ASSISTANT TEACHER

The Brooklyn Kindergarten Society (BKS) is the original “born in Brooklyn”. We were founded in 1891, and for 130 years, BKS has helped provide high-quality early childhood education to working families. BKS has grown up with the borough and continues to be a leader in equal access to high quality early childhood education. BKS sees its mission as providing an equal first educational step to some of our borough’s youngest learners. We provide full day, year-round academic experiences and care for children ages 2-5 years old. Our curriculum is play based and marries together reading, writing, movement and music, with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) learning. Our goal is to ensure that Brooklyn’s youngest learners have an equal first educational step.

JOB PURPOSE

Teacher Assistants assist in the implementation of developmentally appropriate curriculum (Creative Curriculum) for the assigned classroom, as providedby classroom lesson plan or team. They are expected to provide consistent and responsive care; create daily routines and meaningful experiences that are responsive to children’s individual strengths, interests and needs and ensure safety and security of all children. Teacher Assistants also assume the role,duties and responsibilities of the Early Childhood Education Teacher when there are vacancies and absences.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Planning and Program Implementation (50%)

Planning (25%)

• Understand the goals, objectives, and vision of BKS
• Understand the goals and objectives of the curriculum
• Assist with implementing units of study and lesson plans
• Identify goals for children
• Identify what staff and parents can do to help children achieve these goals
• Identify classroom materials needed to support the implementation of the curriculum towards achieving goals.

Program Implementation (25%)

• Provide positive guidance for children
• Assist in the implementation of daily lesson plans.
• Support group teachers in various small group and center activities
• Understand individual student goals and connect those goals to academic activities.
• Work with small groups of children to reinforce lessons, providing one-on-one instruction to students and supervising students in the classroom.

Additional Educational and non-Educational Duties (35%)

Assessment system- (15%)

• Support group teachers with assessment responsibilities like maintaining observation logs and other running records
• Navigate systems like Teaching Strategies GOLD online (assessment system).

Supervision- (10%)

• Assist to provide consistent supervision that takes into account developmentally appropriate activities and health needs of the group and individual child.

Relationship Building- (5%)

• Foster relationships with key stakeholders e.g., teachers, family workers/social workers, parents and guardians for the purposes of school readiness.

Promoting professional growth- (5%)

• Assume responsibility for professional performance and self-reflection
• Participate in staff meetings, conferences, training sessions, and workshops as assigned.

Other (15%)

• Fulfill roles as mandated reporter as stated in Child Abuse and Neglect Polices.
• Perform any other work-related duties necessary to the smooth functioning of the facility as requested by the supervisor.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma required
• Associates’ degree or CDA in early childhood education; Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience working with children ages 2-4 years old
• Experience working with low income populations and diverse cultures