Pre-K Teacher
Reports to: Principal
Length of Assignment: 10 months
Primary purpose:
NC Pre-kindergarten teachers, also called pre-k or preschool teachers, instruct four- and five-year-olds using creative methods such as art, music, and hands-on learning. They are responsible for creating lesson plans, daily schedules, learning centers and delivering instruction. The children’s learning centers around play. Teachers create learning activities for children through the following learning centers: Books, Blocks, Dramatic Play, Art, Manipulatives, Music, Sand and Water, Science and Writing. Teachers interact with their students throughout the day by playing with them in centers, reading books with them in large and small group, and conducting music and gross motor activities indoors and outdoors.
Pre-k teachers create daily lesson plans that teach social skills and personal hygiene, as well as introducing colors, shapes, and numbers. They also introduce reading and writing to their classes and help children develop language skills. They encourage language development by talking with their students and holding conversations throughout the day.
Teachers will follow the North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development and plan their lessons based on these standards. Teachers will use the Opening the World of Learning Curriculum by Pearson to implement these standards. They will also assess students learning needs by assessing them through the work sampling system by Meisels. By taking notes and collecting assessment data, teachers will guide their instruction for individualized student learning. Each teacher will maintain a portfolio of work samples and assessments on each child that will contain student work throughout the entire year. Teachers will conduct parent teacher conferences at least twice a year and make at least one home visit at the beginning of the school year. In addition to formative on-going student assessment, teachers will maintain records on each child including, developmental screenings, health assessments, emergency information, and all other licensure and program paperwork requirements and reports (attendance, parent contact logs, monitoring tool, substitute logs, etc...)
Pre-k teachers must also attend to the basic needs of young children, such as serving them food and beverages, putting on and taking off coats and assisting kids on bathroom visits.
Pre-k teachers maintain communication with each child's parent on a regular basis through homework folders, class newsletters, reading logs, and phone calls. Pre-k teachers are responsible for maintaining and adhering to all childcare licensure rules to maintain a safe and clean environment. Teachers must always maintain staff-child ratio.
Pre-k teachers are required to attend all professional development trainings provided by the school system and outside the school system where required. Pre-K classrooms will be evaluated every three years on their classroom environment indoors and outdoors along with classroom teacher-student interactions. A score of at least a 5.0 on ECERS (Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale) must be maintained by all pre-k teachers. Teachers must maintain credits of in-service training to keep their North Carolina license up to date. Teachers will work a ten-month school year that includes work days and holidays.
Working Environment
The usual and customary methods of performing the job's functions require the following physical demands: some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling; and significant fine finger dexterity. Work in this classification is considered light physical work requiring the exertion of up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects. Generally, the job requires sitting, walking, and standing. This job is performed in a generally clean and healthy environment.
Certificates & Licenses Must hold or be working toward a NC Birth through Kindergarten (B – K) Continuing License or Pre-K/K Add-on License issued by NCDPI.
Continuing Education/Training Maintain Licensure & CEUs
Employment will require extensive background check by the district and the Division of Child Development & Early Education (DCDEE).
All employees are to adhere to the ALL of Richmond County Schools Board of Education Policies. They are located on the RCS County website under District Information. Click on Board of Education. Policies are located at the bottom. Call if you need assistance.
