Requirements:

• Must meet EEC teacher requirements
• Willing and able to pursue higher education in accordance with NAEYC, and state guidelines for ECE teachers.
• Current First-Aid and CPR certification
• Evidence of physical exam, and MMR verification
• Physical constraints required include the ability to hear the conversational voice, with or without a hearing aid, the ability to see and read newsprint with or without corrective lenses, to speak and be understood under normal circumstances, to lift and carry children and other items weighing up to 50 pounds, and the use of arms, hands, legs, and feet with or without corrective devices to accomplish the job, including evacuation of the building during emergencies.

Job Description:

Interactions with Children

The goal of teachers at The Kids’ Place is to provide a warm, nurturing, safe, and loving environment where self-concepts are enhanced, independence encouraged, and individuality respected. To this end the specific responsibilities included, but are not limited to the following:

• Protects the safety of all children in the center.
• Directly supervises children at all times.
• Uses positive phrasing with children.
• Communicates frequently with children throughout the day, naming objects, actions, using who, what, when, where. and why, and open ended questions.
• Exhibits behavior management consistent with The Kids’ Place philosophy, including reflecting children’s feelings, approaching children to speak with them, directing comments toward children’s behavior, not at the children themselves, etc.
• Co-plays/interacts with children during play activities both indoors and on the playground.
• Treats each child with dignity and respect, recognizing the cultural and socio-economic diversity of the population.
• Responds to the individual needs and learning styles of children.
• Responds to children in distress promptly and appropriately.
• Is responsible for all mealtime activities of the group. Helps children serve themselves family-style and sits with children; preferably eats with them. Monitors children closely during meals.

Health and Safety Issues

• Complies with applicable universal precautions and infection control guidelines and procedures.
• Displays familiarity with and follows The Kids’ Place Health Care Policies.
• Reports immediately any needed repairs to Center Director.
• Is responsible for the welfare, health, and safety of the children in the center.
• Ensures that children are supervised at all times as well as in the bathroom.
• Assists calmly in evacuation of the building in an emergency and in practice drills, and is able to respond to any emergency.
• Cleans and disinfects mouthed toys before next use, chairs and toys when soiled or at least weekly, mats/cots weekly.
• Checks on sleeping infants every 5 minutes, toddlers and preschoolers every 15 minutes.

Planning

• Plans activities reflecting the anti-bias philosophy of The Kids’ Place with age-appropriate and individualized activities. Provides a well balanced schedule of individual/group activities, and active/quiet activities with variations of structure.
• Submits weekly curriculum plans to Center Director by Wednesday for the coming week.
• Plans open ended activities with an emphasis on process orientation and developmentally appropriate curriculum within the guidelines of The Creative Curriculum.
• Plans supervised activities for outdoors, or indoor gross motor play during severe inclement weather which prevents outdoor play (at least 1 hour per day).
• Keeps informal classroom anecdotal notes on children’s progress on an on-going basis.
• Develops and maintains portfolios of children’s developmental progress, keeping records, work samples and other evidence of growth and development.
• Prepares children’s progress reports for infants and children with special needs every three months, or for toddlers and preschoolers every six months.
• Reads to children DAILY.
• Uses resources, such as libraries, to incorporate literature into the daily routine.
• Prepares or makes available in advance, materials needed for planned activities.
• Plans circle to include hands-on, interactive activities.
• Sets individual goals and objectives for each child according to the guidelines of The Creative Curriculum.
• Plans and provides appropriate activities to assure smooth transitions throughout the day.

Interaction with Parents

The Kids’ Place establishes and maintains collaborative