An Infant & Toddler Team Lead Teacher cares passionately about the cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development of infants and toddlers. The primary function of a Team Lead Teacher is to manage the daily planning and implementation of the classroom program. They work closely with families, the Center Director, and other Team members to facilitate a positive, warm environment while fostering positive developmental for each child. Additionally, the Team Lead Teacher collaborates with the classroom team, designing the physical environment of the classroom to create opportunities that meet the changing needs of enrolled children. The Team Lead Teacher coaches the other members of the caregiving Team in that classroom, including recognition of excellence, evaluations, and improvement plans.
Supervises: Infant & Toddler Team Members, all classroom volunteers, and visitors.
Special Skills and Qualities:
- Passionate about the development and well-being of infants and toddlers
- An awareness of the unique needs of infants and toddlers and have appropriate expectations of their abilities
- Know and implement Michigan Child Care Licensing Rules for Child Care Centers
- Know and implement Great Start to Quality’s quality indicators and validation tools for child care centers
- A positive role model in language and attitude for all caregivers and children
- Accepts and honors diversity in children, families, and coworkers
- Service orientated and professional
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Possess a strong work ethic, be punctual, prepared and have consistent attendance
- Value continuing education and professional development
- Mentally, physically, emotionally, and psychologically capable of caring for multiple children at a time
- Able to kneel, bend, squat, push, pull, and lift up to 50 lbs.
- Flexible availability to work- covering team members shifts or going home early as needed. Available to work as early as 5:00 am or as late as 9:00 pm
- Have dependable transportation
- In coordination with classroom team, complete all classroom cleaning tasks
Qualifications:
- Be at least 19 years of age
Education:
- BA in Education, Child Development or Early Childhood Education (At least 3 semester hours or 4.5 CEUs in infant / toddler development and care practices) preferred
- CPR, First Aid certified or obtain certification upon hire
- Documentation of completed Tuberculosis Test and the ability to physically meet the job duties
- Completed Fingerprinting and Background Checks
Experience:
- 2 years of experience working in an early childhood classroom caring for infants and toddlerss preferred
Specific Tasks
Program Planning:
- Design the classroom environment to be a safe, organized learning space
- In collaboration with the classroom team,
- plan daily activities that are stimulating and developmentally appropriate to help infants and toddlers reach developmental milestones, with a focus on social-emotional learning
- conduct child assessments and keep all children’s portfolios and individual development plans up to date and use them to inform and guide in lesson planning
- ensure that all daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly documents are complete and accurate
- Organize and oversee the daily activities pertaining to eating, sleeping, and diaper changing
- Follow licensing regulations and quality standards for preschool care
- Ensure the safety and supervision of all children at all times
- Create and enforce opening, closing, and mid-day procedures and routines for the classroom
- Oversee management of classroom materials and resources to minimuze waste
Relationships with Families:
- Establish a professional level of rapport with each family to provide quality care and friendly service
- Communicate professionally with families daily about their child(ren) using strength-based language and encouragement
- Facilitate family-teacher conferences
- Prepare monthly classroom newsletters or provide newsletter information promptly
- Provide information about community resources and additional developmental activities for home extension
Supervision of Team:
- Train team members completely and continually regarding classroom policies and procedures
- Correct and guide team members when policies and procedures are breached, as well as encourage team members when policies and procedures are met and exceeded
- Enforce all policies equally among team members
- Provide coaching and disciplinary action when necessary to change performance
- Assist in coordinating coverage for call-ins
- Reduce staffing in the classroom when ratios change
- Approach classroom behavioral challenges as a team, and develop consistent strategies
Team Meetings:
- Attend Team Lead Teacher and Center Team meetings
- problem-solve, brainstorm, clarify goals and actions
- Facilitate Team Meetings
- validate concerns, incorporate ideas, ensure everyone is encouraged to contribute, and is heard
- Complete a Professional Development Plan yearly, and ensure Center Director has access to all completed training or transcripts
*For additional information and to download an application click here
