Early Head Start Caregiver/Teacher

General Description: Under the supervision of the Center Manager, the Early Head Start Teacher ensures the safety and well-being of each child in the program at all times by providing a safe and healthy environment. This position assists in implementing a developmentally appropriate plan for a group of children aged six weeks to three years old and provides quality early childhood experiences.
Essential Job Responsibilities and Performance Indicators:

• Creates a nurturing, responsive environment that promotes positive development of social and emotional competencies.
• Observe closely and understand patterns to determine possible causes of challenging behavior and implement preventive measures to address it.
• Teach children new social and communication skills in partnership with families.
• Works in collaboration with a classroom partner and families to develop individual goals for all children.
• Uses observations of children and anecdotal notes to document children’s progress and individualize the curriculum.
• Visually observe and hear children from all areas of the classroom and playground at all times.
• Develops and implements lesson plans.

• Other related duties as assigned.

• Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education or an Infant and Toddler CDA.
• Two years of experience in a preschool (infant/toddler) classroom preferred.
• Excellent reading, writing, and typing/computer/data entry skills.
• Ability to pass background checks and health screening.

• Maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• Make decisions based on support principles, theories, practices, and codes of ethics.
• Contributes positively and articulates the success and needs of the program.
• Be knowledgeable about and sensitive to an individual’s values, beliefs, traditions, cultural influences, makeup, and circumstances.
• Be open and honest in expressing concerns, ideas, and information with staff and families.
• Possess organizational and planning skills.
• Demonstrate familiarity with employment policies, performance standards, work plans, and agency goals and objectives.
• Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in the performance of daily duties.
• Fulfill the role as mandated reporter as stated in the Child Abuse & Neglect Policy.
• Attend professional development classes and training (local, state, regional, and national conferences).

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear individuals in-person and over-the-phone.
• The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel, and reach with hands and arms.
• Perform physical inventory of equipment and/or supplies.
• Lift and move heavy and/or bulky objects and/or children weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Maintain a clean classroom area, which may require the use of a broom, mop, and vacuum, cleaning fluids, etc.
• Ability to physically interact with children (walk and run quickly, kneel, or sit on the floor, bend, lift, walk over rough or uneven grounds, and exposure to diverse weather conditions)
• Ability to assist in setting up classrooms/office areas, which require but are not limited to moving tables, chairs, shelves, etc.)
• Assist with the safety of children through the seeing, hearing, touching, and smelling senses.