Summary

The Early Head Start Teacher develops and implements individual and group educational plans for infants and toddlers, designed to promote social-emotional, physical and cognitive growth in a manner appropriate to their stage of development. In each Early Head Start classroom, two Early Head Start Teachers work together to lead child development activities with support from Program Aides and Volunteers.

In collaboration with a Co-Teacher, you will be responsible for the general, day-to-day operations of the Early Head Start classroom, verifying legal compliance with federal, state and local regulations. You will create and nurture strong partnerships with families and ensures that program quality is of the highest standards. You will report directly to the Center Director or Manager of Education & Inclusion.

As a frontline representative of Save the Children, you are required to ensure the safety and security of children and families that you come in contact with, adhering to the agency’s values of Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity and Integrity.

As a Save the Children employee who comes into contact with children on a routine basis, you are expected to prevent child abuse in every situation by striving, through mental awareness, good practice and training, to minimize risk to children. You must take positive steps to protect children who may be a subject of concern and report and respond to any instance of child abuse and promote training and awareness around all child safeguarding obligations.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

In collaboration with a Co-Teacher, develop and implement individualized and group lesson plans and educational activities that promote all developmental areas to improve the readiness of children for preschool. Guide and facilitate activities of the children including daily classroom activities and field trips. Select and set up equipment and materials in the classroom and ensure a safe and developmentally appropriate learning environment. Practice responsive caregiving to promote relational learning and include individualized and small group activities that integrate appropriate routines into a flexible schedule of learning experiences. Plan and conduct conferences (minimum 2) and home visits (minimum of 2) or more often as needed to ensure parents/caregiver is well informed on their child’s progress of development and learning, routines, activities and behavior and assist parents in developing observational skills. Maintain accurate records, both on paper and in designated online systems. Maintain confidentiality regarding children and families. Plan, conduct and document observations, assessments and screenings; maintain a comprehensive and ongoing portfolio assessment for each child including weekly observations, examples of the child's work and developmental assessments. Work with Program Aides and Volunteers to develop their skills and abilities in planning and carrying out classroom activities. Protect the safety of children by implementing active supervision techniques to ensure no child is left alone or unsupervised at any time. Use the playground as an extension of the classroom; ensure that the playground is safe. Eat with and assist children in eating during mealtime to teach social and self-help skills and sound nutritional practices. Ensure that the physical needs of children are met, assisting children in health and personal habits, such as resting, brushing teeth, diapering and toilet habits. Create ways to engage parents in the education of their children such as encouraging classroom involvement and home activities. Create an inventory of all classroom equipment and supplies annually. Work in cooperation with Manager of Education & Inclusion to develop and document progress on professional development plan; actively engage in professional development activities to increase qualifications. Keep classroom clean and organized. Ensure the mobilization and documentation of matching-in-kind activities, goods and services. Work may require the flexibility to stay until all children have been pick up by parent/legal guardian. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

Minimum of an associate degree in child development, early childhood education or a related degree with early childhood equivalent coursework equivalent to a major relating to early childhood education, with experience teaching preschool-age children. Professional proficiency in spoken and written English. Demonstrated ability to successfully communicate and collaborate with individuals and teams at all levels—whether internal or external—in the provision of high quality services to children and families. Demonstrated successful interpersonal, communication and organizational skills; great problem solving and time management skills. Demonstrated ability to follow established and communicated directions and take initiative. Demonstrated knowledge of the purpose of the Head Start/Early Head Start program. Proven ability to relate sensitively with children. Proven ability to keep all required information strictly confidential. 

Physical Requirements related to essential functions: Ability to perform medium to heavy physical work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently and up to 5-10 pounds constantly, performing such activities as sitting, crawling, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting and grasping. This also includes some duties that require repetitive action and motion skills, keyboarding and computer use.

Clear pre-employment background check requirements, including local, state, and national criminal records check, sex offender registries, employment, and education verifications (including child abuse registry check if required by state regulations) and pass all state and local health requirements required post job offer and prior to employment.

This position may require the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle to fulfill certain essential functions of the job. The incumbent should maintain a valid driver’s license and remain in compliance with any Save the Children policies pertaining to the safe operation of motor vehicles.

Current and former Head Start/Early Head Start parents will receive preference for employment vacancies for which they are qualified.

Preferred Qualifications

Bilingual preferred (English/Spanish or English and other languages used by children and families). If in North Carolina, holding a Birth-Kindergarten (B-K) Licensure preferred.

Why you should join the Save the Children Head Start Team…

Actual base salary may vary based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience, base salary of internal peers, business sector, and geographic location. Employee may be eligible for an incentive program. Save the Children US also offers outstanding benefits that include health, dental, vision and life insurances, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, a retirement savings plan with employer contribution, paid time off, and much more.

Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in YOU!

About Save the Children

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Our work for children and their families requires that we commit—at every opportunity—to work together to identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism, inequality, and any other forms of discrimination in this country and beyond.  As an anti-racist organization, Save the Children will not tolerate discrimination in any form—in our employment practices, amongst our staff, in our leadership or toward the people we serve. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights, justice, inclusion, and belonging.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation.

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.