Teaching Assistant Preschool

Teaching Assistant

Position Title:

Teaching Assistant

Program:
Thrive to Five

Location:

CAP Early Learning Center, Downtown Lancaster

A Teaching Assistant position is part of the teaching team that has a primary classroom placement. Their role is to support the Lead Teacher and the children in the classroom.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Educational Services: promote cognitive development and learning dispositions in ALL children.

• Assists with implementing Creative Curriculum, Thrive to Five Daily Structures, and instructional strategies in accordance with program guidelines to fidelity.

• Follows schedules, daily routines and lesson plans of each classroom.

• Plans lessons when needed.

• Prepares classrooms.

• Uses responsive language with children.

• Assesses children's developmental levels using a variety of assessment tools and plans lessons with Lead teacher.

• Collaborates with Lead Teacher in the observation of children in the classroom and collecting data for GOLD assessment to inform differentiated & individual instruction, scaffolding children's learning, & meeting program readiness goals

• Enters GOLD observations and assigns levels on continuum that accurately reflect authentic descriptions of children's behaviors

Health and Safety: promote healthy growth & habits in children and provide a safe environment.

• Follows all safety and health procedures and expectations as outlined by regulatory standards (DHS, STARS, EHS, or Head Start Performance standards).

• Provides adequate supervision of children at all times as defined in Thrive to Five policies and procedures.

• Follow all meal service standards as outlined by CACFP.

• Follows all guidance to prevent the spread of illness as defined by Thrive to Five's policies and procedures such as but not limited to: daily health checks, use of gloves and masks, etc.

• Uses meals & snacks times to teach about health, sanitation and proper nutrition

• Assists with ensuring all children receive the required dental, vision, hearing, and BMI screenings under the guidance of the lead teacher and the Health and Safety manager.

• Teaches children proper safety skills such as but not limited to: tooth brushing, hand washing, walking to/from spaces, using tissues, etc.

• Follows all procedures when assisting children with the toilet or changing a diaper.

• Follows all procedures when supervising and assisting children with rest time. IE, following safe sleep procedures for infants. Supervising rest time appropriately with older children.

Social Emotional: promotes healthy social and emotional growth in children.

• Implements PBIS universal practices established by Thrive to Five.

• Teaches and models social-emotional skills and practices.

• Implements interventions, such as, Teacher Support Plans and Safety Plans with support from intra/inter agency teams (Program Coordinators, Early Childhood Behavior Specialists (ECBS) or Mental Health Consultants).

• Maintains current knowledge about challenging behavior and mental health concerns.

• Implements behavior support plans as needed.

• Follows the responsive scale of discipline.

• Collaborates with Lead Teacher using & following screening and referral system for children suspected of having a disability

• Works with Lead Teacher, Early Learning Coordinator, Education, Behavior & Disabilities (EBD) Specialist & Health Manager and itinerant early intervention teachers in ongoing assessment and instructional planning for children with disabilities, health needs, and challenging behavior.

• Implements individualized instruction for children (with teacher guidance) with disabilities and individual needs.

Family Engagement: promotes and facilitate respectful, mutually supportive relationships with families.

• Assists in providing a welcoming culturally inclusive environment for families. Models enthusiasm and promotes parent/child activities.

• Maintains parent/staff rapport and mutual confidence and trust with classroom team.

• Uses assessment to develop long- and short-range plans for parent's participation in their child's learning experiences.

• Collaborates with Lead Teacher in delivering evidence-based family engagement practices that…