Preschool Teacher

Description

Creation Village World School (CVWS) is seeking a highly qualified and passionate Early Years Teacher for our Preschool classroom.

Job Responsibilities

Reporting to the Dean, the Eary Years Teacher is responsible for daily functions and management of the classroom. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Interactions with Children

• Protects the safety of all children in the center.
• Directly supervises children at all times.
• Uses positive phrasing with children.
• Communicates frequently with children throughout the day, naming objects, actions, using who, what, when, where, why, and asking open-ended questions.
• Exhibits behavior management consistent with Creation Village's philosophy of whole child living based on the CREATION Health principles, including reflecting children’s feelings, approaching children to speak with them, directing comments toward children’s behavior, not at the children themselves, etc.
• Treats each child with dignity and respect, recognizing the cultural and socio-economic diversity of the population.
• Responds to the individual needs and learning styles of children.
• Responds to children in distress promptly and appropriately.
• Is responsible for all mealtime activities of the group. Helps children serve themselves family-style and sits with children; preferably eats with them. Monitors children closely during meals in the essence of the CREATION Health living principles.

Health and Safety

• Complies with applicable universal precautions and infection control guidelines and procedures.
• Displays familiarity with and follows Creation Village Health Care Policies.
• Reports immediately any needed repairs to the Center Coordinator and maintenance and improvements of the physical grounds necessary for meeting health and safety child care requirements.
• Is responsible for the welfare, health, and safety of the children in the center.
• Ensures that children are supervised at all times as well as in the bathroom.
• Calmly helps students exit and enter the building in an emergency and practice drills and can respond to any emergency.

Planning and Child Development

• Plans activities reflecting the philosophy of Creation Village with the appropriate group and individualized activities.
• Provides a well-balanced schedule of individual/group activities and active/quiet activities with structure variations.
• Submits weekly curriculum plans to the Dean by Friday for the coming week.
• Plans activities emphasizing process orientation and developmentally appropriate curriculum within the guidelines of The Creative Curriculum by Teaching Strategies.
• Plans supervised activities for outdoors, or indoor gross motor play.
• Keeps informal classroom anecdotal notes on children’s progress.
• Develops and maintains portfolios of children’s developmental progress, keeping records, work samples, and other growth and development evidence.
• Prepares children’s progress reports for children with special needs every three months or every six months for toddlers and preschoolers.
• Uses resources, such as libraries, to incorporate literature into the daily routine.
• Prepares or makes available in advance, materials needed for planned activities.
• Plans circle to include hands-on, interactive activities.
• Sets individual goals and objectives for each child according to the guidelines of The Creative Curriculum
• Plans and provides developmentally appropriate activities to ensure smooth transitions throughout the day. Activities include active ways to transition children from and into each activity.
• Integrates the CREATION Health Lifestyle principles within the planned activities and daily routines.
• Meets deadlines in completing lesson plans, self-evaluations, newsletter contributions, progress reports, or any other reports requested by the Program Coordinator.

Parent Engagement

• Creation Village establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with each child’s family to foster children’s development. These relationships are sensitive to family composition, language culture.
• Communicates with parents daily.
• Makes parents aware of classroom and center activities and encourages family involvement
• Participates in parent conferences as needed.
• Accommodates special requests from parents whenever possible.
• Trains new employees on responsibilities, including Parent Interactions, and signs off on completed training tasks.
• Establishes a sense of trust with parents by ensuring high visibility and showing availability and genuine concern for each child enrolled in the program.
• Attends, participates in, and contributes constructively to monthly staff meetings, Open Houses, Family events, Community Events, and required workshops.
• Informs the Center Coordinator of any pertinent information regarding children, parents, or other staff.

Reggio Environment

• Creates classroom environment reflecting the diversity of children & families and children’s interests, including all areas of the room, i.e., blocks, dramatic play, manipulatives, literacy, art, science, math, and music.
• Leaves classroom at the end of the day with tables cleaned, sanitized, and floors free of debris and toys.
• Shares cleaning duties fairly with co-workers and a clean safe and attractive classroom.
• Establishes a safe, healthy space for children.

General/Professionalism

• Has good work habits, is in place and ready to work on time, and shows no undue tardiness or absenteeism.
• Documents and remains current with state requirements for physical examination, First-Aid, CPR, in-service training, etc...
• Tidies children’s appearances throughout the day – that shoes are on proper feet, tied, hands and faces clean, etc...
• Uses smocks for messy activities and bibs for infant and toddler meals.
• Follows the schedule of Creation Village.
• Follows opening and closing procedures as dictated by work schedule.
• Acts as a positive representative of Creation Village to parents and community.
• Covers responsibilities (i.e., prepares lesson plans and materials for activities for use) when absent.
• Supports and directs new staff, teacher aides, volunteers, student interns, etc., in the policies and practices of Creation Village, including classroom schedule, behavior management, lesson planning, classroom upkeep, etc.
• Cooperates with and shows respect for co-workers at all levels.
• Models professional behavior and appropriate communication at all times, reflecting the CREATION Health living principles.
• Maintains a healthy and positive attitude toward the program, the children, the parents, and the team.
• Prepares for and contributes to regular supervisory meetings.
• Sets professional goals and objectives.
• Seeks supervision and remains open to supervisor’s suggestions.
• Participates openly in peer observation process.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Experience: Minimum of 2 years working in ECE
• Credentials: CDA, DCF 45 mandated hours
• Current First-Aid and CPR certification
• Willing and able to pursue higher education in accordance with NAEYC, and state guidelines for Early Childhood Education teachers.

Physical Requirements

• Physical constraints required include the ability to hear the conversational voice, with or without a hearing aid, the ability to see and read newsprint with or without corrective lenses, to speak and be understood under normal circumstances, to lift and carry children and other items weighing up to 50 pounds, and the use of arms, hands, legs, and feet with or without corrective devices to accomplish the job, including the evacuation of the building during emergencies.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience: Working in a Reggio Emilia ECE center or IB PYP school
• Credentials: ECE undergraduate degree or higher