School Age Teacher

Job description

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.

All teaching staff are expected to demonstrate behaviors that are essential for successful programs and environment including the following:

• 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.

Teaching staff are responsible for various program elements on a daily basis and will be exposed to indoor and outdoor elements. Teaching staff may be required to:

• Visually inspect the environment for hazards to children; identify hazards and implement preventative actions such as setting up cones to limit play area to maintain a safe environment for children.
• Be comfortable with occasional loud noise in our outdoor 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's outdoor environment.
• Adapt to the physical level of children (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.

Education and permit requirements may vary by center needs/require age group specific units depending on the program, such as Infant, Toddler, School‑Age, Title 5 or Title 22 status.

• 24 postsecondary semester or equivalent quarter units in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related field with passing grades of C‑ or better, plus 16 general education units.
• AA degree or higher in ECE, CD, or related field from a nationally accredited college.
• Teacher Permit or above issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

• 2 years of experience in a group care environment where care/teaching was provided for a consistent age group is preferred.
• 1 year of experience supervising adults or equivalent adult supervision units if preferred.
• Effective problem solving, conflict resolution, classroom management, and communication with children…