Teacher, Early Head Start at Head Start in Texas City, Texas

Job Description:

The Early Head Start Teacher is responsible for the planning, implementation, and administration of the Early Head Start programming for children ages infant through three, in accordance with the state Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) regulations, the Head Start performance standards, the Agency's school readiness goals, and other federal, state, and local regulatory requirements. The Early Head Start Teacher is also responsible for overseeing and providing developmentally appropriate educational, relational, and social experiences for preschool children to foster growth and development in all developmental domains in a safe and caring environment.

Upbring is classified as an essential business by the Federal government because the services we provide are critical to the wellbeing of thousands of children and families.

• Administer developmental screenings, assessments, and ongoing evaluations in order to identify developmental and learning needs and develop individualized learning plans
• Plan and implement classroom activities based on individual learning plans; ensure each child's development, disabilities, curriculum, and performance standards are adhered to
• Observe and address challenging behaviors to determine possible cause and implement preventive measures, teach a new behavior, and/or communication or social skill to minimize or eliminate the behavior
• Demonstrate cultural awareness in sensitivity in both interactions with children, parent(s)/guardian(s), other staff and community members and in the selection of materials and delivery of instruction
• Plan instructional activities, prepare teaching materials and compile/complete related reports as required, such as, but not limited to classroom activities, individual child observations, daily activity charts, and program records for the purpose of documenting child and family activities as prescribed in the work plan
• Maintain classroom discipline using developmentally appropriate techniques
• Provide constant supervision of children during indoor and outdoor activities; provide and foster a safe and secure environment for children at all times
• Follow Upbring policies and practices related to infant/toddler feeding, toileting and rest time
• Provide daily or regular communication (written and/or verbal) with parents/guardians regarding their child's routines, needs, developmental opportunities and daily activity
• Participate in the development of an Individual Family Service Plan for children who qualify for special education services and for providing classroom activities and routines that support individual and family needs
• Respond appropriately to emergency situations for immediate resolution
• Conduct parent-teacher conferences as needed or requested
• Complete and maintain accurate documentation, files, and records as required by Upbring, the Head Start Performance Standards, and any other federal, state, or local regulatory requirements
• Other duties and special projects as assigned

Working Relationships

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with other classroom teachers, administrative staff, children and parents to ensure the children are receiving a quality learning experience
• Work closely with other classroom teachers and the administrative staff to ensure program operations are supporting and meeting program goals and objectives and learning outcomes
• Work as part of the team and show professionalism by modeling and demonstrating a positive attitude and positive working relationships, while maintaining strong ethical boundaries

Minimum Qualifications

• CDA in Infant and Toddlers with a minimum of 15 credit hours of coursework in Early Child Development or Early Childhood Education
• 1 year of experience in early childhood education or with infants and toddlers in an educational setting (6 months experience in early childhood education or with infants and toddlers in an educational setting if a current Upbring employee)
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement early childhood curriculum
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work and interact with diverse groups of people
• Ability to build a positive rapport with children, parents/guardians, and team members
• Demonstrated ability to communicate professionally, interact with all levels of management in a clear and concise manner
• Strong computer skills; high proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, and Outlook)
• Strong stress management, time management and organizational skills with the ability to pay close attention to detail
• Ability to prioritize tasks and projects and meet deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication, including preparation of quality well written documents, reports, and correspondence
• Ability to work independently and within a team; ability to take initiative with limited supervision

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate Degree or higher in Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Development, or in a different field with a minimum of 15 credit hours in one of these fields of study.
• 3 years' experience in Early Childhood Education
• Experience with inclusion of children with disabilities
• Knowledge of infant/toddler health and safety licensing requirements
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) with the ability to fluently converse and write in Spanish (based on student population and service area), highly preferred
• CPR/First Aid Certification

Physical Demands & Work Conditions

• This position requires frequent standing, walking, and speaking for long periods of time
• Position works in a facility with and around children on a regular basis
• Lift, push, pull, move up to 50 lbs.

The physical requirements for this position with or without reasonable accommodation are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. While performing this position the employee with or without reasonable accommodation should have the ability to walk, stand, sit, kneel, speak, and hear with aid, see, read, reach with arms and hands, lift and/or move up to specified weight, and use equipment that is essential to performing the job, such as a computer, copier, fax machine, telephone, and automobile, if applicable. Specific vision requirements of this position may include color vision, seeing things close up, and the ability to adjust focus.

Agreement

The statements herein indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by an employee in this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the job. Management may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities of the job and may request the employee to perform other duties and responsibilities not listed at his/her discretion. This job description is not a contract between the employee occupying the position and the employer. Upbring is an at-will employer. Equal Employment Opportunity/M/F/disability/protected veteran status. If the day-to-day work I perform differs significantly from the above outlined essential duties, it is my obligation to inform my supervisor and/or People Operations.