Head Start Assistant Teacher (South CISD)

AVANCE•Rio Grande City, TX

About The Position

The Head Start Assistant Teacher shares responsibility for a classroom serving children ages 3 to 5. The role works collaboratively with the teacher, family members, and other staff to support positive outcomes for children of all abilities. Performance is evaluated on skills, dispositions, and behaviors specific to the role and on general expectations for AVANCE employees, including teacher-child interactions, the learning environment, curriculum, child assessment, meeting children’s needs, working with families, and professional growth and collaboration. The Assistant Teacher supports child development through developmentally and linguistically appropriate curriculum and learning experiences, positive guidance, observation and assessment, and individualized planning. The position partners with families and colleagues to support children’s learning and development, coordinates services, maintains documentation, and helps ensure a safe, healthy, consistent classroom environment. The role also supports volunteers, participates in meetings and training, and performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

At least a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, a state-awarded certificate meeting or exceeding CDA requirements, enrollment in a program leading to an associate or baccalaureate degree, or enrollment in a CDA credential program to be completed within two years of hire.
Physical exam and background checks are required.
Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation; travel to various sites is required.
For travel, maintain a clean driving record subject to annual MVR checks and policy, current auto liability insurance, and eligibility to be bonded by AVANCE, Inc.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and handle multiple priorities flexibly.
Ability to interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
Honest, dependable, and able to meet deadlines.
Self-motivated and able to work independently.
Ability to travel locally or long-distance for work-related site visits, meetings, and functions, up to 10% of the time.
Ability to maintain emotional control under stress and work with interruptions and deadlines.
Ability to walk, stand, stoop, bend, pull, push, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, and reach with hands and arms; occasional lifting or carrying, pulling, or pushing of 10 pounds.
Vision abilities include close, distance, color, peripheral, and depth vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Responsibilities

Use knowledge of child growth and development to work with children and communicate with internal and external stakeholders.
Implement a child-centered curriculum and learning environment that promotes social interaction, engagement, self-motivation, and development for children of all abilities.
Address challenging behaviors through observation, preventive measures, teaching social and communication skills, and partnering with families.
Observe children, keep anecdotal notes, document progress, and use the information to individualize curriculum and planning.
Partner with families to support positive interactions and children’s development at home, in the program, and at school.
Use the written curriculum to identify developmental and learning goals, experiences, staff and parent supports, and needed materials.
Assist in developing individual child plans, including goals, objectives, and activities based on identified needs.
Provide developmentally and linguistically appropriate experiences responsive to children’s ages, languages, and cultures.
Implement experiential learning activities, positive guidance, and daily lesson plans responsive to children’s needs and interests.
Implement Individual Family Services Plans (IFSPs) for children with disabilities.
Supervise and eat prepared meals or snacks with children as a curriculum activity, modeling nutrition and social skills.
Assess children on an ongoing basis, organize anecdotal notes by goals and objectives, and document information in CreativeCurriculum.net.
Work with the teaching team to analyze classroom outcomes twice yearly, consult the education coordinator, and adjust curriculum planning as needed.
Share relevant information with Family Advocates and participate in case conferences as appropriate.
Maintain regular parent contact, complete documentation, and provide classroom updates to the Teacher for the monthly newsletter.
Refer developmental concerns to Early Learning and Inclusion Leaders.
Work with the Teacher to schedule and complete two home visits and at least two parent-teacher conferences per year.
Participate in parent orientation and AVANCE’s Parent-Child Education Program as required.
Refer parents interested in volunteering or substitute work to the Family Advocate and support classroom parent volunteers.
Request supplies and participate in classroom or program inventory as requested.
Gather and maintain individual, family, and classroom data for documentation, assessment, evaluation, and planning.
Collaborate with the Teacher to prepare daily lesson plans and post them for parents, volunteers, and visitors.
Conduct daily health checks and provide a consistent classroom routine.
Supervise classroom field trips and outdoor activities.
Follow disease and injury prevention regulations, including universal precautions and contamination prevention.
Establish and maintain a safe, healthy, and positive learning environment; supervise children and ensure their safety and security in accordance with Early Head Start and licensing requirements.
Support children’s social and emotional development and build trusting, productive relationships with families.
Invite parents to participate in curriculum and program development, build their child-observation skills, and share assessments with staff.
Encourage parent participation in staff-parent conferences and home visits about children’s development and education.
Perform other duties as assigned and model appropriate classroom practices.
Work with the Center Director and Teacher to develop and support individual development plans for assigned volunteers.
Assist the Teacher in improving work methods and procedures and support supervised volunteers in setting goals, priorities, and timelines.
Maintain plans to meet changing or emergent program requirements within available resources while preserving work quality and quantity.
Participate in bi-weekly Team Meetings and Assistant Teacher Meetings, as well as assigned meetings, events, and training.