Teacher Assistant

SUMMARY

Educare Lincoln is a collaborative partnership between the Lincoln Public Schools (LPS), University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL), Early Head Start (EHS), and the Buffett Early Childhood Fund. The mission of Educare Lincoln is to help young children thrive socially, emotionally, and academically through high-quality early childhood education, and in partnership with their families and the community. The EHS program (ages 6 weeks to 3 years) and the preschool program (ages 3 years to 5 years) promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of evidence-based education, health, nutritional, social, and other services to enrolled children and their families.

The Teacher Assistant works cooperatively with the Lead Teacher to plan and implement the daily education program for the children. The Teacher Assistant assists in ensuring the education program is developmentally appropriate, meeting the individual needs of children as well as program standards of Educare of Lincoln, Sixpence, the Nebraska Department of Education, and Early Head Start. In the absence of the Lead Teacher, the Teacher Assistant takes responsibility for the management of the classroom.

Major responsibilities and key tasks

• Observe, assess, and document each assigned child’s health, skills, behavior, growth, and development.
• Provide opportunities for children to develop positive self-images and experience success.
• Foster positive relationships with all children in the classroom.
• Maintain an attractive and stimulating learning environment and encourage children’s independence and self-selection of activities.
• Ensure that all children are under appropriate supervision and guidance at all times.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and healthy classroom environment.
• Assist with the timely completion of necessary paperwork, including CACFP documentation, developmental assessments, incident reports, etc.
• Assist in the planning and implementation of developmentally appropriate classroom activities that will enhance the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of each child.
• Assist in the development of lesson plans with goals, objectives, activities, and outcomes for children and participate in implementing them intentionally.
• Develop effective relationships with parents through regular informal conversations.
• Participate in home visits with each child’s family twice per school year.
• Encourage parent participation in program activities and in implementing education activities for their children at home.
• Participate in reflective supervision with the primary supervisor.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED required.
• Child Development Associate (CDA) required within the first six months of hire.
• Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) preferred; OR 12 credit hours of either ECE college courses or certified ECE training preferred.
• Two or more years of experience working in an Early Childhood Center preferred.
• Must be able to pass a background check that meets compliance standards.

Essential skills / Abilities required

• Knowledge of curriculum, principles, and best practices of early childhood education.
• Willingness to participate in Educare’s commitment to continuously review, analyze, and apply findings from local and national evaluations to current program design.
• Knowledge of state childcare licensing requirements.
• Strong organization skills with the ability to manage time and multiple priorities.
• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team as a cooperative and supportive team member.
• Ability to establish supportive relationships with staff and families from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, in a manner that demonstrates and fosters cooperation, respect, concern, and openness to change.
• Ability to physically interact with children including the ability to walk or run quickly, kneel or sit on floor, bend and lift, walk over rough or uneven ground, while inside or outside of the facility.
• Ability to lift, carry, and move center/classroom equipment and supplies and/or bulky objects or children weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to maintain boundaries and perform all duties in an ethical and professional manner.
• Compliance with all confidentiality regulations as required.
• Ability to obtain First Aid and CPR certification.
• Ability to operate a computer and office equipment including, but not limited to, a telephone, fax machine, and copier.

If you’d like to be part of something special, please apply!

Educare Lincoln provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discriminatory hiring practices. We are committed to the equal treatment of all employees and applicants and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity/expression, and sexual orientation), age, disability, veteran status, parental status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Equal Opportunity Employer