Early Childhood Education Teacher - McHenry, United States - Community Action Agency for McHenry County Head Start

Description

The teacher will be responsible for helping to plan and conduct the daily routine for a group of children in the center.

The teacher will ensure the safety and quality of the Head Start program within the classroom based on the Head Start Performance Standards and Illinois DCFS Licensing Standards.

• Helps to plan developmentally appropriate activities for the children. Records these plans on a weekly using the lesson plan tool provided by the Agency.
• Helps to prepare educational materials required to implement the daily activity plan.
• Maintains a safe and orderly physical environment conducive to optimal growth and development of the children.
• Maintains condition of equipment and notifies site director for repair and/or replacement.
• Ensures that daily attendance and meal count is documented (including reason of absence).
• Ensures that the children's files are kept confidential.
• Assists in the orientation and training of the teacher assistant assigned to the classroom.
• Assists with the daily, weekly and monthly clean up of both classroom and center space.
• Assists the site director in monitoring inventory and notifies site director of need for more supplies.

• Maintains awareness of what is going on in the classroom at all times.
• Greets children by name upon arrival and departure.
• Engages with children during all daily activities.
• Assists children with selfcare activities, such as: toileting, hand washing, tooth brushing.
• Eats with children, provides appropriate discussion during meal time and models good eating habits.
• Plans classroom activities to promote children's development and learning in all domains.
• Encourages children to explore, experiment, question, and build concepts.
• Develops and enforces safety rules for the classroom. Intervenes when children are likely to injure themselves or each other.
• Implements developmentally appropriate guidance with children who temporarily lose physical or emotional control.
• Participates in training for the current curriculum and assessment tool for Head Start.
• Implements the current curriculum within the daily routine.
• Conducts individual goal plans for each child through ongoing observations, anecdotal notes, photo documentation, and collection of work samples.
• Uses observations from assessment tool to develop plans for individual needs of each child.
• Implements goals for children with Individual Education Programs (I.E.P.'s); works with the mental health/disability coordinator as well as the family to foster the growth and development of children with special needs.
• Makes two home visits and participates in two center conferences, speaking with parents regarding their child's progress at home and at school; reviews child's development and learning with the parents through the Family Conference Form. (Hours need to be flexible during home visits and conferences.)
• Completes Family Conference Form by the designated deadlines.
• Records parent information during home visit and conferences and develops with the parent, an individual goal plan for their child.

• Completes required center forms as assigned or as needed.
• Understands and complies with the DCFS reporting procedures and requirements of a mandated abuse/neglect reporter relating to suspected and/or actual child abuse and neglect.
• Assists in motivating and encouraging parent involvement in the program.
• Maintains positive communication with parents.
• Assists with the planning and execution of activities during center Parent Training Days. (This may require flexibility of regular hours.)
• Attends and contributes to regular staff meetings.
• Attends and participates in preservice, inservices, workshops and professional growth opportunities.
• Attends and participates in monthly mental health consultant meetings.
• Participates in the mentoring program with the center site director and child service manager.
• Assists in the annual Agency selfassessment process.
• Works in cooperation and in a professional manner with all program staff to ensure the delivery of quality services to families.
• Supports and obtains inkind contributions.
• Performs other duties as directed by the executive director and child services manager

• Meets all DCFS licensing requirements for early childhood teachers
• Comply with National Head Start Performance Standards:
• An associates, bachelor or advanced degree in early childhood education
• An associates,bachelor or advanced degree and coursework equivalent to a major relating to early childhood education, with experience teaching preschool children.
• Teachers hired with an associate degree must enroll in a bachelor program within one year of hi