Head Teacher Creative Steps

University Settlement partners with 40,000 New Yorkers on the Lower East Side and in Brooklyn every year to build on their strengths as they achieve healthy, stable, and remarkable lives. For 135 years, we’ve collaborated with our communities to pioneer highly effective programs that fight poverty and systemic inequality. Established in 1886 as the first Settlement House in the United States, we bring the values of that movement into the 21st century by meeting New Yorkers where they live, listening to their perspectives, recognizing their excellence, understanding them as complete individuals, and creating space for them to organize. Joining together with our neighbors to advocate for justice and equality, we help build community strength.

We work with New Yorkers of all ages. We infuse a commitment to civic engagement, equity, and communal action into each of our programs, which include early childhood education, mental health and wellness, benefits assistance and eviction prevention, adult literacy and education, healthy aging, community, and recreation centers, performing and visual arts, and youth development.

Creative Steps is a private early childhood program offering a school day preschool program (9am-3pm), a full day UPK program, after-school (3-6 pm), as well as a spring holiday and summer camp program. Located on NYU's campus in one of the residential complexes near Washington Square Park, the early care and education program enrolls community children ages 12 months through 4 years using a play-based and child-centered curriculum with additional enrichment programming such as music, movement, and art.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement lesson plans that provide engaging, challenging, and playful learning experiences.
• Develop a curriculum that is sensitive to children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development.
• Guide, and help mentor Assistant Teachers and volunteers/interns.
• Maintain regular written observations of children’s school experience.
• Assess the developmental needs of each child and identify goals and plan activities to meet their individual needs.
• Prepare newsletter documenting weekly lessons and classroom activities for distribution to parents.
• Prepare a year-end portfolio documenting the child’s development and experience in the classroom.
• Attend and actively participate in staff meetings and professional development trainings and workshops.
• Participate in planning and implementation of field trips.
• Work with Education Director to ensure equipment and supplies are appropriate, available, and in good condition.
• Participate in Parent Orientation and conduct Parent-Teacher Conferences.
• Assist with implementation of the program evaluation process.
• Plan and use community resources that enrich the educational content of the program.
• Develop and promote consistent, stable, and supportive relationships with families and children.
• Support and work with children with special needs, participate in case conferences and follow-up services, as requested.
• Collaborate with Educational Director to identify children with special needs and make referrals for evaluation.
• Maintain good working relationships with supervisors and peers.
• Work with supervisor in completing annual job performance reviews of self and staff.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or other related field required; or Associate's (AA or AS) degree in Early Childhood Education; or Child Development Associate (CDA) certification and a study plan leading to an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education
• Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or other related field preferred
• Two to three years teaching experience working with toddlers and preschool-aged children (age 2-5).
• New York State Certification in Early Childhood Education.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Bi-lingual language skills a plus.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm, 35 hours per week

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive community. We support a broadly diverse team who will contribute to our organization. We are an equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, color, citizenship, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran or reservist status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.