Infant/Toddler Teacher - MSHS

Community Action Program for Central Arkansas•Dumas, AR

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the overall supervision of the Early Childhood Director and the direct supervision of the Center Manager, the Infant/Toddler Teacher is responsible for implementing the educational program in the infant/toddler classroom. This role involves planning and implementing learning experiences that advance the intellectual and physical development of children, focusing on school readiness in areas such as literacy, language, vocabulary, early math, early science, and problem-solving. The teacher will establish and maintain a safe, healthy, and nurturing learning environment, supporting children's social and emotional development through positive relationships. Encouraging family involvement and supporting relationships between children and their families is also a key aspect of the position. The teacher will maintain a professional attitude, create a warm and welcoming environment, implement the curriculum, develop daily lesson plans, and promote developmentally appropriate practices. Routines will be used as opportunities for growth and learning, and activities will be provided to facilitate children's development. The role includes conducting educational home visits and parent conferences, guiding children's behavior positively, promoting good eating habits, observing children regularly for individualization, and conducting ongoing assessments to monitor child outcomes. Supervision of children and volunteers is required, along with maintaining a high-quality daily program and designated record keeping. Cooperation with other staff, knowledge of learning centers, and maintaining classroom orderliness and cleanliness are essential. The teacher will also assist in providing training and technical assistance to other center staff, work with administrative staff and consultants, and assist in assessing the Education and Early Childhood Development Work Plan. Documenting In-Kind contributions and participating in center staff meetings, parent meetings, and IEP Team meetings as requested are also responsibilities. The position requires the ability to respond to children's needs, emergencies, and conflicts, and involves data management in child development areas. The teacher will also assist in ensuring compliance and avoiding fraud within the Early Childhood area. Non-essential functions include respecting confidentiality, participating in professional development (minimum 15 clock hours annually), handling stress, administering first aid when needed, and performing other duties as required.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED and a Child Development Associate (CDA) with Infant/Toddler Endorsement are required.
Associate degree or bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education may also be accepted.
One year experience working with infants &/or toddlers (6 weeks to 3 years of age).
Good physical condition.
Able to lift children, able to sit and stand for long periods of time.
Participate in activities requiring bending, stooping, kneeling, and jumping.
Occasionally stand or walk on uneven surfaces.
Must be able to pass tuberculosis screening annually and initial health examination within first three months of employment.
Valid driver�s license, access to transportation with liability insurance and willing to use vehicle for Agency related travel.
Must be able to travel out of area overnight to attend training.
Able to hear and communicate orally with children and adults.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance and peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
Ability to read, write and perform mathematical calculations.
Be in sympathy with the concepts of the Head Start Program.
Able to delegate responsibilities.
Able to keep confidential information without inappropriately divulging it.
Planning and organizational abilities.
Able to make decisions and work without continual close supervision.

Responsibilities

Plan and implement learning experiences that advance the intellectual and physical development of children, including improving the readiness of children for school by developing their: literacy, phonemic, and print awareness understanding and use of language understanding and use of increasing complex and varied vocabulary appreciation of books understanding of early math and early science problem-solving abilities and approaches to learning.
Establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment by forming positive, trusting and nurturing relationships with children.
Support the social and emotional development of children by forming positive, trusting and nurturing relationships with children.
Encourage the involvement of the families of the children and support the development of relationships between children and their families.
Maintain a professional attitude with staff, parents, volunteers, and children at all times.
Create a warm and welcoming environment that supports children�s growth and development.
Implement the curriculum and developing and implementing daily lesson plans.
Promote developmentally appropriate practices.
Use routines as opportunities for growth and learning.
Provide activities that facilitate children�s growth and development.
Arrange and conduct educational home visits and parent conferences.
Guide children�s behavior in positive ways.
Promote good eating habits with toddlers by conversing and encouraging good table manners when food is served.
Observe children regularly and individualize for each child based on these observations.
Conduct ongoing assessment of enrolled children to monitor child outcomes.
Provide supervision for children, or volunteers in the classroom.
Maintain a high quality daily program of work and designated record keeping.
Work cooperatively with other classroom/center staff.
Be knowledgeable in all aspects of use and design of learning centers.
Maintain the orderliness and cleanliness of the classroom.
Assist in providing training and technical assistance to other center staff in overall child development.
Work with Administrative Office staff, support staff and consultants in implementing recommendations.
Assist in the assessment of the Education and Early Childhood Development Work Plan.
Assist in obtaining and documenting In-Kind (Non-Federal Match) for parent and community activities.
Attend and participate in center staff meetings.
Participate in parent meetings and staffings as requested.
Serve as a member of the IEP Team by attending IEP meetings as requested.
Respond to children's needs, emergencies and conflicts that might occur in the classroom, playground, bathrooms or other areas used by children.
Manage data in child development areas.
Assist in the avoidance or appearance of fraud and ensure compliance in the overall management of the Early Childhood area.
Respect confidentiality in all aspects of the Head Start Program.
Participate in all training designed for professional development.
Document attendance of a minimum of 15 clock hours of approved professional development per year that is high-quality, sustained, intensive and classroom-focused.
Handle stress, tension and exasperation that contact with many children and adults may bring every day.
Administer first aid to children or staff at any time in the program.
Perform other duties as needed and required for efficient operation of the Center, needs and welfare of the children.