Early Head Start Teacher - EKU

The purpose of this position is to ensure our youngest children have a solid foundation for life and encourage the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of Head Start children. The EHS teacher will attend to the children’s safety and welfare, while meeting requirements of Federal Head Start Performance Standards and any local, state and/or agency policies and procedures.

MIMIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. Prefer an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education.
• Minimum one year experience working with children.
• Must have flexible schedule to accommodate occasional evening or weekend hours.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Bilingual English/Spanish skills highly desirable.
• Must have a valid Mississippi Driver’s License and proof of insurance and must provide own vehicle for home visits.
• Must pass Mississippi State requirements for early child educators: Letter of Suitability, Health Screening, and DHA required background check.
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills, internet, and e-mail.
• Ability to work as a team member collaborating with staff, families, and community resources.
• Ability to supervise and monitor children at all times to ensure a safe environment. This includes the physical ability to monitor and move quickly in order to respond to children who are very active and may need restraint or redirection in order to ensure their safety or the safety of others and includes occasional lifting.
• Ability to respond appropriately to an emergency or a crisis situation.
• Regular kneeling, stooping, bending, and sitting on the floor to attend to children’s needs.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supervise and monitor children at all times and respond appropriately to crisis or emergency situations that may occur.
• Establish a positive classroom climate.
• Guide the behavior of children in positive, effective ways.
• Follow a consistent schedule which includes small and large group experiences, choice time, music and movement, large and small motor activities, skill development, meals, and effective transitions between activities.
• Encourage experimentation, exploration, problem solving, cooperation, socialization, and choice-making; ask open-ended questions and follow-up questions to promote further learning and thinking.
• Follow agency-adopted curricula, using effective strategies to guide learning.
• Prepare the classroom environment and materials to support developmentally appropriate curriculum plans and learning experiences.
• Coordinate with support staff when indicated, developing a collaborative approach that benefits all children in the classroom.
• Adapt curriculum to address and meet individual goals for children as identified in their individualized family service plans (IFSP).
• Participate in integrated service meetings to plan for and delivery collaborative services across all components.
• Utilize agency adopted tools for ongoing assessment and documentation.
• Monitor and report child abuse.
• Attend and participate in training and appropriate professional development activities.
• Other Duties as Assigned

Statement of Non-Inclusivity: This job description is not to be construed as a complete listing of the duties and responsibilities that may be given to any employee. The duties and responsibilities outlined in this position may be added to or changed when deemed appropriate and necessary by the supervisor.