EC Teacher Assistant

The Head Start Assistant Teacher collaborates with the Lead Teacher to provide support in effective instructional strategies, classroom management, learning, assessment, evaluation and related research for children 3-5 years old. The Assistant Teacher is responsible for providing developmentally appropriate learning experiences, supervision of children assigned in the classroom, and providing a supportive and positive classroom climate, while ensuring the individual needs of the children are met.

This includes alignment with DCFS, Excele Rate Illinois, NAEYC, federal, state and local standards, as applicable

Scope of Responsibilities:
• Supports and models high-quality teaching and learning in the classroom that promotes academic readiness.
• Demonstrates enthusiasm and uses interpersonal skills in order to relate well with children, parents, co-workers, administrator sand the community.
• Maintains awareness and supervision of the needs of all children and ensures their health and physical safety, at all times.
• Interacts and assists children individually or in small groups in order to guide and reinforce learning concepts.
• Supports the Lead Teacher in planning for at least two parent/teacher conferences per program year.
• Identifies different instructional resources and methods to meet children’s varying needs.
• Organizes and supervises games and other activities to promote physical, mental and social development.
• Guides and supports all children, including dual language learners and those with special needs.
• Demonstrates culturally and linguistically appropriate practices that values all children and families and makes them feel welcome and an essential part of the program.
• Models and promotes appropriate grammar, language, positive interactions and discipline and interactions for children and parents.
• Establishes a professional rapport and works cooperatively with adults assigned to the classroom (i.e., Teacher, Aide, Parents, and Volunteers), establishing clear expectations for roles and responsibilities.
• Develops effective partnerships with families and encourages parent involvement through a variety of methods (e.g., classroom parent meetings & events, center-wide activities).
• Annually completes at least thirty clock hours of professional development, through participation in offered trainings, workshops,in-service days, all staff conferences and maintain log of professional development requirements, including documents supporting completion.
• Reports and maintains a log of professional development requirements, including documents supporting completion through the Gateways Registry system.
• Utilizes continuous quality improvement (CQI) strategies to improve the classroom experience for children and families.
• Participates and supports agency/center efforts toward recruitment, enrollment, attendance and retention of families.

Lesson Planning and Classroom Management
• Collaborates with the Lead Teacher to develop lesson plans with goals, objectives, activities and outcomes for children that integrate health, nutrition, mental health, disabilities and parent involvement.
• Assists the Lead Teacher in implementation of high quality, developmentally appropriate curriculum approaches (like Creative Curriculum) while ensuring the program follows DCFS, YMCA, Excele Rate Illinois, and NAEYC accreditation standards, if applicable.
• Plans, prepares and delivers age-appropriate instructional activities that facilitate active learning experiences and promotes thesocial, emotional, physical and cognitive development of each child. Takes the lead in absence of the lead teacher.
• With the support of the Lead Teacher, uses observational and child data to assist in planning developmentally…