Pre-K Teacher Assistant (Augusta Locations)

YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta•Augusta, GA

About The Position

The Pre-K Teacher Assistant works under the supervision of the Center Director and cooperates with the Pre-K Lead Teacher to plan and conduct learning experiences and activities. The assistant also supports the day-to-day management of an assigned classroom, helping provide children with a safe, clean, organized, and developmentally appropriate learning environment. The role includes preparing classroom materials and activities, supervising children indoors and outdoors, observing and assessing children’s development, supporting positive classroom behavior, and communicating with teachers and families. The assistant may assume primary responsibility for classroom management when the teacher is absent and participates in required meetings, training, professional development, and continuing education.

Requirements

Associate degree in Early Childhood Education.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to kneel, bend, squat, lift, push, pull, and carry objects or children weighing up to 50 pounds.
Ability to pass pre-employment criminal record, drug screening, motor vehicle record, and reference checks according to company policy.
Must be legally eligible to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship.

Responsibilities

Organize classroom space into functional areas in collaboration with the teacher, and keep the classroom orderly with materials accessible to children.
Maintain a clean, healthy, safe classroom environment indoors and outdoors.
Provide constant supervision of children during all activities.
Observe children’s physical conditions and refer concerns to the teacher.
Observe and assess children in each developmental area using designated screening and ongoing assessment processes; refer children with suspected problems to the teacher.
Provide input into ongoing evaluations of each child’s progress.
Collaborate with the teacher to prepare lesson plans, materials, and an organized, interactive, appropriate, clean, safe, hands-on environment.
Follow the daily schedule and conduct activities appropriate to children’s individual developmental levels.
Assume primary responsibility for classroom management in the teacher’s absence.
Provide a variety of art media and opportunities for creative expression, and display children’s work at their eye level.
Conduct individual, small-group, and large-group activities; present concepts in sequential order; and participate in a balanced program of open learning and structured activities.
Communicate the need for additional supplies to the teacher.
Use community resources and field trips to enrich classroom learning.
Make home visits and conduct parent-teacher conferences during the school year.
Establish age-appropriate classroom rules with teachers and maintain order using positive behavioral management approaches.
Support smooth transitions from one activity to another.
Attend and participate in required team, site, and agency meetings, trainings, professional development, and continuing education.
Ensure site-appropriate health, safety, classroom organization, aesthetic, and sanitation guidelines are followed.
Follow mandatory reporting requirements for suspected abuse, unsafe conditions, repair needs, complaints, accidents, and injuries.