Toddler Teacher

Position: Toddler

Vision and Values of Baptist Temple Early Learning Center:

We recognize that all children are God’s unique creation. Our goal is to provide a safe place for children and their parents to discover God’s world, and how it works. Additionally, we encourage our children to love others and make good choices as they grow. To do this staff members work together integrating basic Christian principles with a research-based curriculum to provide a safe learning environment. Our teachers work to foster curiosity, critical thinking and healthy physical development through play, exploration, and by modeling good manners, hygiene, and extreme generosity of spirit. We believe this is a great benefit to the families of our community and their children.

Job Summary:

The role of the BTELC Teacher Caregiver is to administer a safe, nurturing and developmentally appropriate, educational, and spiritual environment for the children under BTELC care. Hours are not set and can be changed at any time to fit the need of the Learning Center.

Job Responsibilities: Including but not limited to:

Professionalism:

Maintain a professional attitude and represent BTELC and its vision and values to fellow employees and visitors alike. Appropriate and professional dress code.

Instructional Strategies:

• Work to carry out BTELC’s Christian Vision and Values plan in all areas of teaching.
• Actively supervising children at all times ensuring each child’s safety and well-being.
• Be flexible
• Planning and implementing developmentally appropriate curriculum for children ages 18 to 23 months or 24 to 36 months
• Collaborate with education/administrative team and fellow teachers to develop and implement curriculum and lesson plans utilizing Frog Street and Texas Rising Star guidelines and show written evidence of preparation as required.
• Work with other members of the staff to determine instructional goals, objectives, and methods according to STEAM, TRS, and BTELC goals.
• Craft and deliver age-appropriate circle times for each activity.
• Facilitate discovery play centers and utilize critical thinking questions to stimulate learning.
• Prepare a home project activity once a week appropriate for child’s age.
• Plan and use appropriate instructional and learning strategies, activities, materials, and equipment that reflect understanding of the learning styles and needs of children.

Student Growth and Development:

• Be a positive role model for children, by supporting the vision and values of BTELC.
• Create a fun, clean, safe and loving learning environment
• Conduct ongoing developmental assessments on each child.
• Prepare and build a portfolio for each child enrolled in your class.
• Make food-gathering times a learning experience; model a family atmosphere by sitting at the table and praying with the children.
• Ensure good child discipline by being regular in attendance and on time.
• The ability to use positive discipline. Focus on the positive and not the negative to encourage growth.

Classroom Management:

• Speak in calm-controlled tones modeling respect to children; never raise your voice to a child unless the child is in immediate danger.
• Create a positive classroom environment aligned with the BTELC Vision and Values, and conducive to learning and appropriate for the physical, spiritual, social, and emotional development of children.
• Take all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect children, equipment, materials, and facilities.
• Maintain a neat and orderly classroom.
• Diaper change/potty-train children
• Assist with snacks, meals, nap time and bathroom activities
• Maintain classroom learning centers that support child developmental domains
• Engage with students during outdoor play/activities
• Post BTELC rules in your Homeroom.
• Make sure your class is full of exploration and discoveries
• Sing and read with children
• Maintains a professional appearance and attitude
• Exhibits control of the children and when needed, displays proper discipline techniques
• Prepares and maintains up-to-date records and required reports (attendance, development progress reports)
• Administers basic first aid as necessary; reports any health issues with supervisor
• Maintain line of sight to be alert to the activities and movements of all your children.
• Follow the daily schedule, transition on time, ensure clean up so the space is prepared for the next activity.
• Label all children’s work, to include first name and last initial and date.
• Change children’s topic board and art board on a weekly basis.
• Ensure early arrival activities are put in place for the next day before leaving.

Communication:

• Maintain a professional relationship with colleagues, children, parents, and community members.
• Maintain classroom learning centers that support child developmental domains
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with students and parents
• Communicate with parents on students' growth and progress
• Complete daily reports via ProCare
• Use effective communication skills to present information accurately and clearly.
• Utilize the ProCare Engage software to input data and maintain the attendance and transition records for reports to parents and tracking information for BTELC (provide notes).
• Attend all parent meetings and parent-sponsored activities.

Professional Growth and Development:

• Adhere to the Minimum Standards of the Texas State Childcare Licensing requirements, and CACFP.

• Develop skill sets based on teacher evaluation feedback and complete required training.

• Attend all staff meetings and training, share ideas to improve our center.

• Certifications and training must be kept current throughout the employment in accordance with Texas Licensing Minimum Standards. (A minimum of 24 hours annually)

• Knowledge of all duties and responsibilities as per Texas Minimum Standards.

• Always uphold Texas Child-care Minimum Standards.

• Assist in cleaning and closing the classroom at the end of the day

Learning Center Safety:

• Provide a health check for each child upon arrival and departure.
• Receive training to administer medicine and be responsible to administer as per instructions on the official medication form filled out by a parent.
• Maintain current emergency information on children as supplied by the BTELC office.
• Clean and sanitize your classroom including toys and inspect for hazards on a daily basis.
• Every Friday thoroughly clean and disinfect all shelves, chairs, beddings, toys, walls, baseboards, and linens.

Other:

• Keep current inventory of homeroom supplies and submit requests to the BTELC office.
• Adhere to the BTELC Employee Handbook.
• Participate in fire drills, severe weather drills, and lockdowns at least once a month.
• Record daily hours for work using the Time Clock app on your cell phone and/or check-in kiosk.
• Each day check in and out your room's kindle tablet from the BTELC office. Make sure your kindle is plugged in to be charged and ready for the next day.
• Ability to accept redirection and or feedback when needed.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.
• The ability to change classrooms when needed. All teachers are required to be able to go in and out of any classroom they are assigned to which can change on a daily basis.
• Part-Time and Full-Time hours can be changed at any time depending on the needs of the Center with less than 24 hours’ notice. O.T. is available upon approval by administrators.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must have a high school diploma or its equivalent (GED).
• Must have a personal email address (for payroll notification)
• Must have a bank account (for the automatic deposit of the paycheck.)
• Applicants must be certified and current on CPR, First Aid, Civil Rights, Child Maltreatment, & SIDs (if working with infants)
• Be current on the Department of Public Safety and Department of Family and Protective Services background check and fingerprints registration through the FBI.
• Two years or more experience in a licensed day care facility, or an equivalency such as a Childhood Development Associate Credential (CDA), or Associate of Applied Science degree in Early Childhood Education (AAS) or related field of study.
• Inexperienced applicants or applicants with a lapse in employment must complete 8 hours of Pre-service training before being considered and complete an additional 16 hours within the first ninety days of employment.
• Applicants with no lapses in employment by a licensed day care must have a minimum of 8 hours current training and complete an additional 16 hours within the first ninety days of employment.

Physical Requirements :

Occasional lifting/carrying of 30 pounds, daily lifting of infants/toddlers up to 35lbs, visual acuity, speech, and hearing; hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate computer keyboard and basic office equipment. Subject to sitting on the floor, standing, bending, reaching, and stooping to perform the essential job functions. Working conditions are in a classroom environment and/or office environment. May be required to lift and position children and assist non-ambulatory children. Prepare activities that reflect accommodations for differences in student learning styles.