Infant Toddler Teacher

Blueprints; Washington (Washington County); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Blueprints is seeking an engaged Early Head Start teacher to supervise and support children aged 0-3 in a nurturing classroom, aligning activities with development goals and family engagement.

The role emphasizes collaboration with staff, execution of the program plan, and ongoing professional growth, including connecting families with community resources and documenting children's progress.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a CDA credential and training in early childhood development.
• Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education preferred.
• Experience with children aged 0-3 in a professional or significant volunteer setting.

Responsibilities

• Directly responsible for supervision of children and classroom management.
• Promote collaborative planning with staff.
• Monitor children's progress per goals and document observations.
• Incorporate early learning standards into teaching practice.
• Engage families as partners in development and learning.
• Track and report health-related needs and community referrals.

Skills

Infant/Toddler experience

Head Start knowledge

Operate vehicle

Education

CDA credential

Associate degree in ECE

Tools

Computer

Internet

Email

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

• Supports and speaks in positive terms about Blueprints mission and others in the organization.
• Takes initiative to do more than is required or expected in the job.
• Demonstrates genuine enthusiasm for learning new skills and assuming new/changing roles.
• Takes full accountability for meeting commitments and achieving expected results.
• Accepts challenges and uses creative approaches to assess and solve problems.

Core Competencies

• Supports and speaks in positive terms about Blueprints mission and others in the organization.
• Takes initiative to do more than is required or expected in the job.
• Demonstrates genuine enthusiasm for learning new skills and assuming new/changing roles.
• Takes full accountability for meeting commitments and achieving expected results.
• Accepts challenges and uses creative approaches to assess and solve problems.

Effective Practices

• Demonstrates respect for others by sharing information objectively and non-judgmentally and adjusting verbal and written communication strategies for different audiences, guarding against abuse of power and sexual misconduct and using appropriate language.
• Confidentiality Statement: Upon accepting employment with Blueprints you will not disclose or use any Blueprints confidential information, either during or after your employment.
• Effectively communicates with others by using available technologies (e.g. fax, voice-mail, computers - see attached chart). Ensures that own communication is easily understood by speaking and writing clearly and using standard grammar and spelling.
• Makes prudent use of resources by monitoring consumption, minimizing waste, and offering suggestions for improving agency efficiency (e.g. travel expenses, office supplies).
• Effectively carries out job responsibilities by familiarizing self with pertinent program plans and policies, and overall agency goals and working cooperatively as part of a program team.
• Provides a culturally competent and flexible approach when working with those from various cultures by acknowledging, accepting and accommodating differences.

Essential Functions

• Regular and reliable attendance is essential.
• Link current research on and best practice in education, family, health and/or disabilities services to own work by keeping abreast of new information and reflecting on its relevance.
• Further professional growth by seeking feedback, reflecting on and assessing own practice, and taking advantage of opportunities to improve skills and knowledge.
• Participate in required meetings and training opportunities which may involve out-of-town travel.
• Exhibit an understanding of early learning standards and guidelines by incorporating them into own teaching practice.
• Directly responsible for supervision of children and classroom management.
• Promote a collaborative, productive working environment in the sharing planning, decision-making, and problem-solving responsibilities with other classroom staff.
• Monitor children's progress per the goals developed by self and other staff and specialists, including those in IFSPs, by observing and documenting children's play, conversations, routines/schedules, and work samples and through conversations with families.
• Set learning goals and plan learning experiences by integrating knowledge of each child's temperament, interests, gender, culture, language, learning approaches, understanding, misconceptions, and abilities and by working collaboratively with families and a range of specialists (e.g., medical, dental, speech, nutrition, mental health).
• Use information about children obtained through home visits, parent-teacher conferences, and other parent-staff interactions by incorporating this data into daily routines and interactions with children.
• Support children's overall development by integrating learning experiences related to all domains throughout the curriculum, environment, and day, and by accessing opportunities in the community (e.g., field trips, classroom volunteers).
• Promote children's active exploration, creativity, and development in all domains by working with other classroom staff to design indoor and outdoor environments based on knowledge of how children develop and learn, and their individual abilities.
• Promote a unified approach to sharing child information with fa ilies by engaging in joint planning with other center staff and specialists to prepare for home visits and other family contacts.
• Ensure volunteers and parents are knowledgeable of the curriculum and developmentally appropriate practices.
• Support outreach and enrollment efforts by recruiting pregnant women, age eligible children and families and communicating the program's eligibility, selection and enrollment policies and practices to families, other service providers and the general public.
• Engage families as full partners in their own and their children's development and learning by helping families to build upon strengths; to develop and reach realistic and achievable long and short range goals including economic self-sufficiency.
• Support successful transition planning to or from Early Head Start, Head Start, home or other early childhood placement.
• Track and monitor child physical, dental and health related needs.
• Be a resource for identifying needed community services and linking families to these services.
• Foster parental engagement (parent committee, policy council, advisory committees, male involvement, etc.) in specific aspects of the Early Head Start Program.
• Responsible for obtaining and reporting Non-Federal In-Kind.

Computer Skills Needed

• Computer Intermediate
• Internet Basic
• Email Basic
• Word Intermediate
• Excel NA
• Powerpoint NA

Skills, Abilities And Experience

• One year of experience working with children 0-3 years old in a professional capacity preferred or one year of volunteer service in a Head Start or Early Head Start classroom (minimum of 150 hours).
• Experience related to the program model of service delivery preferred.
• Operate agency vehicle when required.

Educational Requirements

• A minimum of a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential required, and have been trained (or have equivalent coursework) in early childhood development with a focus on infant & toddler development.
• Associate Degree from an accredited College or University in Early Childhood Education or related field preferred.