Lead Preschool Teacher (3-4 years old)

The Goddard School•Danbury, CT

15d

About The Position

The Goddard School in Danbury is currently interviewing for a Lead Teacher in one of our preschool classrooms. A positive, dependable, responsible, dedicated and caring personality is a must! Two years or more experience in Early Childhood Education is preferred. Overview A Lead Teacher at The Goddard School is responsible for establishing and maintaining a safe, healthy and nurturing learning environment. Additionally a Lead Teacher is responsible to work together with an Assistant Teacher and in conjunction with the entire faculty. General Qualifications A Lead Teacher must meet the qualifications of his/her state and those set forth in the National Standards for hiring (see www.bls.gov), including the following: Ability to hear the conversational voice, with or without a hearing aid Ability to see and read newsprint, with or without corrective lenses Ability to speak and be understood under normal circumstances Ability to lift and carry children and other items weighing up to 50 pounds Ability to use arms, hands, legs, and feet, with or without corrective devices; this includes the ability to evacuate the building during emergencies Ability to handle crisis situations, especially where children are involved Ability to respond immediately to emergency situations Lead Teacher educational requirements are the same as Director educational requirements (see Director educational requirements or one of several other criteria listed below) Educational Qualifications All candidates, who wish to be considered for the position of Lead Teacher must meet one or more of the following criteria, in addition to any/all requirements that may be mandated by their state and/or local licensing authorities: An Associates degree or higher in Early Childhood Education, Education, Child/Human Development

Requirements

A positive, dependable, responsible, dedicated and caring personality is a must!
Ability to hear the conversational voice, with or without a hearing aid
Ability to see and read newsprint, with or without corrective lenses
Ability to speak and be understood under normal circumstances
Ability to lift and carry children and other items weighing up to 50 pounds
Ability to use arms, hands, legs, and feet, with or without corrective devices; this includes the ability to evacuate the building during emergencies
Ability to handle crisis situations, especially where children are involved
Ability to respond immediately to emergency situations
An Associates degree or higher in Early Childhood Education, Education, Child/Human Development

Nice To Haves

Two years or more experience in Early Childhood Education is preferred.

Responsibilities

Establish and maintain a safe, healthy and nurturing learning environment
Design an appropriate room arrangement to support the goals and developmental level of the children in the classroom
Develop an appropriate classroom management system to support the goals and developmental level of the children in the classroom
Develop age appropriate and engaging lesson plans
Ensure that classroom equipment is in good repair
Understand and implement The Goddard School® emergency procedure(s)
Promote healthy eating practices at lunch and snack times
Ensure that children are always within state ratio requirements
Perform nominal cleaning responsibilities (eg, spills) immediately
Perform major cleaning during times when children are not present
Post a classroom schedule that meets the needs of the children and includes a routine and learning opportunities
Post and adhere to all GSI Health and Safety policies and procedures
Advance children’s physical and intellectual competence
Adapt program to meet the individual needs of each child
Create a multi-cultural learning environment
Provide a variety of developmentally appropriate materials
Interact with the children to support play, exploration and learning
Encourage children to talk with each other and with the faculty
Present age- and developmentally-appropriate expectations for all children
Create a print-rich environment in order for children to learn about books, literature and writing
Encourage creativity through art, music, dramatic play and blocks
Provide a reasonable balance between teacher-directed and child-directed activities
Provide opportunities for both active and quiet play
Integrate GSI resources (including Enrichment Programs) into lesson plans
Support each child’s social and emotional development and provide positive guidance
Understand and adhere to the GSI Behavior Policy
Plan and implement activities to develop children’s self-esteem and social skills
Plan and implement activities to enable children’s feeling of security
Encourage empathetic and respectful feelings for others, as well as the environment, through positive modeling
Respect cultural and ethnic diversity
Establish positive and effective family relations
Communicate, in a professional manner, with families and faculty
Encourage families to become an integral part of their children’s learning experiences
Provide opportunities (e.g., conferences) in which families are made to feel a part of their children’s learning experiences
Prepare a Daily Activity Report for each child
Maintain a portfolio for each child
Maintain the classroom Parent Board
Ensure an effective program, responsive to children’s needs
Assess supplies and materials needed to implement activities
Build teamwork
Develop lesson plan books and posted lesson plans
Manage classrooms according to GSI QA Standards
Perform child observations and document in their portfolios
Use assessment tools (eg, Progress Reports, Children’s Progress)
Maintain professional commitment
Promote GSI philosophy and educational objectives
Support a code of ethical conduct
Pursue professional development/continuing education
Attend faculty meetings, in-service days, conferences and professional growth opportunities