Head Start Teacher

Portsmouth, United States | Posted on 06/26/2025

• Industry Nonprofit Charitable Organizations
• Work Experience 1-3 years
• City Portsmouth
• State/Province VA
• Country United States

· Meet the needs of all children, including those with special needs,those who are gifted and those who are culturally diverse.

· Integrate all Head Start service areas into classroom time.

· Develop and utilize lesson plans, which reflect mandated elements,parental and cultural influences, and promote the social, emotional, physical,and cognitive development of Head Start children.

· Implement ongoing early child/family literacy activities.

· Individualize one-to-one and group activities to reflect the unique needs and strengths of all children in the classroom. Observe and record behaviors of children to assist in this process.

· Follow a consistent schedule, which includes small and large group experiences, choice time, music and movement, large and small motor activities,skill development, meals, and effective transitions between activities.

· Encourage experimentation, exploration, problem solving, cooperation,socialization, and choice making, ask open-ended questions and listen respectfully to the answers.

· Provide an atmosphere that promotes and reinforces parental involvement in the classroom.

· Conduct ongoing assessments for children and record data using the Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies Gold web-based assessment tool.

· Work with appropriate agencies in developing specialized planning for children/families, as needed.

· Supervise and monitor children at all times.

· Respond to crisis or emergency situations that may occur and provide first aid or CPR. Prevent the spread of blood borne pathogens, and access emergency services as needed.

· Maintain accurate written records; including assessments, special education documentation, screening instruments, anecdotal observations,documents for transition to public school and parent/teacher conference, home visits and other required forms.

Collaborative Service Delivery/Home Visits (15%)

· Provide classroom supervision and effective communication for teacher assistants and all volunteers.

Ensure teamwork with teacher assistant and others assigned to the class.

· Participate in regularly scheduled team meetings to plan for and deliver collaborative services across all service areas.

To include working with the Transportation Service Area to ensure children's safety to and from Head Start centers.

· Meet regularly with parents, and other staff regarding each child'sstatus and progress.

· Conduct regular home visits and parent/teacher conferences for purposes of assessment and support, and to share information on classroom progress,educational strategies and parenting.

· Assess individual and group needs, attending to special needs, specific interests, strengths and concerns.

· With parental involvement, develop balanced lesson plans, which are developmentally appropriate, intellectually challenging and address eachchild's specific strengths and needs.

· Establish daily and weekly goals, which will promote individual andgroup educational plans and include other Head Start service areas.

· Prepare classroom materials to support lesson plans and change andcreate learning centers as needed.

· Adapt curriculum to address and meet individual goals for children as identified in their individualized plans.

· Attend meetings, trainings, and appropriate professional development activities.

· Assure general classroom maintenance/sanitization, laundry and security of facility where applicable.

· Maintain an inventory of classroom equipment.

· Other duties as requested.

• Strong knowledge of child development, family dynamics, and the needs of children:

• Minimum educational requirement of a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or bachelors in a related field that includes classes focusing on early childhood education/development.

Note:

An associate degree in early childhood education will be accepted; on the condition the employee is already enrolled or enrolls in a bachelor’s degree (ECE) program, which will be mandatory, to maintain teacher status. Failure to work towards a…