Preschool Teacher

Job Summary:

The Head Start Preschool Teacher is responsible for a Head Start classroom of 3- to 5-year-old children. S/he works collaboratively with an assistant teacher, family members, and other staff to achieve positive outcomes for children of all abilities.

Essential

Job Duties:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to carry out each essential duty in a satisfactory manner. The job specifications listed below are representative of the education and experience as well as the knowledge, skill and/or ability (KSAs) required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

CLASS teacher-child interactions:
• Provide emotional support through establishing a positive climate, being aware of and responsive to children, and encouraging child expression and autonomy.
• Use strategies for behavior management, such as clear behavior expectations, being proactive and redirecting misbehavior.
• Foster classroom productivity and maximize learning time, while engaging children with a variety of modalities and materials.
• Provide instructional support through concept development, fostering children's analysis and reasoning, engaging in feedback loops, and modeling and supporting high-quality language.
• Strive to maintain high quality in interactions with children by achieving a minimum scoring level of 6-Emotional Support, 6-Classroom Observations and a 3-lnstructional Support during CLASS observations informally and formally within 1 year of employment with FDS.Learning Environment, Curriculum & Child Assessment:
• Ensure classroom arrangement, materials and displays are organized and conducive to children's learning and consistently meet expectations in the Education Department Standard Operating Procedures.
• Maintain a clean and safe environment that is conducive to keeping children and adults healthy.
• Maintain an inclusive and welcoming environment for all children and families.
• Know and understand Family Development Services
-Head Start School Readiness Goals and strive to help all children achieve them.
• Provide classroom experiences that are developmentally, linguistically, culturally and age-appropriate for the children served.
• Establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment, including full supervision of children at all times, in accordance with Head Start and childcare licensing requirements.
• Conduct daily health/safety monitoring of the indoor and (as requested) outdoor environment.
• Follow all health and hygiene practices, including handwashing, sanitizing, and universal precautions.
• Supervise mealtimes and meal service to children; serve children meals/ snacks at least two days weekly.
• Cultivate and maintain a positive working relationship with co-workers.
• Maintain a clean and safe environment that is conducive to keeping children and adults healthy by following all health and hygiene practices, including handwashing, sanitizing, and universal precautions.
• Implement Family Development Services
-Head Start chosen curriculum with fidelity by providing developmentally appropriate activities, opportunities and experiences in the classroom which align with the age and stage of each child.
• Prepare or modify weekly lesson plans and prepare to implement small-group activities, read-aloud, circle time, and other curriculum components.
• Maintain the classroom schedule and by providing children with a consistent classroom routine and facilitate all parts of the routine to support child learning.
• Interact with children intentionally throughout the day to provide differentiated support.
• Collect documentation of children through ongoing observation, embedded and direct assessment activities.
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