Possess an active Child Development Associate credential or an Associate degree in Early Childhood Education and two years of work experience related to the care and development of children.
Be able to obtain compliance with Act 33, including Child Abuse History documentation (Form CY-113), Criminal History documentation (Form SP4-164), FBI fingerprinting, National Sex Offender Registry Verification, and Mandated Reporter training.
Complete biannual physical examinations and an initial tuberculosis (Mantoux) test, and be free from infectious or communicable disease.
Be able to work with and relate well to young children and coworkers.
Be able to supervise adults when necessary.
Successfully complete New Staff Orientation.
Be at least 18 years of age.
Obtain CPR, First Aid, AED, and Child Abuse mandated reporter certifications within 30 days of hire.
Be able to plan, organize, and implement age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate program activities.
Have previous experience with diverse populations and be able to develop positive, authentic relationships with people from different backgrounds.
Be able to plan, lead, and participate in activities.
Be able to lift at least 35 pounds.
Be able to stand for long periods of time.
Be able to get down on the floor and interact with children at their level.
Undergo continuous professional development as outlined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, up to 24 hours per school year.
Be available for a full-time, school-year appointment of 180 school days plus professional development days.
Maintain all Department of Human Services, Keystone STARS, and Pennsylvania Department of Education requirements.
Responsibilities
Assist in establishing and maintaining a safe and healthful learning environment.
Assist in maintaining an efficient, well-arranged classroom, including organized interest areas.
Keep equipment and materials in good repair and store them safely and orderly.
Clean and sanitize toys and cots weekly and as needed at other times.
Assist in providing materials and activities suited to children's developmental progress and individual learning styles.
Assist in planning a multisensory classroom environment, including visual, auditory, and tactile elements.
Support children's social-emotional development and provide positive guidance.
Provide children opportunities for success through individual, small-group, and large-group activities, including free play.
Involve children in self-help training, including dressing, toileting, handwashing, and eating.
Use appropriate group-management techniques.
Eat with children, model proper table manners, and share the same menu.
Encourage daily health routines, including tooth brushing and handwashing.
Provide adequate supervision to ensure children's safety.
Maintain emergency information and initiate emergency action when necessary.
Assist with curriculum planning that includes multicultural and multiethnic materials, displays, and activities.
Provide educational opportunities through individualized, hands-on food experiences that integrate curriculum areas such as reading readiness, science, math, and language with nutrition.
Guide nutritional experiences, including family-style meals and related tasks such as self-service, passing, pouring, table setting, and table cleaning.
Help maintain contact with parents through verbal and written communication and posted information.
Speak with families in a friendly, courteous, and respectful manner.
Provide input into the daily curriculum.
Maintain accurate, up-to-date records, including children's files, timesheets, attendance, meal participation forms, and inventories.
Help maintain classroom cleanliness, including washing tables before and after snacks, sweeping floors, and promptly cleaning spills.
Attend and participate in monthly staff meetings.
Prepare classroom materials, bulletin boards, and learning centers.
Assume responsibility for the classroom in the supervisor's absence.
Immediately report any child suspected of being abused to the Director.
Follow the agency's dress code.
Complete the required number of annual training hours.
Follow the policies and procedures in the Employee Handbook and Policy and Procedure Manual.
Accept and demonstrate the YMCA's values, demonstrate a desire to serve others and fulfill community needs, and support fundraising.
Work effectively with people of different backgrounds, abilities, opinions, and perceptions; build rapport; seek to understand others' points of view; remain calm in challenging situations; listen for understanding; and communicate effectively in speech and writing.
Use sound judgment, transfer learning across situations, embrace new approaches, establish goals, clarify tasks, plan work, participate in meetings, and work to meet goals and deliver a high-value experience for children and families.
Pursue self-development to enhance job performance, remain open to change, accurately assess personal strengths and limitations, maintain the knowledge and skills needed for the role, and use current best practices and technology.
Listen and express oneself effectively, adapting communication to the audience and organizational level.
Description
POSITION SUMMARY: Monday through Friday- Must be available 6a-6p for either opening or closing shift
The Assistant Teacher functions as an integral part of the teaching team assisting with the planning and implementation of a developmentally appropriate daily program of activities promoting each child’s affective, cognitive, physical, perceptual-motor, communicative and social competence. Work is performed under the close supervision of the Lead Teacher and involves sharing the responsibilities pertinent to ensuring the safe and healthful care and management of enrolled children. Involvement includes maintaining contact and open communication with parents, program staff and community resources.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Possession of an active Child Development Associate (CDA) or an Associate degree in Early Childhood Education and two (2) years work experience related to the care and development of children.
Ability to obtain: Compliance with Act 33, to include documentation of Child Abuse History (Form CY-113), Criminal History (Form SP4-164), FBI fingerprinting, National Sex Offender Registry Verification (NSOR-V), and Mandated Reporter training.
Biannual physical examination and initial TB (Mantoux) Test and freedom from any infectious or communicable disease.
Ability to work with and relate well to young children and coworkers.
Ability to supervise adults when necessary.
Successfully complete the New Staff Orientation.
At least 18 years of age.
CPR, First Aid, AED certifications and Child Abuse mandated reporter training within 30 days of hire date.
Ability to plan, organize and implement age-appropriate/developmentally appropriate program activities.
Previous experience with diverse populations. Ability to develop positive, authentic relationships with people from different backgrounds.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Assistant Teacher does not directly supervise other staff. However, all department staff are responsible for each other’s safety and well-being.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Assists in establishing and maintaining a safe and healthful learning environment:
Assists in maintaining an efficient, well-arranged classroom including interest areas that provide direction and a sense of organization.
Keeps equipment and materials in good repair and stored in a safe, orderly fashion.
Cleans and sanitizes toys and cots weekly and other times as needed.
Assists in providing materials and activities appropriate for the children’s developmental progress and individual learning styles.
Assists in planning for a multi-sensory classroom environment (visual, auditory, tactile, etc)
Assists in supporting children’s social-emotional development and providing positive guidance.
Assists in providing children with opportunities for success through individual, small group and large group activities, including free play.
Involves children in all phases of self-help training (dressing, toileting, handwashing, eating, etc).
Utilizes appropriate group management techniques.
Eats with children modeling proper table manners and sharing the same menu .
Encourages daily health routines with children including tooth brushing and hand washing.
Provides adequate supervision ensuring the safety of active children.
Maintains emergency information and initiates emergency action when necessary.
Assists in curriculum planning that includes multi-cultural and multi-ethnic materials, displays, and activities.
Assists in providing educational opportunities through individualized hands-on food experiences that integrate curriculum areas into nutrition (reading readiness, science, math, language, etc).
Provides guidance in nutritional experiences including family style meals (self-service, passing, pouring, table setting, table cleaning, etc).
Assists in establishing positive and productive communication with families:
17. Assists in maintaining contact with parents through verbal and written communication, posted information, etc.
18. Speaks with families in a friendly, courteous, and respectful manner.
Carries out supplementary and planning responsibilities:
19. Provides input into daily curriculum.
20. Maintains accurate, up-to-date records (children's files, time sheets attendance, meal participation forms, inventories, etc.).
21. Helps with maintaining cleanliness of classroom (washes tables before and after snack, sweeps floor, cleans up any spills promptly, etc.)
22. Attends and participates in monthly staff meetings.
23. Prepares classroom materials, bulletin boards, learning centers, etc.
24. Assumes responsibility of classroom in supervisor’s absence.
25. Reports immediately any child suspected of being abused to the Director.
26. Follows appropriate dress code set forth by the agency.
27. Completes required number of training hours annually.
28. Adheres to policies and procedures as outlined in the Employee Handbook and Policy and Procedure Manual.
YMCA COMPETENCIES (Leader):
Mission Advancement: Accepts and demonstrates the Y’s values. Demonstrates a desire to serve others and fulfill community needs. Supports fund-raising.
Collaboration: Works effectively with people of different backgrounds, abilities, opinions, and perceptions. Builds rapport and relates well to others. Seeks first to understand the other person’s point of view, and remains calm in challenging situations. Listens for understanding and meaning; speaks and writes effectively. Takes initiative to assist in developing others.
Operational Effectiveness: Makes sound judgments, and transfers learning from one situation to another. Embraces new approaches and discovers ideas to create a better member experience. Establishes goals, clarifies tasks, plans work and actively participates in meetings. Strives to meet or exceed goals and deliver a high-value experience for children and families.
Personal Growth: Pursues self-development that enhances job performance. Demonstrates an openness to change, and seeks opportunities in the change process. Accurately assesses personal feelings, strengths and limitations and how they impact relationships. Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform well; uses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.
Communication: Listens and expresses self effectively and in a manner that reflects a true understanding of the needs of the audience. Communicates effectively with different audiences at all levels in the organization, easily adapting his/her approach and the focus of his/her message to the audience.
Requirements
Ability to plan, lead and participate in activities.
Ability to lift a minimum of 35 pounds.
Ability to stand for long periods of time.
Ability to get down on the floor and interact with the children on their level.
PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (PDE) REQUIREMENTS:
Undergo continuous professional development as outlined by PDE, up to 24 hours per school year.
Availability for full time, school year appointment (180 school days + Professional Development days).
Maintenance of all Department of Human Services (DHS), Keystone STARS, and Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) requirements.
DECLARATIONS:
This job description is not all-inclusive and the Assistant Child Care Teacher will also perform other reasonably related duties assigned by immediate supervisor and other management personnel.
The Association reserves the right to review or change the job responsibilities of this position to meet the needs of the Association as those needs continue to change.
This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.
EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I acknowledge I have read and understand the job description for Pre-K Counts Assistant Teacher.
I understand that it is my responsibility to comply with this job description.
I understand that I should consult my supervisor regarding any questions I may have in reference to this job description.
I understand that this job description may be revised at any time without prior notice. All changes will be communicated to me and a new job description will be available for my review and signature.
A copy of this signed acknowledgement will be included in my personnel file.