Early Learning & Development Center Co-Teacher

Special Information

• This position is an on-site position which requires the incumbent to complete their work primarily at an NAU site, campus, or facility with or without accommodation. Opportunities for remote work are rare.

At NAU, we develop educational leaders who create tomorrow’s opportunities and prepare leaders in education to make a difference for the lives of those with whom they work. NAU has long been recognized as a leader in education, in Arizona and beyond. We offer undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs that offer innovative teaching strategies that allow students to work closely with our accomplished education faculty.

Northern Arizona University's Early Learning and Development Center (ELDC) serves children aged 2-5 and their families, supporting children's intellectual growth, social-emotional intelligence, and physical development. The Co-Teacher Position Assists with planning and implementing curriculum for preschool age children through developmentally appropriate learning experiences. Assists in preparing the classroom environment; supports children’s learning; helps document and analyze children’s learning; and engages with parents to maintain a partnership between school and home through open and cooperative communication.

50% - Classroom Instruction and Support

• Assists Mentor Teacher to meet standards in social emotional, physical, language, social studies, and the arts domains.
• Supports the classroom by helping to create an environment and structure for maintaining classroom order and behavior management.
• Implements NAEYC developmentally appropriate practices in the daily life of the classroom, while supporting the health and safety of the children.
• Assist in the instruction for children in the classroom using the Project Approach curriculum as a framework for learning experiences.
• Provides support for children personal care and needs, including diaper changes, potty training assistance and providing guidance to children on basic personal hygiene functions.
• Acts as back up to Mentor Teacher during absences, during breaks or as needed.
• Assist children in emergency situations, assisting with accidental injuries and conflict management.

15% - Instructional Planning

• Supports in the development of lesson plans utilizing the Project Approach to promote literacy, language, mathematical thinking, scientific thinking, social studies, arts, and social emotional development.
• Collaborates with the Mentor Teacher to plan and implement classroom learning experiences.

15% - Assessment

• Assists the Mentor Teacher by using authentic assessment strategies including photography, anecdotal records, children’s words, and artifacts as a means to measure student learning.
• Creates and manages developmental screenings for every child in the classroom as a form of authentic assessment to demonstrate children’s learning.
• Supports Mentor Teacher in collecting data and documentation for classroom inquiry.
• Document and enter growth data into Child Assessment app, Kaymbu, to document the learning of each child.
• Assist the Mentor Teacher in reporting children’s growth milestones to families or parental units.

15% - Professional Development and Mentorship

• Engage in coaching and professional development plans to engage in a cycle of self-inquiry of teaching and learning.
• Build authentic relationships with families through a variety of communication strategies.
• Provides support to the Mentor Teacher in coaching pre-service teachers.
• May provide guidance or additional support to student employees or hourly employees of the center.

5% - Other

• Other duties as assigned.

• A Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) or 12 higher education credits in early childhood education, early childhood special education, elementary education, and/or child development.
• 6 months of directly related experience working with young children.
• The ability to obtain a DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card

* A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above Minimum Qualifications.

• Bach…