Preschool Associate Teacher

Role

Preschool Associate Teacher – Catalyst Family

Catalyst teaching staff support the planning and implementation of Catalyst’s programming for children ranging in age from infant, toddler, pre‑school, kinder, and school age depending on the location. Teachers must be able to facilitate a variety of age‑appropriate activities, support children’s social‑emotional development, and ensure children are supervised at all times in a healthy and safe environment.

• Create and implement developmentally appropriate curriculum supported by learning foundations that are directly connected to children’s interests and promote positive child development.
• Create, implement, and maintain intentional, enriched, and supportive learning environments and quality experiences that are age‑appropriate for all children.
• Provide excellent customer service by establishing authentic connections and reciprocal, culturally responsive relationships with children, youth, families, schools, communities, and the center/classroom team.
• Keep children healthy and safe by ensuring proper supervision, positive interactions, healthy habits, and excellent compliance.
• Work collaboratively with fellow staff by connecting workplace values, education, and experience to provide the highest quality programs and creative workplaces.

• Positive interactions with children and youth.
• Maintain kind, respectful, and safe emotional/physical environments for children.
• Be on time and present on a regularly scheduled basis.
• Be active in outdoor and indoor programs.
• Be physically and mentally capable of interacting with children up to 13 years of age, meeting all their needs and ensuring their safety.
• Be aware of and implement safety guidelines; report any health & safety issues or incidents to management, and remain calm if providing first aid (as needed) during emergency situations.

• Visually inspect the environment for hazards to children; identify hazards and implement preventative actions.
• Be comfortable with occasional loud noise in the classroom during activities.
• Be comfortable with frequent bending, lifting, twisting, reaching, pushing, and pulling.
• Push, lift, carry, and hold various objects up to 15 lbs. – by individual or team effort – such as equipment carts, emergency backpacks, food coolers, classroom furnishings, and other similar program materials.
• Work inside the classroom or outside the room in all weather conditions which are safe for children.
• Traverse various terrains (grass, blacktop, dirt) and heights (ladders, playgrounds) depending on the school outdoor environment.
• Adapt to the physical level of children (e.g., sitting on the floor, kneeling, squatting) for activities and problem‑solving interactions.
• Supervise field trips to destinations such as aquatic parks, beaches, and trampoline parks.

• Seniority level:
  Entry level
• Employment type:
  
  Full‑time
• Job function:
  Education and Training
• Industries:
  Education Administration Programs

Associate Teachers are members of the teaching team who share responsibility for the care and education of an assigned group of children/classroom. There may be more than one person designated as an Associate Teacher for each group of children.

• 12–24 postsecondary semester or equivalent quarter units in ECE, CD, or related field with passing grades of C‑ or better; OR
• Associate Teacher Permit or above issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

• 6–12 months of experience in a group care environment where care/teaching was provided for a consistent age group is preferred.
• Effective problem solving, conflict resolution, classroom management, and communication with children and families.
• Effective organization, time management, curriculum, and assessment documentation (lesson plans, portfolios, and anecdotal notes).
• Ability to work alongside colleagues and maintain a professional team environment.
• Current adult and infant/child CPR & First Aid certification is preferred.
• Bilingual/multilingual language preference based on individual center needs.