Early Childhood Lead Teacher
Job Description
Early childhood Teachers create and implement development-based educational programs for children ranging from six weeks to 12 years. Early childhood educators must address the emotional, cognitive, social, and physical needs of both individual and groups of children while effectively communicating with parents. People in this position report to directors, assistant directors, and training curriculum specialists.
Your job will include encouraging creativity, fostering academic growth, and nurturing your tiny learners. It’s a rewarding and fulfilling profession reserved for those who love children and the learning process, who have equal parts enthusiasm and patience, and who feel right at home with paint on their fingers and a storybook in their hands.
Preschool may be a place for circle time and learning to stand in line, but there’s no mistaking its significance in our nation’s educational system. Teaching in a preschool environment is like no other. One minute you may be teaching the ABCs and the next you may be tying shoelaces. Another minute you may be exploring ways to implement basic math and counting skills into your lesson plan and the next you may be calming a tantrum. It’s a truly unique learning environment where the youngest learners are first introduced to academics, proper social behavior, and group learning.
Create Lesson Plans
As an Early childhood educator you will be expected to design your own lesson and classroom instruction plans based on state-approved and school-approved curriculum.
Lead Daily Activities
Early childhood educators lead daily social, learning, and physical activities for all children in their assigned classes.
Monitor Children
Early childhood educators are responsible for the overall health and welfare of the children in their classroom, which requires diligent monitoring of all children during learning times, meal times, restroom breaks, and nap times.
Encourage and Engage Children
As an early childhood educator, it is necessary to keep all children active and engaged while they are in the classroom.
Keep Classroom Clean and Stimulating
The early childhood educator is ultimately responsible for keeping the classroom clean, organized, and stimulating for children. This is to include abiding by the daily cleaning checklist at all times and the arrival checklist as well as upon departure.
Assess In-Class and Homework Assignments
Early childhood educators must assess all work submitted by students and provide progress reports to parents detailing their child’s success completing classroom work. This will be based upon the classroom progress reports given by management.
Attend Staff Meetings
Early childhood educators must attend mandatory workshops, conferences, and staff meetings as directed by Director’s guidelines.
Working Conditions and Physical Effort
Considerable physical activity. Requires heavy physical work; heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling required of objects up to 50 pounds. Physical work is a primary part (more than 70%) of job. No or very limited exposure to physical risk.
Work may involve moderate exposure to unusual elements, such as extreme temperatures, dirt, dust, fumes, smoke, unpleasant odors, and/or loud noises.
Educational Requirements
Each employee is required to complete at least 30 hours of job-related continuing education during the first year of employment and a minimum of 24 clock hours of continuing education each year afterwards.
Require early childhood educators to have a Child Development Associates (CDA) credential or know your 120 day process to an CDA begins upon hire.
Required also candidates must have at least one year of classroom teaching experience, either as a primary or assistant teacher.
Early childhood educators must also meet all necessary DHR licensing requirements, which includes actual training requirements
· First aid and CPR training certification
· Child Growth and Development
· Group Activities and Lesson Plans
· Behavioral Management and Positive Guidance
· Mandatory Reporting
· Appropriate Touch
· Health and Safety (Handwashing)
· Classroom Management and Supervision
· Nutrition
· Cultural Diversity
· Developmentally Appropriate Practices
· Classroom Cleaning Environments
· Physical and Mental Health
· Teacher/Parent Communications
· Emergency Practices and Procedures
· Community Resources
· Inclusion in the Classroom
· Child assessments
· Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $12.00 - $14.50 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Education:
- High school or equivalent (Required)
Experience:
- Early childhood education: 1 year (Required)
Work Location: In person
