The Preschool Assistant Teacher assists the Preschool Teacher with classroom operation including, planning, carrying out activities, and maintaining a classroom environment that is nurturing, consistent, supportive and developmentally appropriate; individualizes learning experiences for children and fully involves parents in the program. Supervises children and classroom volunteers; together with the Preschool Teacher, makes home visits, and conducts parent-teacher conferences.
QUALIFICATIONS: Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development with one or more years of classroom experience in an Early Childhood Environment. Must be physically capable of performing duties of the classification; must be able to read, write, and communicate in Standard English; demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Effective Teaching Practices; Content Area Domain; Learning Environments; Observations; Analysis; Planning, and Documentation; Professionalism/Leadership; and Computer Proficiency.
JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Under the general supervision of the Preschool Teacher: Ensure compliance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards and Other Regulations; Implement program plans, policies and procedures for providing education and early childhood development services; Put into practice theories and sound principles of early childhood education; Administer developmentally screenings and ongoing assessments of each child; Include parents in the process of ongoing assessment; Assist in arranging the classroom environment to accommodate a variety of children’s needs and strengths, and to stimulate learning across all domains of development; social, emotional, cognitive, and physical; Provide an environment of acceptance that supports and respects gender, culture, language, ethnicity, and family composition; Participate in the development and implementation of lesson plans that are consistent with the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework and school readiness goals; Be inclusive of children with disabilities, implementing the child’s individual education plan (IEP); Regularly and continually observe and record children’s behavior and progress in order to help in the design of activities that support individual developmental levels; Assist in providing a balanced daily program of child-initiated and adult-directed activities including individual and small group activities, both indoors and outdoors; Assist in reviewing and analyzing data on child outcomes; Embrace the role of the parent as the primary educator of the child and promote attachment between parent and child; Involve parents in transition activities; Keep Preschool Teacher informed of child issues; Assist in maintaining child files utilizing computerized child tracking system; Maintain confidentiality of information; Assist with recruitment and enrollment of children.