of competence and self esteem.  Enhance each child's strengths by encouraging self-control through setting clear, consistent limits and having realistic expectations to encourage respect for others’.  Ensures a safe physical environment for children and to prevent and reduce injuries and illness; notifying supervisor of any unsafe condition in a timely manner.  Provide for a child's cognitive and language skills using various strategies, includes respecting cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity; and promoting interaction and language use among children and between children and adults  Assure physical development is promoted by integrating daily use of indoor and outdoor space and equipment that promotes active play and movement,  Provide families with guidance and tools to support home activities that mirror program goals to enhance development and learning  Collaborate with specialists, consultants and agency staff to support children and families services Family Involvement: (15%)  Maintains an open, friendly and informative relationship with children's families and encourages their participation in the program.  Offers families opportunities to increase their observation skills by providing information that encourages participation in the center.  Create and encourages family volunteer opportunities in the classroom.  Employs a culturally competent and flexible approach when working with various cultures by supporting the home language, culture, and the family composition of each child  Collaborate with center staff to support family’s transition to or from Early Head Start, Head Start, home and or other settings by engaging families, and coordinating with community partners in planning and implementing strategies that ensure successful transitions, including the transfer of records.  Provides information and advocate for family involvement in Policy Council and parent committees, includes participate in meetings  Maintains daily, weekly and monthly communication with families, both verbally and written; provide parent conferencing opportunities at regular intervals and when requested by families.  Partners with families to create home to classroom consistency in caring for children.  Advocate for children and families to acquire auxiliary community services are received  Support and participate in program recruitment activities  Supervises parents, students and community members as volunteers for the classroom

Reporting: (15%)  Completes weekly classroom planning form, including documenting individualized children and family involvement activities  Regularly observes children, and maintains concise anecdotal notes for assessment in the Child Observation Record  Immediately reports facility and equipment deficiencies to supervisor  Records daily attendance of each child, submits completed form monthly to supervisor  Completes monthly teacher report and submits to supervisor  Prepares end of year parent reports, review with and submits to supervisor  Maintains accurate, objective complete, timely and well organized child and family records.

Other: (5%)  Meets regularly with supervisor and submits all requested and required reports  Work with Center staff as active team member to problem solve and increase efficiency  Coordinate with cooks and support aides to ensure timely and efficient feeding.  Participate in staff meeting to enhance and expand the program  Participate in center and community activities, which may include nights and weekends.  Attend trainings, expand knowledge base and identify professional development opportunities  Collaborate with and support all program Teachers; sharing resources, techniques and solutions  Other duties as requested

Required Skills:  Ability to work in professional manner in all work scope situations  Excellent communication skills; written and verbal  Excellent interpretation and problem solving skills  Ability to read, understand and follow performance standards, regulations and procedures  Planning and organizational skills, attention to detail and work prioritization  Knowledge of the principles of child growth and development; how children acquire language, creative expression and develop physically, cognitively, and socially; including understanding and acquired skills to support children with special needs  Excellent knowledge of infant/toddler development, educational and health needs  In depth knowledge of classroom management techniques  Maintain knowledge of, and act as, mandated reporter  Lift 50 pounds, bend, stoop, kneel, run for short distances

On-going Clearance:  Meet TCAction criteria for satisfactory driver’s license  Access to reliable transportation  Satisfactory clearance: NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services and NYS Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment  Bi-Annual satisfactory physical including TB test (Mantoux or Chest X-ray)

Minimum Qualifications: Associate degree in early childhood with 12 credits in infant/toddler development and 2 years of related experience working with children, 0 to 3 years old OR CDA with specific Infant/Toddler training and 4 years of experience working with children, 0 to 3 years old.

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