early head start teacher

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Responsible for a classroom of children ages 0–3. Works collaboratively with the partner Teacher to ensure the successful operation of a classroom with 6–8 children. Along with families and colleagues, supports each child's progress along their unique developmental path and toward school readiness goals.

EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED

Infant/Toddler CDA OR AA/BA in Early Childhood Education or related field with at least 120 training hours in Infant/Toddler content and 480 hours of experience with infants/toddlers.

• Physical exam and background checks required.
• Ability to travel up to 10% for work-related activities.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation.
• Ability to interact effectively with diverse populations.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Computer literacy (MS Office, basic data systems, internet).
• Honesty, dependability, and ability to meet deadlines.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently.

TASKS AND ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Child Development & Family Engagement

• Use knowledge of child growth and development to work with children and communicate with families and stakeholders.
• Implement a child-centered daily routine, curriculum, and learning environment that promotes positive social interactions, active exploration, and self-motivation.
• Understand infant-toddler self-regulation and age-appropriate pro-social behaviors. Create a nurturing, responsive environment and partner with families to address challenging behaviors.
• Use child observations and anecdotal notes to document progress and individualize curriculum.
• Build strong partnerships with families that support positive interactions at school and home.

Curriculum Implementation

• Assist in ensuring that the written curriculum includes:
  
  a. Goals for development and learning
  
  b. Learning experiences to reach those goals
  
  c. Strategies staff and parents can use
  
  d. Materials needed
  
  e. Support for social and emotional development
  
  f. Preparation and posting of daily lesson plans
• Assist in the development of individual goals and plans for each child.
• Plan and implement learning experiences that advance cognitive, physical, language, emergent literacy, print/numeracy awareness, problem-solving, and school readiness.
• Follow curriculum that provides natural play, hands-on experiences, and aligns with individual learning styles.
• Implement developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate learning experiences.
• Maintain a safe and healthy learning environment.
• Implement experiential learning activities to build intellectual and emotional competence.
• Provide positive guidance and discipline to support readiness skills.
• Adapt daily plans based on observations, developmental knowledge, and children's interests.
• Implement IFSPs for children with disabilities.
• Provide a consistent, responsive daily routine for infants and toddlers.

Child Safety, Health & Nutrition

• Supervise and ensure the safety of all children in accordance with EHS and licensing requirements.
• Eat meals/snacks with toddlers and children age 2+ to model nutrition and social skills.
• Feed infants on demand.
• Hold non-mobile infants during feeding.
• Supervise field trips and outdoor activities.
• Follow disease and injury prevention regulations, diapering procedures, and universal precautions.
• Conduct daily health checks.

Family Relationships & Parent Engagement

• Encourage family involvement in program curriculum and child development.
• Provide opportunities for parents to enhance child observation skills and share assessments.
• Encourage parent participation in conferences and home visits.
• Build positive and productive relationships with families.
• Conduct two home visits and two parent-teacher conferences per year with partner Teacher.
• Participate in parent orientation and ongoing parent trainings.
• Identify parents interested in volunteering; refer to Family Advocate and support volunteer engagement.
• Share important information with the Family Advocate and participate in case conferences as needed.
• Maintain regular communication with parents and complete required documentation.
• Provide classroom updates for inclusion in the center newsletter.

Collaboration, Documentation & Compliance

• Report developmental concerns to Health, Nutrition, and Disabilities Coordinator.
• Request needed classroom supplies and participate in inventory.
• Gather and maintain individual, family, and classroom data for assessment and planning.
• Assess children on an ongoing basis using anecdotal documentation and GOLD.
• Collaborate with teaching team to analyze child outcomes twice yearly and adjust curriculum accordingly.
• Model appropriate classroom practices.
• Support development plans for volunteers.
• Adapt work plans to meet program needs without compromising work quality.
• Actively participate in bi-weekly Team Meetings and Teacher Meetings.
• Participate in required meetings, events, and trainings.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

DISCLAIMER

This description outlines the general nature and level of work expected for this role. It is not intended as a full list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

---