HS Teacher - Zapata Center

Description

Mission Statement:

AVANCE breaks the cycle of inter-generational poverty through innovative, two-generation education and support services for families with young children. Our targeted program services reflect the cultural, racial/ethnic, and linguistic background of our families and provide specific strategies based on the unique needs of these families and children, ensuring that racial equity is embedded in our systemic approach.

Job Summary:

The Head Start Teacher is responsible for a Head Start classroom of 3- to 5-year-old children. S/he works collaboratively with an assistant teacher, family members, and other staff to achieve positive outcomes for children of all abilities. 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

CLASS™ teacher-child interactions:

• Provide emotional support through establishing a positive climate, being aware of and responsive to children, and encouraging child expression and autonomy.
• Use strategies for behavior management, such as clear behavior expectations, being proactive and redirecting misbehavior.
• Foster classroom productivity and maximize learning time, while engaging children with a variety of modalities and materials.
• Provide instructional support through concept development, fostering children’s analysis and reasoning, engaging in feedback loops, and modeling and supporting high-quality language.

Learning environment:

• Ensure classroom arrangement, materials and displays are organized and conducive to children’s learning.

Curriculum: 

• Implement AVANCE’s chosen curriculum with fidelity, being aware of the big ideas while also following all assigned guidance and resources.
• Prepare or modify weekly lesson plans and prepare to implement small-group activities, read-alouds, circle time, and other curriculum components.
• Provide children with a consistent classroom routine and facilitate all parts of the routine to support child learning.
• Interact with children intentionally throughout the day to provide differentiated support.

Child assessment: 

• Collect documentation of children through ongoing observation, embedded and direct assessment activities.
• Complete quarterly assessment checkpoints, reliably, for each child.
• Analyze child assessment data and use it to plan and individualize.

Meeting all children’s needs:

• Complete developmental and social-emotional screenings on all children within prescribed time frames.
• Complete theme based Individualized Learning Plans to identify specific goals and implement developmentally appropriate strategies for each child in class.
• Integrate Individual Education Plans (IEPs) or referral action plans for children with diagnosed or suspected special needs.
• Implement PBS practices and Program Wide Expectations.

Working with families:

• Establish positive and productive relationships with families through building rapport and trust.
• Schedule and complete two home visits and two parent-teacher conferences each year.
• Encourage and engage family members to serve as classroom volunteers.
• Collaborate with family services staff to support families in implementing family life practices, extending learning into the home, and meeting expectations for attendance
• Follow all guidance and expectations to support implementation of AVANCE’s Parent-Child Education Program

Professional growth and collaboration: 

• Participate in ongoing reflective coaching and self-assessment.
• Collaborate with the assistant teacher and other staff in the center.
• Share pertinent information with family services, disabilities/mental health or health/nutrition staff, as needed, to meet the needs of individual children and families. Participate in case conferences as appropriate.

In addition, the teacher will:

• Know and understand AVANCE’s School Readiness Goals and strive to help all children achieve them.
• Provide classroom experiences that are developmentally, linguistically, culturally and age-appropriate for the children served.
• Establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment, including full supervision of children at all times, in accordance with Head Start and childcare licensing requirements.
• Conduct daily health/safety monitoring of the indoor and (as requested) outdoor environment.
• Follow all health and hygiene practices, including hand-washing, sanitizing, and universal precautions.
• Supervise mealtimes and “family style dining” with children.
• Supervise all classroom field trips and outdoor activities.
• Maintain required documentation of activities, including child and family information, assessment data, volunteer logs, etc.
• Participates in assigned meetings, events and training as required.

Non-Essential Duties:

Performs any and all other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Job Specifications:

Requirements:

• Associate/Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education – OR – Associate/Bachelor’s degree in related field with at least six college courses in Early Childhood Education plus experience teaching preschool aged children OR – state awarded preschool teacher certification with experience teaching preschool aged children.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• Physical exam and background checks are required for this position.
•  Travel required locally or long-distance up to 10% of the time for work-related meetings and functions.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Ability to interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated computer literacy skills, using MS Office applications and other basic data systems including internet navigation.
• Must be honest, dependable and able to meet deadlines.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently.

• Ability to engage in repetitive movement of wrists, hands, and fingers – typing and/or writing.

May be required to operate a motor vehicle during the course of duties.