Toddler Assistant Teacher

About This Role

First Church Academy for Young Children, located in the center of West Hartford CT is looking for a full‑time Toddler program Associate Teacher. We are a private, nonprofit, NAEYC Accredited, OEC licensed program serving children 6 weeks through 5 years of age. Under the supervision of the Director and the Lead Teacher, the Associate Teacher will provide a warm, nurturing, safe and loving environment that encourages a child’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth.

The Teacher will follow policies and procedures outlined in the First Church Academy for Young Children Staff Manual and adhere to the NAEYC Code of Ethics.

• Offer a program that meets the emotional, physical, intellectual, and social needs of both the individual and the group.
• Interact with the children frequently, affectionately, and respectfully. Speak in a calm, friendly, soft, and courteous manner with proximity to the child.
• Prepare a warm and safe environment that is orderly, clean, and appealing and permits the child to grow and explore.
• Engage and communicate constructively with individual children during activities and routines. Take every opportunity to positively extend children’s thinking and actions.
• Plan with the Associate Teacher, and other staff, weekly lesson plans which follow the Creative Curriculum objectives for development and learning.
• Practice positive discipline techniques in guiding children’s behavior according to First Church Academy for Young Children’s Positive Guidance Plan, outlined in our Staff Manual.
• Observe, record and report significant individual and group behavior and use data to inform lesson planning.
• Maintain all required classroom child records.
• Follow the school wide assessment plan, which in alignment with Creative Curriculum includes maintaining child portfolios and holding family conferences.

• Provide associates the opportunity to have input into the program.
• Maintain open communication with co‑workers and raise issues in a constructive manner.
• Attend all staff and teacher meetings.
• Support organizational mission, philosophies, values, and policies to families, colleagues, and community.
• Ensure continuity of care for children by reporting to work on time and maintaining consistent attendance, arranging, and communicating leave requests in advance.
• Establish a plan for continued professional growth as outlined by the Office of Early Childhood and NAEYC.

• Acknowledge families and all classroom visitors.
• Respond to family comments and concerns with sensitivity, interest, respect and maintain confidentiality.
• Invite input from families regarding their child’s development and care.
• Plan and facilitate family conferences at least two times per year. Conferences will be based on data collected during classroom observations and assessment. Information will be shared regarding a child’s developmental progress and goals for future growth.
• Share resources with families through discussions, articles, and newsletters.
• Share photographs through FCAYC parent engagement app.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director.

• An Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education, related field, or 12 ECE credits.
• At least 2 years of experience working with preschool or early elementary children in an organized program (comparable education and/or experience may be considered).

• Move, push, and pull, if needed, while moving and holding children.
• Safely lift up to 40 lbs.
• Physically interact with young children through running, chasing, bending, stooping, climbing, sitting, and standing.
• Stand for extended periods of time.
• Assume postures in low level positions that best allow physical and visual contact with children.
• Engage in repetitive bending at the waist, as well as kneeling, stooping, crouching to assist children.
• Have excellent speaking and hearing ability to exchange information, hear in noisy environment, and locate the sources of sounds for health and safety including crying by children.
• Easily and safely accompany children in the building and outdoors for distances of several hundred yards per day at a reasonable pace.
• Must be able to assume postures in low-level positions that best allow physical and visual contact with children.
• Must be able to bend to perform various tasks numerous times throughout the day.
• Must be able to easily accompany children in the building and outdoors for distances of several hundred yards per day at a reasonable pace.

• Love children
• High energy
• Strong communication skills
• Team player

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Paid Leave
• Sick Leave
• Retirement Plan
• Tuition Assistance
• Professional Development
• Generous full time employee benefits

The Academy also offers scholarships for CDA, certificate programs, professional development and job related coursework.