Position Title: Teacher, Head Start
Position Structure: Teacher
Employee Type: Full-time Regular
Supervisor Title: Center Director
Division: United States Programs
Child Safety: Frequent Contact
Job Summary:
The Head Start Teacher is responsible for the general and day-to-day operations of a Head Start classroom assuring regulatory and legal compliance with federal, state and local regulations and communication with parents. The Head Start Teacher is also responsible overseeing and providing educational, relational and social experiences for preschool children to foster growth and development in all developmental domains.
The Head Start Teacher reports directly to the Center Director. The Head Start Teacher is responsible for creating and nurturing strong partnerships with families and ensuring that program standards, compliance, and quality are of the highest standards.
As a front line representative of Save the Children, the Head Start Teacher is required to ensure the safety and security of children and families that he/she comes in contact with, adhering to the agency’s values of Accountability, Ambition, Collaborations, Creativity, and Integrity.
As a Save the Children employee who will come into contact with children on a routine basis, you are expected to prevent child abuse in every situation by striving, through mental awareness, good practice and training to minimize risk to children. The position must take positive steps to protect children who may be a subject of concern and report, respond to any instance of child abuse, and promote training and awareness around all child-safeguarding obligations.
Essential Duties
Classroom Management
Curriculum Planning
Child Assessments
Home Visits/Conferences
Responsibilities and Impact:
- Plans and conducts activities with Head Start Teacher Assistant to meet individual needs of children in accordance with the daily schedule.
- Engages with children during all activities throughout the day. Provides constant supervision of children during all learning activities indoors and outdoors and ensures safe environment.
- Provides a balanced program of child initiated and teacher directed activities, active and quite learning activities, and opportunities for individual, small group, and large group learning activities.
- Plans and conducts conferences (minimum 2) and home visits (minimum 2) or more often as needed to ensure parent/caregiver is well informed on their child’s progress of development and learning, routines, activities and behavior.
- Maintains classroom discipline using developmentally appropriate techniques.
- Maintains documentation as required by agency.
- Participates in Professional Development Plan including CPR and First Aid.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Makes routine decisions around day-to-day execution of the job. Good time management and organizational skills. Works closely with management to ensure program compliments Head Start Standards. Keeps manager informed of important issues. Builds effective relationships within the organization, the children and their families.
Job Requirements:
- Minimum of an Associate or Baccalaureate degree in child development or early childhood education or a related degree with early childhood equivalent coursework.
- Experience working with preschool-age children.
- Strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skills; great problem solving and time management skills. Ability to follow directions and take initiative.
- Ability to work collaboratively with Assistant Teacher, other staff, parents and community partners in the provision of high quality services to children and families.
- Knowledge of the purpose of the Head Start/Early Head Start Program.
- Ability to relate sensitively with children and to work well with staff, parents and families.
- Ability to keep all information strictly confidential
- Ability to perform medium to heavy physical work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently and up to 5-10 pounds constantly, performing such activities as sitting, crawling, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping. This also includes some duties that require repetitive action and motion skills, keyboarding and computer use.
Clear criminal records check (including child abuse registry check if required by state regulations) and pass all state and local health requirements required post job offer and prior to employment. To drive agency vehicles (if applicable), must have a valid driver’s license and be insurable by the Save the Children Head Start insurance carrier and have a Motor Vehicle Record acceptable to Save the Children Head Start. Current and former Head Start/Early Head Start parents will receive preference for employment vacancies for which they are qualified.
Save the Children invests in childhood – every day, in times of crisis and for our future. In the United States and around the world, we are dedicated to ensuring every child has the best chance for success. Our pioneering programs give children a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. Our advocacy efforts provide a voice for children who cannot speak for themselves. As the leading expert on children, we inspire and achieve lasting impact for millions of the world's most vulnerable girls and boys. By transforming children's lives now, we change the course of their future and ours.
Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. All Save the Children Representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of Child Abuse.
In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of Child Abuse. All Save the Children Representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation. Any violations of this policy will be treated as a serious issue.
Save the Children provides an attractive benefits package including competitive salaries, a matching retirement plan, health and welfare benefits, life insurance, an employee assistance program, generous time off and much more. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.