Assistant Teacher
Nature and Scope:
Under the direction of the Center Director, and Education Manager, the Assistant Teacher is responsible to support the delivery of a high-quality educational experience for the children and families under his/her care. Must implement the program based on the program's goal and objectives. All decisions must be guided by the YMCA, Bright from the Start licensing, and Quality Rated. Parent involvement is critical to the impact and success of the overall program.
Responsibilities:
Ensure School Readiness/Academic Instruction:
- Utilize the curriculum goals and objectives to assist the lead teacher in developing lesson plans to support the early learning standards and include educational experiences in Language/Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies, Creative (Music, Art and Drama), Social & Emotional, and Physical Development.
- Work as a team member to meet the needs of the children classroom and center.
- Develop individual relationships with children by providing care that is responsive attentive, consistent, comforting, supportive, and culturally sensitive.
- Assist in activities that relate to the weekly studies and extend on what they know about each student’s interest and their families.
- Implement family style meals, sit and eat with children, and engage them in conversation.
- When appropriate participate in open communication with parents.
- Ensure that the classroom environment is being kept clean and organized in accordance to program goals and philosophy.
- Keep all appropriate records and documentation that one is required to when in a classroom.
- Daily assignments may include coverage for other staff during breaks, planning time, and as needed to ensure proper classroom ratios, cleaning toys and other classroom equipment, clean common areas such as bathrooms, and outdoor play areas, removing garbage, inventory supplies, organize art and supplies cabinets.
- Maintain a safe and healthy environment
- Implement family style meals, sit and eat with children, and engage them in conversation.
- Maintain compliance with the Y’s Way to the Creative Curriculum goals and objectives.
- Arrange the learning environment to support learning content areas and ITERS and ECERS criteria.
Empower Healthy Living/Health & Safety
- Follow the design that has been created to protect the children’s Health and Safety at all times. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that all Physical Hazards are always inaccessible to students.
- Assist in creating an environment that prevents challenging or disruptive behaviors through – classroom strategies/designs, effective transitions and engaging activities.
- Use positive redirection to address inappropriate behaviors. Behavior charts cannot be displayed in Pre-K classrooms. No employee can use any form of corporal punishment as a method of discipline. Any violation will be grounds for automatic termination. Teachers are mandated reporters and are required by law to report the witnessing of inappropriate discipline or knowledge of child abuse.
- Provides adequate supervision as defined by BFTS, Quality Rated, and the YMCA of children during all activities (indoors & outdoors) as well as during all times when children are under their direct care. Any lack of supervision that results in an injury of a student can be grounds for immediate termination.
- Must obtain First Aid/CPR & 10 hour Health & Safety Orientation (BFTS) within 30 days of hire and maintain the certification.
- Follows and teaches health practices relating to Hand-washing and Basic Hygiene Practices.
- Complete Incident Reports and to follow the required documentation steps and protocol in reporting the incident to the Directors and families immediately.
Assessments and Evaluations (with the direction of the Lead Teacher):
- Supports the process of Teaching Strategies Gold and/or other assessments as needed. This includes, but is not limited to, following the schools assessment timeline for evaluation of each student development and organization of student portfolios.
Family and Volunteer Engagement:
- Assistant Teachers will use a variety of formal and informal strategies to become acquainted with and learn from families about their family culture and structure.
- Assistant Teachers work in conjunction with Lead and Assistant Teachers to work together to plan activities for student and teachers strongly encourage family involvement during all branch activities and events.
Professional Development:
- Assistant Teachers evaluate and improve their own performance based on ongoing reflection and feedback from supervisor, peers and families. Assistant Teachers develop a staff development plan with their supervisor.
- Must attend all trainings that are guided and selected to ensure BFTS and YMCA training requirements are met.
- Utilize planning time to help develop lesson plans (with lead teacher) and other tasks to support the overall program goals.
- Commit to an agreed upon work schedule and is flexible, and available, if needed, to adjust hours with little notice.
- Attends Pre-service, In-service and any special training sessions required by the program.
- Assistant Teachers must be prepared to meet all Partnership Training Requirements which include Rollins Center, PCA Start for Life.
- Perform other duties as related to the delivery of a quality program.
COVID-19 Expectations:
- Masks must always be worn during the day.
- Gloves are needed when changing diapers & mealtime. Must change gloves in between each child.
- Sanitizing all toys/chairs/door handles frequently after each use.
- Provide each child with their own set of materials to reduce the spread of germs.
- Open & closing shift- all tables & counters wiped down.
- Will follow best practices set forth by BFTS, CDC and YMCA of Metro Atlanta cleaning and sanitizing .
Minimum Requirements:
- Must be 21 years of age.
- CDA, TCC (preferred)
- Have at least 2 year of experience working with children
- Excellent verbal/written communication skills.
- Must submit a cleared GCIC and NCIC before working.
ORGANIZATIONAL COMPETENCIES – Team Support:
Mission Advancement: Models and teaches the Y’s values; ensures a high level of service with a commitment to improving lives through wellness initiatives; seeks and supervises volunteers; cultivates relationships to support fundraising (may be responsible for team or division).
Collaboration: Champions inclusion; builds relationships to create small communities; practices active non-evaluative listening skills, communicates for understanding; and able to empathetically manage conflict when it occurs; provides staff with feedback, coaching, guidance and support.
Operational Effectiveness: Provides others with framework for making decisions; conducts pilots for new programs; develops plans and manages best practices through engagement of the staff team; effectively manages budgets; holds staff accountable for high-quality results using a formal process to measure progress.
Personal Growth: Shares new insights and trends; facilitates change and models adaptability; utilizes non-threatening methods to address sensitive issues or inappropriate performance or behavior.
Ergonomic Requirements: Bending, stooping, standing, lifting up to 40 pounds, seeing, verbal communication and hearing.
Effect of end Result:
Children and Families will experience a high-quality pre-school program. Children will be supervised at all times. Staff will comply with all rules and regulations of BFTS, Quality Rated, and the YMCA. The program will remain in compliance at all times with Bright from the Start and all polices that are set forth by YMCA of Metro Atlanta.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $15.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
Education:
- High school or equivalent (Required)
Experience:
- Early Childhood Education: 1 year (Preferred)
- Childcare: 1 year (Required)
License/Certification:
- CPR Certification (Preferred)
- Child Development Associate Certification (Preferred)
Work Location: In person