Portsmouth, United States | Posted on 06/26/2025
- Industry Nonprofit Charitable Organizations
- Work Experience 1-3 years
- City Portsmouth
- State/Province VA
- Country United States
Job Description
· Meet the needs of all children, including those with special needs,those who are gifted and those who are culturally diverse.
· Integrate all Head Start service areas into classroom time.
· Develop and utilize lesson plans, which reflect mandated elements,parental and cultural influences, and promote the social, emotional, physical,and cognitive development of Head Start children.
· Implement ongoing early child/family literacy activities.
· Individualize one-to-one and group activities to reflect the uniqueneeds and strengths of all children in the classroom. Observe and recordbehaviors of children to assist in this process.
· Follow a consistent schedule, which includes small and large groupexperiences, choice time, music and movement, large and small motor activities,skill development, meals, and effective transitions between activities.
· Encourage experimentation, exploration, problem solving, cooperation,socialization, and choice making, ask open-ended questions and listenrespectfully to the answers.
· Provide an atmosphere that promotes and reinforces parental involvementin the classroom.
· Conduct ongoing assessments for children and record data using theCreative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies Gold web-based assessment tool.
· Work with appropriate agencies in developing specialized planning forchildren/families, as needed.
· Supervise and monitor children at all times.
· Respond to crisis or emergency situations that may occur and providefirst aid or CPR. Prevent the spread of blood borne pathogens, and accessemergency services as needed.
· Maintain accurate written records; including assessments, specialeducation documentation, screening instruments, anecdotal observations,documents for transition to public school and parent/teacher conference, homevisits and other required forms.
Collaborative Service Delivery/Home Visits (15%)
· Provide classroom supervision and effective communication for teacherassistants and all volunteers.Ensureteamwork with teacher assistant and others assigned to the class.
· Participate in regularly scheduled team meetings to plan for and delivercollaborative services across all service areas.To include working with the TransportationService Area to ensure children's safety to and from Head Start centers.
· Meet regularly with parents, and other staff regarding each child'sstatus and progress.
· Conduct regular home visits and parent/teacher conferences for purposesof assessment and support, and to share information on classroom progress,educational strategies and parenting.
· Assess individual and group needs, attending to special needs, specificinterests, strengths and concerns.
· With parental involvement, develop balanced lesson plans, which aredevelopmentally appropriate, intellectually challenging and address eachchild's specific strengths and needs.
· Establish daily and weekly goals, which will promote individual andgroup educational plans and include other Head Start service areas.
· Prepare classroom materials to support lesson plans and change andcreate learning centers as needed.
· Adapt curriculum to address and meet individual goals for children asidentified in their individualized plans.
· Attend meetings, trainings, and appropriate professional developmentactivities.
· Assure general classroom maintenance/sanitization, laundry and securityof facility where applicable.
· Maintain an inventory of classroom equipment.
· Other duties as requested.
Requirements
• Strong knowledge of child development, family dynamics, and the needs of children:
• Minimum educational requirement of a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or bachelors in a related field that includes classes focusing on early childhood education/development. Note: An associate degree in early childhood education will be accepted; on the condition the employee is already enrolled or enrolls in a bachelor’s degree (ECE) program, which will be mandatory, to maintain teacher status. Failure to work towards a bachelor’s degree will result in the relinquishment of said position.
• Diploma/transcripts will be required to validate early childhood education degree or transcripts to validate related classes if bachelor's degree is in a related field.
• Prefer two years’ experience in preschool classroom with ability to adapt curriculum to meet the needs of all children including special needs, gifted, and culturally diverse populations.
• Ability to apply early childhood development theory in daily classroom activities, and adapt to the individual needs of children.
• Excellent communication skills, especially good listening and writing skills.
• If a licensed driver, employee must have a valid Virginia Driver's License and proof of current auto insurance where applicable.
• Employment is conditional pending immediate enrollment in Child Care Division - Criminal History Registry.
• Must present current TB/Physical at the time of employment or within 10 working days for TB test and 30 days for physical.