Teacher Assistant

Description

At Early Connections, we recognize the importance of responsible, educated and creative teachers in our classrooms in order to maintain the high-quality programs we have worked so hard to achieve. We are a value-driven organization, committed to teamwork, collaboration, accountability, excellence, integrity, and respect. We believe in outstanding customer service and continuous process improvement.

We are seeking dedicated individuals to share in our passion for children and families, values and work ethic.

As a Teacher with Early Connections, your days will include working directly with children in classrooms with lower teacher/child ratios than most centers.

Early Connections offers additional supports for our staff you won’t find in other early education organizations, including a Health & Nutrition Specialist and two Behavioral Health Specialists on staff to assist with children’s health and social emotional development. We also offer professional development opportunities and provide support for curriculum, assessment and family engagement.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Assists Lead Teacher and Teachers in planning and implementing learning experiences that advance the development of the whole child. Establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment by planning and implementing high quality learning experiences to advance the development of the whole child in partnership with families. Comply with all Colorado Department of Human Services licensing requirements and the National Association for The Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation Standards. Implement a balance of group and individualized experiences to promote the development of school readiness skills.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Assist teacher with duties as delegated and accept supervision.
• Be a part of the planning and implementation of appropriate children’s learning activities to enhance skill development in all domains of learning.
• Ensure that the classroom environment (including outdoors) is clean, safe and appropriate, in accordance with CDHS Licensing, Health and Safety requirements, USDA food and sanitization requirements, NAEYC Cleaning and Sanitation Table, and Early Connections policies and procedures.
• Demonstrate acceptance of all children (and their families) including those with special needs, behavioral challenges, diversity of culture, race, ethnicity and parental choices.
• Adhere to Early Connections policy of confidentiality.
• Engage in positive interactions with children, teacher and families.
• Present self as a professional in appearance, language, attitude, values and support of Early Connections mission.

CHILD GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT:

Successfully engage and challenge children of differing abilities.

Implement learning experiences that advance the intellectual and physical development of children, including improving the readiness of children for school by developing their literacy and phonemic, print, and numeric awareness, their understanding and use of language, their understanding and use of increasingly complex and varied vocabulary, their appreciation of books, and their problem-solving abilities. 

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT:

Maintain materials and classrooms in a safe and clean manner to meet all health and safety standards, including CACFP regulations including the maintenance of the outdoors area.

Individually document attendance, and meal recording.

FAMILIES:

Encourage family engagement in school readiness opportunities to include Classroom Celebrations and Family Nights.

Support the development of positive relationships between children and their families, while maintaining professional boundaries.

PROFESSIONALISM:

Demonstrate positive attitude and use common sense.  Maintain interaction with children that is warm, sensitive, honest, natural, calm, respectful, and appropriate.  Demonstrate sense of humor, flexibility and adaptability.

Be prepared, punctual and engaged in meetings and work duties to include, staff meetings, events, etc.

Adhere to program policies and procedures and accept related duties as requested.

Collaborate and share with co-workers and respect their opinions and contributions.

HUMAN RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATION:

Communicate with appropriate staff (within all departments and community) to meet the needs of the classroom, children, families and host schools.

Share all information with co-workers and supervisors as appropriate and communicate openly and honestly.  Use discretion and maintain confidentiality with matters of children, families, staff and program as appropriate.

Qualifications

Education & Experience Requirements

Meets Colorado Minimum Rules and Regulations for Teacher Assistants.  Must be willing to further your education by working towards a Child Development Associate, Associate of Arts Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, or a related field.  Additional coursework may be required based on classroom assignment.

General Skills Requirement

Reading – Ability to read moderately difficult books, manuals, handbooks, emails, policies, procedures, reports, calendars, letters, schedules, etc. written in the English language.

Writing – Using the English language to write simple, compound, and complex sentences with proper formation, punctuation, syntax, spelling and grammar using all parts of speech.

Speaking – Speak clearly and distinctly with poise using correct English. 

Reasoning – Apply principles of rational systems to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variable situations.

Mathematical – Add, subtract, multiply, and divide all units of measure.  Perform arithmetic operations involving all American monetary units.

Technology – Ability to use computer hardware and software to complete job tasks including keyboarding, word processing, spreadsheets, database, data entry, file management & Windows Explorer.

Physical Demands

(Physical Demands are a general guide and specific positions will vary based on working conditions, locations, and center/ department needs)

Position requires physical mobility, with or without reasonable accommodation if requested, to perform essential functions of the job.

Job involves sitting, standing, walking, lifting, carrying, reaching grasping, bending, stooping, crouching, pushing and/or pulling.

Exerting 20 to 40 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects including the human body.

The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.

The ability to endure physically and emotionally working with pre-school age children for long periods of time.

The ability to see objects or movement of objects to one’s side when the eyes are focused forward.

The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to see details at a distance.

The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.

Background Check Requirement

• Criminal Check
• Employment Verification
• Education Check
• Pre-employment drug test
• Colorado Department of Human Services for fingerprints and background inquiry
• By position, Motor Vehicle Record

Early Connections is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Salary : $16