· Our NAEYC accredited school is conveniently located at exit 17 in Westport and is within walking distance to the Westport train station. We are a full-time, year-round school serving families with children ages Infants through PreK.
· We are seeking hard working, dedicated Early Childhood professionals looking to make a difference in a child’s life
· We strive to offer a fulfilling place to work where educators have the opportunity to grow their careers while helping children develop and learn
· Our play-based, developmentally appropriate curriculum prepares children to be school-ready, & life-ready. Our teachers use the CT Early Learning Developmental Standards (ELDS) to create weekly lesson plans and are supported by our onsite Curriculum Specialist.
Qualifications
A Resource Teacher must meet the qualifications of the State of Connecticut, Office of Early Childhood AND the following
- Understand and support the education program using “learning through play” philosophy;
- Interact closely with children at their level;
- Keep children within sight and sound supervision at all times;
- Change children’s diapers and/or assist in toileting (where necessary);
- Understand and comply with the franchisee’s employment policies;
- Communicate effectively and professionally with school personnel, children and parents;
- Handle crisis situations, including assisting in evacuating the building during emergencies; and
- Comply in all respects with all applicable laws and regulations relating to childcare.
An offer of employment may be made contingent on Staffing requirements per the State of Connecticut Office of Early Childhood Statues and Regulations for Child Care Centers
Responsibilities
The Support Teacher’s responsibilities include assisting the lead teacher in implementing the Teacher/Lead Teacher’s responsibilities. The Teacher/Lead Teacher’s responsibilities include the following:
Establish and maintain a safe, healthy and nurturing learning environment
§ Design an appropriate room arrangement to support the goals and developmental level of the children in the classroom
§ Develop an appropriate classroom management system to support the goals and developmental level of the children in the classroom
§ Ensure that classroom equipment is in good repair
§ Understand and implement The Goddard School® emergency procedures
§ Promote healthy eating practices at lunch and snack times
§ Ensure that children are always within state ratio requirements
§ Perform minor cleaning responsibilities (e.g., spills) immediately
§ Perform major cleaning during times when children are not present
§ Post a classroom schedule that meets the needs of the children and includes a routine and learning opportunities
§ Post and adhere to all GSI Health and Safety policies and procedures
Advance children’s physical and intellectual competence
§ Adapt program to meet the individual needs of each child
§ Create a multi-cultural learning environment
§ Provide a variety of developmentally appropriate activities to engage children in learning
§ Interact with the children to support play, exploration and learning
§ Encourage children to talk with each other and with the faculty
§ Present age- and developmentally-appropriate expectations for all children
§ Create a print-rich environment in order for children to learn about books, literature and writing
§ Encourage creativity through art, music, dramatic play and blocks
§ Provide a reasonable balance between teacher-directed and child-directed activities
§ Provide opportunities for both active and quiet play
§ Integrate GSI-approved resources (including Enrichment Programs) into lesson plans
Support each child’s social and emotional development and provide positive guidance
§ Understand and adhere to the GSI Behavior Policy
§ Plan and implement activities to develop children’s self-esteem and social skills
§ Plan and implement activities to enable children’s feeling of security
§ Encourage empathetic and respectful feelings for others, as well as the environment, through positive modeling
§ Respect cultural and ethnic diversity
Establish positive and effective family relations
§ Communicate, in a professional manner, with families and faculty
§ Encourage families to become an integral part of their children’s learning experiences
§ Provide opportunities (e.g., conferences) in which families are made to feel a part of their children’s learning experiences
§ Prepare a Daily Activity Report for each child
§ Maintain a portfolio for each child
§ Maintain the classroom Parent Board
Ensure an effective program, responsive to children’s needs
§ Assess supplies and materials needed to implement activities
§ Build teamwork
§ Develop lesson plans
§ Manage classrooms according to GSI QA Standards
§ Perform child observations and document in their portfolios
§ Use assessment tools (e.g., Progress Reports, Children’s Progress)
Maintain professional commitment
§ Promote “learning through play” philosophy and educational objectives
§ Support a code of ethical conduct
§ Pursue professional development/continuing education
§ Attend faculty meetings, in-service days, conferences and professional growth opportunities