Teacher Assistant - Child Care Center

SUMMARY

Under the supervision of the Teacher and Site Supervisor the Teacher Assistant is responsible for:

• Participating in the direct supervision of children to ensure their health and safety at all times
• Constantly interacting with children, providing nurture, care and guidance to each child
• Participating in the implementation of learning programs and activities to help achieve the developmental goals of the child.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Greets parents and children in a friendly, professional manner and evaluates each child upon arrival for obvious signs of illness or problems.
• Maintains physical cleanliness of children including washing faces and hands, changing clothes and diapers when necessary, and assisting with toileting.
• Constantly monitors and interacts with children; guides, nurtures, engages in active listening, questioning to promote cognition and problem solving, assists and plays with children at all times.
• Actively participates in children’s activities, engaging and communicating with them, modeling behaviors as appropriate.
• Interacts with children at a child’s eye level while playing and/or while conducting activities.
• Directly interacts with children in a warm and positive manner, listening and responding to their language/communication with respect and sensitivity at all times.
• Assists children to identify and verbalize their concerns and issues and to identify compromises and solutions to those issues.
• Supervises children at all times to ensure safety and to prevent accidents/injuries.
• Participates with the teacher in developing learning programs and activities for the day, week or longer term; provides constructive feedback to teachers in the interests of improving the programs and working relationships.
• Maintains cleanliness of classroom and play areas; repairs and/or reports unsafe equipment and ensures children do not use unsafe equipment; wipes up spills; sets up/removes beds and covers; cleans tables top and chairs as necessary.
• Plans, designs and creates bulletin boards and other visual stimuli related to themes and learning activities; puts up bulletin boards at children’s eye level.
• Prepares materials for lessons and activities.
• Sets-up and maintains learning areas; teaches and guides children in how to use centers and monitors/supervises their use.
• Actively participates in staff meetings and in-service programs in order to improve child development skills; seeks outside educational opportunities to improve skills.
• Receives feedback with commitment to on-going refinement and professional growth.
• Follows CCA’S policies and procedures at all times including health, safety and nutrition.
• Follows agency policies and procedures at all times including health, safety and nutrition; incorporates CCA’s philosophy and mission in all aspects of job description.
• Participates with supervisor and receives feedback with commitment to on-going refinement and professional growth.
• Maintains absolute confidentiality regarding children and their families in compliance with agency policies and other regulations.

SECONDARY DUTIES

Performs related duties as required and/or assigned by Teacher or Site Supervisor

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The working environment for this position is in a classroom a play yard setting. Staff may be exposed to potentially volatile and emotional children who may bite, kick, or otherwise be physically rough. The noise level varies depending on the children’s activities.

These specifications are general guidelines based on the minimum experience normally considered essential to the satisfactory performance of this job. Individual abilities may result in some deviation from these guidelines.

To perform effectively in this position, the incumbent must have:

• Six (6) units of Early Childhood Education (ECE) or Child Development (CD) from an accredited institution and/or Completion of an accredited Regional Occupational Program (ROP).
• Complete 16 hours of preventative Health including CPR Certification and Pediatric CPR & First Aid.
• Prior experience working with very young children (Infants, Toddlers and/or Preschoolers), typically the result of working in a family or neighborhood setting; experience and/or formal classroom studies in early childhood education is preferred.
• A warm, friendly, positive personality who enjoys helping children to grow and helping families.
• Solid English and Spanish language skills including effective oral communication skills, ability to read and comprehend simple instructions and short correspondence and ability to write simple correspondence.
• Prior experience with children and families from diverse cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds and ability to be sensitive to the different cultures represented among children, families and staff.
• A working knowledge of maintaining a safe or secure environment for children.
• Ability to work effectively as a team player.
• Ability to establish and maintain routines files, records and official documents.
• Reliable, punctual, responsible, dependable and fulfill obligations.
• Courteous and pleasant with other on the job and displaying good-natured, cooperative attitude; ability to be flexible and work in a changing environment
• Ability to take constructive criticism and to apply suggestions to change behavior, procedures, etc.
• Proof of recent tuberculosis test and must submit updated testing/results as per agency internal requirements.
• Proof of adult mandatory vaccinations: influenza (annual requirement) and/or waiver, Tdap (booster every 10 years) &/or proof of immunity provided by physician AND measles vaccination and/or proof of immunity provided by physician.
• Submit pre-employment health screening report upon hiring and as per agency internal requirements.
• Fingerprint clearance on DOJ, FBI and CA thru Community Care Licensing.

Preferred requirements include:

• Experience with children with a variety of disabilities.