Preschool Teacher

Preschool Teacher 710 6th Street, Bedford, IN 47421 $14

• $18 an hour
• Full-time $14
• $18 an hour
• Full-time To provide a successful, safe and supervised educational setting for children while they are in the Head Start environment.

To design, plan and carry out developmentally appropriate daily experiences that meet all component areas of Head Start, school readiness goals established by the program and the individual needs of each child. To develop individual goals for children, provide on-going assessment on progress and facilitate transition into kindergarten. Encourage parent involvement in all aspects of the program. Must meet requirements per Federal Head Start Performance Standards and any state or agency policies and procedures.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Insure a safe and healthy learning environment Provide children with a learning environment and the varied experiences, which will help them develop socially, intellectually, physically and emotionally. Make regular checks of the safety and cleanliness of indoor and outdoor play areas, giving themselves time to address any problems they identify. Develop and follow written schedules for play area supervision to ensure appropriate child: staff ratios are maintained at all times. Build a healthy environment where children and adults can interact freely and constructively in a group setting. Integrate the educational aspects of the various Head Start components in the daily program of activities. Follow Head Start and state guidelines on classroom setup and supplies. Advance physical and intellectual competence Conduct a developmental screening on each child enrolled in the Head Start classroom within 45 days of enrollment. Accept each child at his/her own developmental level and individualize a plan to help each child grow to the maximum of his/her ability. Encourage children to practice physical and cognitive school readiness skills by solving problems, initiating activities, exploring, experimenting and questioning by engaging in intentionally planned learning activities. Provide a large portion of the program day where children are free to choose what they play with and use questioning, predicting and analyzing questions as appropriate to help the children problem solve. Have staff and materials available and accessible to the children. Support social and emotional development and provide guidance Provide children with an environment of acceptance that will help each child build ethnic pride, develop a positive self-concept, enhance his/her individual strengths and develop positive social relationships to support school readiness. Use Minds in Motion maze, 2nd Step Curriculum, and Challenging Behavior Policy. Supervise or arrange for proper supervision of children while in the classroom and while on the playground. Participate in all indoor and outdoor physical activities with the children. Utilize playground time as a learning experience and as a continuation of the classroom theme. Help each child find acceptable social behavior for out-of-control emotions and moods by using 2nd Step rules consistently. Establish positive and productive relationships with children and families Help each child's parent(s) or guardian(s) realize that their child is unique and special with their own strengths and weaknesses. Model positive self-esteem building behaviors when working with children. Adhere to the guidelines outlined in the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) to insure high quality teacher-child interactions. Establish a good rapport with families by making home visits, having parent/teacher conferences and by helping parents interpret their child's developmental screenings. Encourage parent engagement in program activities, planning, classroom volunteering, assisting on field trips, in-home activities, parent meetings, trainings, workshops, and parent and child together time. Model manners, health, hygiene, speech and safety. Continue orientation of volunteers in the classroom / education procedures. Assist in the volunteer evaluation. Encourage parents and families to develop warm relationships that nurture their child's learning and development. Encourage parents and families to become lifelong educators by observing, guiding, promoting and participating in the everyday learning of their children at home, school and in their communities. Encourage parents and families to support and advocate for their child's learning and development as they transition to new learning environments, including EHS to

HS, EHS/HS

to other early learning environments, and HS to kindergarten through elementary school. Insure a well-run, purposeful program responsive to the participants needs Provide a balanced program of staff-directed and child-directed activities. Maintain screening, anecdotal notes, and assessments in organized files on each child. Take part in family case conferences and challenging behavior conferences. Report all suspected cases of child abuse or neglect, as required by law, in accordance with agency policies and procedures. Submit documentation to the early education supervisor. Participate in staff meetings, family meetings, training and any other assigned meetings. Maintain daily attendance records and documentation of excused absences. Contact the family case manager concerning a child's absence of three consecutive days or any child with an irregular attendance pattern. Contribute to the agency's full compliance with the Head Start Performance Standards and all written component plans. Help implement all objectives and policies. Maintain daily health, safety and playground checklists. Give documentation to the early education supervisor. Assist with the recruitment of eligible children for the Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Assist with gathering and accurately documenting in-kind. Perform additional duties as deemed necessary by the Director of Children's Services or designee. Maintain a commitment to professionalism Maintain confidentiality at all times. Participate in pre-service and in-service trainings, workshops, seminars and conferences to up-date professional growth and development. Attend CLASS overview training conducted annually by the ECE Specialist or Early Education Supervisor as required. Meet monthly with the early education supervisor to share information, problems and concerns as well as discussing professional development opportunities and implementation. Participate in reflective self-evaluation each month. Create and adhere to career and position goals

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education (Pre K) or a Bachelor's Degree or higher that includes coursework equivalent to a major in Early Childhood Education is preferred. A minimum of an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education is required. Transcripts are required to validate educational requirements. Pre-school (ages 3-5) classroom teaching experience is desired. Experience should include the ability to adapt curriculum to meet the needs of all children including at risk, special needs, gifted, and culturally diverse populations. Must have a valid Indiana Driver's License and proof of insurance. Must have a reliable personal vehicle available for use in business related travel. Must submit to a criminal history background check. Must obtain a physical within 30 days of hire and update every two years.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Frequent significant decision and problem solving abilities. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Intermediate to advanced computer skills, internet and e-mail. Good organizational skills with sensitivity to detail. Must be flexible and non-resistant to change. Ability to work as a team member collaborating with staff, parents and community resources. Ability to set and maintain professional boundaries with families. Ability to supervise pre-school children and ensure a safe environment including the ability to monitor and respond to events going on at all times in classroom, outdoor play areas and on field trips. This includes physical ability to move quickly in order to respond to children who are very active and may need restraint or redirection in order to insure their safety or the safety of others in the environment. Ability to apply Early Childhood Development theory in daily activities and adapt to individual needs. Ability to respond appropriately to an emergency or a crisis situation. Must be able to understand, interpret and implement policies and procedures. Daily kneeling, stooping, bending and sitting on the floor to attend to children's needs. Occasional lifting up to 50 lbs. Must be available for overnight travel, evening and weekend work as required. Must be supportive of the missions of Hoosier Uplands Economic Development Corporation and the Children's Services Division.

CONCLUSION

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the job and general nature and level of work performed by staff within this position. This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position. Interested applicants should forward a resume, references, and cover letter to :

Hoosier Uplands EDC Attn:

Kim Hall, Early Education Manager 710 6th Street / Bedford, IN 47421

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

$14.00

• $18.

00 per hour

Benefits:

401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee assistance program Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Professional development assistance Vision insurance

Education:

Associate (Preferred)

Experience:

Early Childhood Education:

1 year (Preferred)

Child Care:

1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

CPR Certification (Preferred) Driver's License (Preferred)

Work Location:

In person