Preschool Teacher in Cambridge

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT: The Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) creates and coordinates services that enhance the quality of life for Cambridge residents. Driven by the needs of residents, DHSP’s extensive services and programs touch almost every sector in the city: from newborns to senior citizens, from school-aged children to homeless families, from non-profit organizations to local employers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Research and plan regularly scheduled curriculum activities and long‑term projects that correspond to the educational philosophy and goals of the program, meet the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), NAEYC, QRIS, and DHSP curriculum standards and guidelines; and enhance the social, physical, emotional, and intellectual development of children enrolled in the program.
• Meet weekly with the Director/Teacher or Lead Teacher to review and, if needed, improve weekly written curriculum plans.
• Implement regularly scheduled curriculum activities and long‑term projects.
• Reflect upon children’s learning to inform next cycle of curriculum planning.
• Incorporate Director/Teacher and Lead Teacher’s suggestions around all areas of curriculum.
• Conduct child‑centered, play‑based small and large group activities with children daily.
• Participate fully in safe and developmentally appropriate field trips that connect curriculum topics to the world outside of the classroom.
• Arrange and maintain classroom space to allow for a large variety of activities that promote children’s growing independence in using the classroom resources and materials.
• Involve enrolled children in assessing the classroom environment and establishing classroom rules in order to accommodate individual and group needs.
• Maintain classroom space free from hazards as well as implement safety/playground checklists as per EEC, NAEYC, QRIS & DHSP regulations.
• Provide nurturing and socially responsive care to all children enrolled in the program.
• Participate in developing strategies to fully support the development of individual children.
• Observe, reflect upon, and document children’s developmental progress using the COR Advantage assessment module.
• Create child portfolios using the COR Advantage assessment module and share these with parents during 3 annual parent‑teacher conferences.
• Submit these for review, as needed, to the Director/Teacher or Lead Teacher.
• Participate in documenting children’s learning through displays of children’s work.
• Initiate and maintain regular and respectful communication with parents regarding their child’s daily experiences in the program through daily conversations or meetings.
• In all communications, respect child, family, and staff confidentiality.
• Participate in a variety of meetings: parent meetings or workshops; staff meetings with the Director/Teacher, Preschool Manager, or other DHSP Childcare staff; and with program consultants.
• Provide consistent professional support and communication to and with the classroom team, giving constructive ideas, seeking and accepting advice to enhance the team’s functioning.
• Fulfill some Lead Teacher position responsibilities when Lead Teacher is not present, including, but not limited to, direction and supervision of substitute staff.
• Will actively engage in and support the Department’s Race and Equity Initiative.
• Maintain professional knowledge through participation in in‑service training workshops offered by the Childcare Division or other outside resources as well as meeting educational requirements established by the Department of Early Care and Education and the City of Cambridge.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Compliance with or surpassing EEC (Department of Early Education & Care) regulations for preschool teachers, with a minimum age of 21.
• A minimum of 9 months of supervised teaching experience.
• Proficiency in basic writing and computer skills.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Be agile in their movements; moving quickly from sitting on the floor to standing, to kneeling so as to be at the child’s eye level.
• Employees may have to run after children, both in play and to respond to an emergency.
• Be able to hear children who speak in a soft voice or mumble words when distressed.
• Be able to use their hands and arms to move, reach, handle, and manipulate objects in the classroom.
• This includes moving furniture once a year when room is re‑organized.
• Be able to occasionally lift and/or move a child (up to 40 pounds).
• Vision abilities are required for the supervision of children.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential function of this job. The noise level is moderately to very loud. It includes classroom, outdoor playgrounds, and occasional field trips.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

• Resume
• Cover Letter