Preschool Assistant Teacher

Description

PRESCHOOL ASSISTANT TEACHER

Description:

The Preschool Assistant Teacher assists the Lead Teacher in the safety, direction, and overall supervision of a group of preschool children and ensures the safety, involvement, creativity, and development of each child. Collaborates with team teachers (Lead Teacher/Floater/Substitute) to plan, discuss and/or implement daily plans in accordance with the current curriculum, the Illinois Early Learning Standards and DCFS guidelines and standards. Supports children in building a solid foundation for a relationship with Jesus through modeling and teaching.

Responsibilities:

• Monitoring the welfare, health and safety of all children in the classroom at all times.
• Reporting suspected child abuse or neglect as required by law in accordance with DCFS guidelines and procedures.
• Respecting and maintaining confidentiality and privacy of all records and information of staff, children, and families.
• Collaborating with the Lead Teacher in lesson planning and the implementing the activities.
• Partnering with team teachers to maintain an orderly, clean classroom and cleaning toys as necessary.
• Performing daily health checks on each child in the classroom.
• Assisting in supervision of all children in the classroom throughout the day, indoors and outdoors.

• Providing electronic (using the Center’s classroom management software) and/or verbal daily updates to parents regarding their child’s day.

• Greeting each child upon entering the classroom and engaging with the parent/guardian/caregiver.
• Communicating positively, effectively and sensitively with parents regarding their child’s day, possible concerns, which may include challenging behavior.

• Assisting the Lead Teacher in creating engaging, stimulating learning centers according to developmentally appropriate practices for all children.
• Providing assistance and input on lesson plans and activities in the classroom.
• Assisting in implementing the curriculum (Creative Curriculum) to fidelityand utilizing data from Teaching Strategies Gold to assist in lesson planning, adjust teaching styles and plan activities to enhance each child's progress.
• Inputting/uploading photographs, observations and documentation notes into the Teaching Strategies Gold data base (assessment tool) as evidence of learning for each child on a daily/weekly basis.
• Assisting with assessments of the growth and development of each child.
• Incorporating faith components in daily lesson plans, using the current faith curriculum and naturally occurring opportunities, such as praying before meals, reading bible stories, modeling Christian values, etc.
• Assisting in maintaining current, confidential files for each child including emergency contacts, family history, anecdotal notes and collected samples of each child’s work.
• Providing feedback to the Lead Teacher for progress reports at least twice a year.

• Assisting with parent/conferences at least twice a year.
• Following the playground clean-up schedule at the end of each day.
• Assisting with the completion of daily attendance reports.

• Administering medication to children, as needed.
• Completing accident/incident reports as needed. All accidents and incidents are to be reported to the Director and/or Assistant Director immediately.
• Attending staff meetings, trainings, workshops, and special school events.
• Assisting in keeping the preschool in compliance with licensing guidelines and annual fire and health department inspections.
• Preparing and serving snacks in accordance with posted/approved menus and special diet accommodations.
• Communicating with the Lead Teacher/floater/substiture and Director/Assistant Director regarding student needs in the classroom.
• Refraining from personal cell phone usage (including texting) in the classroom when children are present and during the work day.
• Completing other duties as assigned by the Director.

Additional Requirements:

• Must meet DCFS licensing requirements as required for Early Childhood Assistants
• Illinois Mandated Reporter training
• SUID and SIDS training
• CPR/First Aid and Heimlich maneuver certified
• Current physical and TB test
• Membership in the Gateways to Opportunity Registry
• 15 clock hours per year of in-service training
• Food Handler Certification
• Teaching Strategies Gold Preschool Interrater-Reliability Certification within six months of hire

Qualifications

Physical Demands:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:
• Stand, stoop, bend and carry children
• Lift and or move up to 50 pounds
• Sit
• Use hands to finger
• Handle of feel objects, tools or controls
• Reach with hands and arms
• Talk or hear
• Specific vision abilities required are:
  • Close vision
  • Distant vision
  • Color vision
  • Peripheral vision
  • Depth perception
  • Ability to adjust focus