Metuchen-Edison YMCA·Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
The Assistant Teacher supports professional staff in ensuring the safety, care, and well-being of children through active supervision and engagement. Responsibilities include assisting with daily classroom routines, meal service, hygiene procedures, and maintaining a clean and organized environment.
The Assistant Teacher will work with a small group of children under the coaching and supervision of a professional staff to ensure the care, safety and well being of the children assigned to her/his group. S/he will use the philosophy of the YMCA mission and the four core values (caring, honesty, respect and responsibility) to deliver and implement a program of the highest quality where every child has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.
1. Ensure all health and safety guidelines are strictly adhered to.
2. Assist in supervising the group of children to which she/he is assigned (during classroom experience, during outdoor playground activities and while off the Center grounds).
3. Become involved with the children in group play and outside activities.
4. Assist with the nap period duties including, but not limited to; setting out and replacing cots/mats/cribs; settling the children, i.e., rubbing backs, reading stories.
5. Have an ability to identify child abuse and have a clear understanding of reporting requirements and responsibilities.
6. Be responsible for going into the pool to assist swim instructors and maintain staff: child ratio during swim lessons/activities.
7. Utilize any specific abilities or talents that can enrich the children’s day care experience.
8. Assist with food service (snack, lunch, special treats) and clean up the eating area.
9. Support the Y’s HEPA standards by role modeling through participation in activities, snacks, & meals as well as avoiding consumption of foods & beverages during program hours that are inconsistent with HEPA standards.
10. Be responsible for keeping equipment and materials clean, accessible and in good condition.
11. Assist the teacher in keeping the classroom organized and neat.
12. Administer first aid and supervise children’s personal hygiene.
13. Assist in administration of medication under the direction of the classroom teacher.
14. Assume the responsibilities of the classroom teacher during her absence, with the direction and support of the director.
15. Assist in the preparation of materials for daily activities.
16. Be responsible for daily paperwork (i.e. accident reports, unusual incident reports) needed to maintain state code.
17. Assist in all bathroom procedures, diapering, potty training, hand washing, etc.
18. Attend all staff meetings when necessary and contribute to the meetings.
19. Be required to maintain a current CPR & First Aid Certification as well as attend workshops presented during “Center Shut Down”.
20. Encouraged to attend other forms of professional training during the year.
21. Be responsible for understanding and emulating the four core values.
22. Be responsible for accurately recording time worked using the time management system provided on a daily basis.
· High school diploma or its equivalent.
· Previous child care experience or related experience.
· Some credits or classes in education or early childhood education a plus.
· Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
· Ability to work as part of a team.
Normal amounts of walking, standing, sitting, running, jumping, lifting, pushing, pulling, speaking, reading, and writing. Must be able to hear, see and respond quickly to children’s needs.
Market context
In New Jersey, teacher assistant roles are commonly tied to classroom support needs in early childhood and K-12 settings, where schools look for dependable help with instruction, supervision, and daily routines. Competition often centers on meeting state licensing requirements, passing background checks, and showing prior experience with young children. Review the specific certification steps early, since the job requirements and benefits here are AI-summarized from the original posting to save you research time.
Before/After School Care - Offsite
Teacher Assistant
Before/After School Care - Offsite