Head Start Teacher Assistant

YMCA OF FREDERICK COUNTY•Frederick, MD

3d•$17 - $19•Onsite

About The Position

The Head Start Teacher Assistant works as part of a teaching team, partnering with the teacher to develop activities and provide varied experiences and an appropriate learning environment for Head Start children. The assistant supports the program’s goals and may be reassigned to different classrooms or centers as needed for program operations. The role supports classroom instruction, child development, family involvement, and program operations. It includes assisting with activities and lesson plans, documenting children’s progress and home visits, promoting positive relationships with families, and maintaining a safe, orderly classroom. The assistant is expected to understand Head Start Performance Standards and local child care licensing regulations, maintain confidentiality, and follow applicable health and safety practices.

Requirements

Meet one of the following education or credential requirements: high school diploma or GED and a current Child Development Associate (CDA); enrollment in a CDA credential program to be completed within two years of hire; an associate or bachelor’s degree in any area; or enrollment in a program leading to an associate or baccalaureate degree.
Some experience working with preschool-aged children.
Ability to communicate both orally and in writing, follow written and oral directions, read and comprehend instructions and short correspondence, and write simple correspondence.
Ability to communicate positively and helpfully with families and children and respond to common community inquiries or complaints.
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts and percentages and produce and interpret graphs, charts, spreadsheets, and other mathematical reports.
Ability to apply common-sense understanding to written or oral instructions and maintain confidentiality.
Intermediate to advanced knowledge of technological equipment and organizational programs, including computers or laptops, iPods, digital cameras, Microsoft Office, Teaching Strategies, and online training.
Blood-borne pathogen, code of conduct, and active supervision training; CPR, AED, and First Aid certifications.
Acceptable screening results, including a comprehensive background check and initial health exam.
Transportation to perform all duties.
Ability to occasionally provide gentle physical restraint to children; walk, stand, and sit, including on the floor, for extended periods; lift or assist children weighing up to 50 pounds; and bend, lean, kneel, and walk.
Ability to speak concisely and communicate effectively, respond visually and auditorily to critical situations, and act swiftly in an emergency.
Availability for evening and weekend work.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist the teacher with classroom activities, field trips, outdoor activities, and development of lesson plans.
Help develop materials and activities that reflect the cultural backgrounds of the children and families served.
Participate in screening, observing, and documenting children.
Help supervise mealtimes and eat with children to encourage good nutrition and appropriate social skills.
Help keep the classroom and its contents clean and orderly.
Use initiative and imagination to support children and respond to their individual needs.
Assist the teacher with any aspect of the program as needed and take charge of the class in the teacher’s absence.
Make home visits with the teacher when required or requested and document them as requested.
Understand, generate, and document in-kind and other allowable costs applied toward the non-federal share requirement.
Attend workshops, meetings, staff and parent meetings, and activities as required or deemed necessary by the immediate supervisor.
Understand Head Start Performance Standards and local child care licensing regulations.
Follow requirements related to occupational disease and injury prevention, universal precautions, and prevention of contamination.
Promote Head Start positively in the community and maintain confidentiality regarding children, families, and staff.
Support parent and family involvement and establish trusting relationships with families.
Communicate with families about program participation, children’s needs and development, program activities, and families’ roles in children’s education and development.
Participate in family training as requested and involve families in educational activities to support their role in children’s development and build their child-development knowledge and skills.
Help identify and arrange for parents to volunteer in classrooms as volunteers and substitutes.
Help the teacher collect monthly in-kind records from participating parents and community members.
Assist with supervision of assigned classroom volunteers.