Assistant Teacher

Description:

Children’s Nest Early Childhood Education –  Assistant TEACHER Job Description

All staff members must be qualified by training and experience to carry out their respective functions in the administration, operation and maintenance of the child day care center.  These employees must be mature, of good character and possess suitable personal qualifications.   Staff must be in good physical and mental health and have the energy and emotional stability necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of their positions.

Teacher Assistant-

            Experience:

• Teacher Assistants must be at least 18 years of age
• Teacher Assistants must have a High School Diploma or its equivalent and substantial experience working with children under 13 years of age.

Responsibilities:

• To arrive and be ready to WORK at scheduled work time.
• If the TEACHER is not present or otherwise engaged, be ready to accept children from parents when they arrive and discuss how that child’s night was.  Make sure you greet the parents and children in a friendly, professional manner.  Perform the daily health check. Ask the parent if the child has eaten breakfast and what time. Make notation on the Daily. 
• If the TEACHER is not present or otherwise engaged, be ready to dismiss the children to the parent/guardian at the end of the day and very briefly (without losing eye contact with the rest of the children) discuss how the child’s day was.
• If the child has a back pack open it and check for notes.

• In conjunction with the TEACHER, check each child’s cubby –everyday– put relevant notes, messages and clothing in appropriate cubbies and make sure it is all sent home with each child along with all of their belongings.
• In conjunction with the TEACHER, check the children’s cubbies to make sure they have the appropriate amount of clothing (2 outfits, socks & underwear) diapers, wipes, ointment, blankets and baby foods.  Advise the parent on the daily if the child needs anything.
• Engage the children throughout the day.  Talk to them. Play with them.  Increase their language development through your involvement with them.
• Age appropriately; attend to the child’s hygiene.  Hands and face washed before and after meals; hands and face washed after coming in from outdoor time.
• Diapers must be checked every ½ hour and children should be changed every 2 hours unless otherwise advised by the parents.  Toilet training, when age appropriate.
• Advise Director of any health concerns or incidents that happen in the classroom or playground.  Also, if the parents make you aware of any concerns/injuries occurring @ home, etc. make the office aware of that ASAP.
• MEALTIME:  Using gloves assist the TEACHER in organizing/serving the food.  All elements of the meal MUST be put on the plate, regardless of the child likes/dislikes.  The only exception to this regulation is if the child has a food allergy/dietary restriction. Feed the children, age appropriately.  Assist and teach the children to eat independently. Children must be helped to gain independence in feeding themselves and should be encouraged to attain these skills. Check allergy lists and dietary restrictions before serving the children.  Follow the dietary requests of the parents at all times. All items brought from home:  food containers, bottles must be labeled with the child’s first and last name. All food areas/,shelves, high chairs, tables, chairs, floors must be completely cleaned before moving on to another activity and before putting out the cots for rest time.
• When possible, and in conjunction with the TEACHER, work with the children on manners.  “Yes, please”, “No, thank you”, “Please may I” and “Thank you”.
• Toys, cubbies, shelves, and all the classroom equipment must be cleaned and disinfected on a daily basis.
• Sinks in the classrooms must be maintained daily, replacing water and empting dirty water.
• No personal food or drinks (other than water) are allowed in the classrooms.  Eat your breakfast and lunch outside the classroom.
• Cellphones are not allowed in the classroom at any time.  Your focus must be on the children at all times.
• Responsible assisting the TEACHER in preparing the learning environment, setting up centers and preparing needed materials and supplies.  Be aware of the weekly curriculum and lesson plans.  Be ready to execute them in the teacher’s absence.  Have songs. Stories, and fingerplays ready to use daily. 
• Always follow OCFS Regulations, use appropriate language and tone of voice with the children.
• Maintaining confidentiality about the children, their families, and other employees in the center.
• Exhibit a genuine nurturing, caring attitude to all children.
• Supervising outside playground activities. Eyes always on the children. Teach the children to take turns, not to invade the personal space of their classmates.  Line up trikes after the children are finished using them.  Keep play areas neat, throwing out any garbage in the pails.

• Be knowledgeable in the content of Dailys. Assist the TEACHER in maintaining accurate daily records of children’s day (daily) making sure all of children’s needs have been noted and taken care of.
• The repetitive information on the Dailys should be prepared the day before and placed in the office for photocopying.

• Assist the TEACHER in changing the bulletin board every 6 weeks.
• Temporarily take charge of a classroom when your co-workers have to step out of the classroom; never being left out of ratio.
• As directed by the TEACHER, set up projects and straighten up when done.
• Attend scheduled:        1) Parent Teacher Conferences

2) Staff Meetings

3) In Service Training and completing on-line trainings

• Work with children both individually and in small groups during class sessions, as directed by the TEACHER.
• Be sure you know where the attendance folder is kept. The Attendance folder must be with the class during a fire drill.
• Be knowledgeable of the Health & Safety Log Book making sure that the daily responsibilities are met.
• Help the TEACHER classroom management at all times.
• Follow standard office procedures (example: sick time / vacation time, conferences, etc…)
• Uphold school policy.
• Report to Director (example: illness, incidents, when out sick, any request etc.)
• Be responsible to the Director and perform other duties as delegated by them.
• Everyone must clean up after themselves (example: classroom, hallways, playgrounds, yard, refrigerator/microwave, and bathroom).
• Everyone must make sure the environment inside the school and outside the school is always safe for the children.
• Adhere to the dress code as stated in the Employee Manual.
• Staff must respect each other’s privacy and feelings
• To leave at scheduled work time not before/after unless approved by the Director.
• To leave room in a respectable, organized, clean and disinfected manner for the next day.  Dispose of trash directly into the dumpster located outside in the back of the center.  Once after lunch is served and again at the end of the day.