Teacher Assistant-Floater

Teacher Assistant Floater

This is a Teacher Assistant Floater position and will go between the Seguin and New Braunfels Head Start Centers.

The Head Start Teacher Assistant‑floater is responsible for assisting the Head Start Teachers in implementing the program in an assigned classroom and ensuring the classroom operates in compliance with Head Start Performance Standards, TDFPS Minimum Standards, and all state and local regulations. The position provides care and education for children and their families in a child‑care setting, maintains a supportive, safe, and stimulating learning environment, and is knowledgeable of Texas Minimum Standards for Licensing and Head Start Performance Standards.

This is a year‑round position that travels between both Seguin and New Braunfels centers, where coverage is needed. The assistant provides care for children ages 6 weeks to 4 years old (both Early Head Start and Head Start children).

• Assists teachers in maintaining a calm, safe classroom and playground that incorporates developmental appropriateness; creates an atmosphere where children feel comfortable and secure and reflects the cultures of all enrolled children, including those with special needs.
• Provides direct classroom support necessary to maintain program classroom ratio and ensure two teachers are present at all times; assists with providing breaks and other classroom needs as requested.
• Ensures the safety of children through constant supervision, effective arrangement of space, proper maintenance of equipment, and regular practice of fire drills and other emergency procedures.
• Works closely with the teacher to develop lesson plans that meet the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual needs of each child; plans small and large group activities for variation in ability levels and individual interests.
• Assists teacher in incorporating developmentally appropriate practice according to the Head Start Performance Standards.
• Assists teacher in ensuring continuity of curriculum and high standards of equality in the classroom; works individually with children who experience difficulty in group activities.
• Consistently implements center routines, including hand washing, tooth brushing, eating, napping, and transitioning between activities.
• Operates the classroom in compliance with all childcare‑licensing standards, particularly prohibiting any form of physical punishment.
• Assists teacher in ensuring that the arrangement of each classroom provides a stimulating, clean, and safe learning environment.
• Ensures proper documentation in children’s files in all content areas.
• Assists teacher in ensuring Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) goals are implemented in the classroom for each identified child; continues the ongoing assessment process, maintaining written and electronic records on each child.
• Ensures all classrooms have a variety of materials and planned activities designed to encourage individual and group play to promote language/literacy, social‑emotional, physical, match & science and cognitive skills, including children with special needs.
• Provides experiences that promote individual self‑expression in conversation, imaginative play, and creativity and provides positive guidance to promote self‑esteem.
• Provides experiences involving thinking skills such as generalizing, classifying, sorting, and problem solving.
• Makes available a variety of opportunities to help children develop and understand appropriate relationships with others.
• Increases the complexity and challenge of activities as children develop.
• Observes, records, and reports any child’s behavior, sharing information appropriately with other EHS/HS management staff for intervention or assistance on improving the child’s behavior.
• Shows personal development and growth by being relaxed, using a calm, quiet voice, being pleasant and enthusiastic about the children, and controlling self in trying situations.
• Assists with transition activities for the Head Start child and family: into Head Start, during the year, and to the next placement (kindergarten).
• Joins the children…