Teacher (Louisiana)

The Head Start Teacher develops and implements individual and group educational plans for preschool children, designed to promote social-emotional, physical and cognitive growth in a manner appropriate to their stage of development. You will be responsible for the general, day-to-day operations of a Head Start classroom and must verify legal compliance with federal, state and local regulations. You will create and nurture strong partnerships with families and ensure that the program quality remains at the highest standards.

You will report directly to the Center Director or Manager of Education & Inclusion, and you may also supervise Teacher Assistants and seek support in the classroom from Program Aides and Volunteers. As a front line representative of Save the Children, you are required to ensure the safety and security of children and families that you come 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. You 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.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• Develop and implement individualized and group lesson plans as well as educational activities that promote all developmental areas to improve the readiness of children for school.
• Ensure there is a safe, healthy and developmentally-appropriate learning environment.
• Build effective relationships within the organization, the children and their families.
• Maintain accurate records, both on paper and in designated online systems.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding children and families.
• Plan, conduct and document observations, assessments and screenings. Maintain a comprehensive and ongoing portfolio assessment for each child including weekly observations, examples of the child's work and developmental assessments.
• Keep manager informed of important issues.
• Work with the Assistant Teacher, Program Aides and Volunteers to develop their skills and abilities in planning and carrying out classroom activities.
• Engage with children during all activities throughout the day. Provide constant supervision of children during all learning activities indoors and outdoors and ensure a safe environment.
• Use the playground as an extension of the classroom; ensure the playground is safe.
• Provide a balanced program of child-initiated and teacher-directed activities and opportunities for individual, small group and large group learning activities.
• Eat with and assist children in eating during mealtime to teach social and self-help skills and sound nutritional practices.
• Ensure that the physical needs of children are met, assisting children in health and personal habits, such as resting, brushing teeth, diapering and toilet habits.
• Create ways to engage parents in the education of their children including encouraging classroom involvement and home activities.
• Create an inventory of all classroom equipment and supplies annually.
• Plan and conduct 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 behaviour.
• Work in cooperation with Manager of Education & Inclusion to develop and document progress on professional development plan; actively engage in professional development activities to increase qualifications.
• Work closely with management to ensure program complements Head Start Program Performance Standards.
• This position must have the ability to work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner and protect the children's safety by implementing active supervision techniques to ensure no child is left alone or unsupervised at any time.
• Ensure the mobilization and documentation of matching-in-kind activities, goods and services.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of an Associate degree in child development, early childhood education or a related degree with early childhood equivalent coursework equivalent to a major relating to early childhood education, with experience teaching preschool-age children.
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully communicate and collaborate with individuals and teams at all levels—whether internal or external—in the provision of high quality services to children and families.
• Demonstrated successful interpersonal, communication and organizational skills; great problem solving and time management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to follow established and communicated directions and take initiative.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the purpose of the Head Start/Early Head Start program.
• Proven ability to relate sensitively with children.
• Proven ability to keep all required information strictly confidential.
• Must participate in professional development training including basic first aid and pediatric CPR certification as required by state licensing and HSPPS.
• Physical Requirements related to essential functions: 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 and grasping. This also includes some duties that require repetitive action and motion skills, keyboarding and computer use.
• Clear pre-employment background check requirements, including local, state, and national criminal records check, sex offender registries, employment, and education verifications (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.
• This position may require the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle to fulfill certain essential functions of the job. The incumbent should maintain a valid driver's license and remain in compliance with any Save the Children policies pertaining to the safe operation of motor vehicles.
• Current and former Head Start/Early Head Start parents will receive preference for employment vacancies for which they are qualified.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual preferred (English/Spanish or English and other languages used by children and families).

About Us: 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 we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.