Preschool and School Age Teacher

Catalyst Family•Sunnyvale, CA

15d

About The Position

Catalyst teaching staff support the planning and implementation of programming for children ranging in age from infants and toddlers to preschool, kindergarten, and school age, depending on the location. Teachers facilitate age-appropriate activities, support children's social and emotional development, and ensure children are supervised at all times in a healthy and safe environment. Teachers create and implement developmentally appropriate curricula grounded in learning foundations and children's interests. They maintain intentional, enriched, and supportive learning environments and quality experiences for children. They build authentic, reciprocal, and culturally responsive relationships with children, youth, families, schools, communities, and classroom teams, and provide excellent customer service. They help keep children healthy and safe through proper supervision, positive interactions, healthy habits, and compliance with requirements, while collaborating with colleagues to provide high-quality programs and creative workplaces. The role includes daily indoor and outdoor program responsibilities and exposure to outdoor elements. Staff are expected to be punctual, regularly present, active in programs, and capable of interacting with children up to age 13 while meeting their needs and ensuring their safety. They must follow safety guidance, report health and safety issues or incidents to management, and remain calm when providing first aid during emergencies as needed. Duties may involve identifying and preventing hazards, working in safe weather conditions, supervising field trips, and adapting physically to children's activities and needs.

Requirements

Meet one of the stated education or permit pathways: 24 postsecondary semester units (or equivalent quarter units) in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or a related field with grades of C- or better, plus 16 general education units; an AA degree or higher in ECE, CD, or a related field from a nationally accredited college; or a Teacher Permit or above issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
Education and permit requirements may vary according to center needs and may require age-group-specific units, such as Infant, Toddler, or School-Age units, or requirements related to Title 5 or Title 22 status.
Be physically and mentally capable of interacting with children up to 13 years of age, meeting their needs, and ensuring their safety.
Demonstrate effective problem solving, conflict resolution, classroom management, and communication with children and families.
Demonstrate effective organization, time management, curriculum, and assessment documentation skills.
Work alongside colleagues and maintain a professional team environment.
Be comfortable with occasional loud noise during activities.
Be comfortable with frequent bending, lifting, twisting, reaching, pushing, and pulling.
Push, lift, carry, and hold objects weighing up to 15 pounds, individually or with a team.
Work indoors or outdoors in weather conditions that are safe for children, and traverse varied terrain and heights depending on the school environment.
Adapt physically to children's activity levels, including sitting on the floor, kneeling, and squatting.

Nice To Haves

Two years of experience in a group care environment providing care or teaching for a consistent age group is preferred.
One year of experience supervising adults, or equivalent adult supervision units, is preferred.
Current adult and infant/child CPR and First Aid certification is preferred.
Bilingual or multilingual ability is preferred based on individual center needs.

Responsibilities

Create and implement developmentally appropriate curricula based on learning foundations and children's interests.
Create, implement, and maintain intentional, enriched, supportive, age-appropriate learning environments and quality experiences.
Establish authentic connections and reciprocal, culturally responsive relationships with children, youth, families, schools, communities, and classroom teams.
Keep children healthy and safe through proper supervision, positive interactions, healthy habits, and compliance with requirements.
Collaborate with fellow staff to provide high-quality programs and creative workplaces.
Maintain positive interactions with children and youth and kind, respectful, and safe emotional and physical environments.
Be punctual and regularly present, and participate actively in indoor and outdoor programs.
Follow safety guidelines, identify and help prevent hazards, and report health and safety issues or incidents to management.
Provide first aid as needed during emergency situations while remaining calm.
Supervise field trips to destinations such as aquatic parks, beaches, and trampoline parks.
Complete curriculum and assessment documentation, including lesson plans, portfolios, and anecdotal notes.