Teacher Assistant, Head Start

Overview Job Title: Teacher Assistant, Head Start Department: Early Childhood Education FLSA Status: Non-Exempt (Hourly) Employment Type: Full-time Location: Chicago, IL 60647 The Teacher Assistant provides direct care to children in a group setting as assigned by the Lead Teacher in the classroom, including writing assessments of children, participating in staffings and writing lesson plans. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Assists Lead Teacher in daily classroom instruction utilizing best practices as defined by NAEYC and COA accreditation standards, and in meeting state licensing requirements for the program in the structuring of the classroom. Completes developmental screenings for all assigned children. Uses Teaching Strategies Gold Assessment, ASQ, ASQ-SE, and other tools; assists in completing weekly lesson plans based on each child’s individual interests and needs. Conducts regular observations and recordings of each child’s progress as related to his or her IEP/IFSP and/or individualized goals for assigned children. Completes transition paperwork for assigned children. Facilitates development of self control in children by using positive guidance techniques. Listens and responds to children and parents positively and with attention and respect. Ensures there is appropriate teacher-child ratio in the classroom at all times. Participates in staff meetings and ongoing training opportunities available through Children’s Place. Participates in bi-annual staffings for assigned children; works as part of a multidisciplinary team to identify and meet service needs of the child and family. Through participation in off-site trainings and meetings (for a minimum of 15 in-service hours), stays current in field of early childhood education and/or child development. Rides along in agency buses and assists Bus Driver with transportation of children to and from the Early Learning Center, including morning and afternoon pick-up of children. Maintains the confidentiality of information and records related to children and families in the 0-5 early childhood program at all times. Reports any child abuse or neglect to supervisor; informs School Nurse of any change or concern in the medical condition or care of any child. Works collaboratively with colleagues and peers within the organization and with similar agencies as needed. Participates in Children’s Place quality assurance initiatives as needed and appropriate to improve service quality and ensure compliance with licensing, accreditation and contractual standards. Performs other duties as necessary to meet new funding requirements or as assigned by the Program Manager. Other Expectations Employees shall respect the diversity of all individuals (e.g., clients, co-workers, stakeholders) and refrain from any form of discrimination and/or harassment based on religious, marital, ethnic, racial, gender, sexual orientation or other differences. Employees share the responsibility of creating and maintaining a welcoming and supportive work environment. Supervisory Responsibilities No supervisory responsibilities. Qualifications To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. EDUCATION, SKILLS, And/Or EXPERIENCE Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education or related field, or Child Development Associate (CDA) credential required. CDA credential must be specific to infant/toddler or preschool ages as appropriate for the assigned classroom. Minimum of one year of professional experience working with young children in a child-care setting required. Certifications in Infant/Child CPR, First Aid and Caring for the Mildly Ill Child preferred. Bilingual (English/Spanish) written and verbal communication skills preferred. PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Standing, walking, sitting, crouching, kneeling and crawling; seeing; hearing and listening; clear speech; dexterity and use of hands and fingers; lifting and carrying children up to 35 pounds may be required. WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment is typical for an Early Learning Center. The noise level is usually moderate but may become loud at times. The role may involve working with others and regular verbal and face-to-face interaction; indoor and outdoor settings as appropriate. DISCLAIMER The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of all employees so classified. Job Details Seniority level: Entry level Employment type: Full-time Job function: Education and Training Industries: Civic and Social Organizations Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Children’s Place Association by 2x [Note: This refined version preserves the core job information while removing extraneous or conflicting formatting and aligns with the requested tag constraints.] #J-18808-Ljbffr