EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION LEAD TEACHER (PRE-SCHOOL) – Quality Time Learning Center - Silver Spring, MD 20910
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION LEAD TEACHER – QUALITY TIME LEARNING CENTER
Quality Time Learning Center is a Maryland EXCELS Level 5, private early education center accredited by Maryland State Department of Education through first grade. Quality Time has been serving children and families in Silver Spring, MD and Washington, D.C. since 1988.
Quality Time is committed to the concept of equal opportunity through education. With a dedication to overall excellence in education, and our longstanding reputation in the community, we strongly advocate for the significance of early care and education in enhancing children’s present and future quality of life.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Early Education Lead Teacher is responsible for the academic and social-emotional growth / development of all children in their care, which may include infants through school age students; develops partnerships with parents and colleagues to engage and encourage holistic participation in program.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Educational Planning
- Develop weekly lesson plans and implements age appropriate curriculum and creative themes to nurture and stimulate development.
- Ensure lesson plans are complete and consist of the correct components as outlined in our curriculum; ensure lesson plans are submitted according to policy.
- Provide a developmentally appropriate classroom environment that reflects the children’s learning and growth.
- Perform on-going developmental evaluations of children as required by program objectives, develop lesson plan, and follow curriculum implementation that addresses the individual needs of each child.
- Plan, evaluate, and improve the physical environment in the classroom on an ongoing basis to meet the changing needs of the developing child.
- Provide responsive care to all children by adapting daily care-giving routines and plans to the interests and needs of the individual child and the group.
- Prepare developmental progress reports as needed.
- Ensure that parent engagement activities are being implemented once per month, e.g. make a list and report activity to the Director.
- Ensure that all classrooms are equipped with supplies needed to complete daily lessons; Identify supplies and other resources needed by the classroom.
- Bi-weekly meetings with Director to review educational tools, update on areas of concern, and offer suggestions that will align with our educational goals to improve the school’s academic program.
Cultural Sensitivity
- Demonstrate cultural competency and respect for the child's background by incorporating the cultural, linguistic, and familial values and beliefs into the child care program and lesson plans.
Communication Skills
- Write and speak in clear, concise language, demonstrating the proper grammar and linguistics befitting a lead teacher.
- Complete child transition and orientation of the classroom with parents.
- Maintain ongoing, open communication with parents/ caregivers.
- Demonstrate an ability to manage confidential information.
- Provide a classroom environment that encourages parent participation.
- Ensure accessibility so that that each family receives an opportunity to build strong relationships and experience clear communication with teaching staff.
- Maintain open, professional lines of communication and implement respectful boundaries with parents and families.
- Plan periodical parent conferences to discuss children's developmental progress, needs and interests.
- Liaise with students’ families to ensure smooth transitions between home and child care setting, ease of communication, and transitions from classroom to classroom, when needed.
- Assist families with children's transitions from toddler to preschool and from preschool to kindergarten.
- Prepare, assign, and confirm delegation of classroom responsibilities; provide director with plans for task delegation; revise as needed.
Records Maintenance
- Maintain accurate, complete, and timely records; complete daily meal and attendance records
- Maintain up-to-date emergency forms, curriculum plans, individual child development profile and other records as needed.
- Complete and report any symptoms of illness, injury, or child abuse to Director and/or child abuse hotline.
- Complete daily health checks regarding hygiene, safety, and overall well-being of the children on a continuous basis.
- Complete daily reports and ITERS/ ECERS with Associate Teacher and prepare developmental progress reports as needed.
- Assure a healthy, safe, clean, and developmentally appropriate environment for children.
- Assist with functioning and monitoring of nutrition and food service.
- Assist with the supervision of staff and volunteers for child care setting.
- Conducts supervision on a weekly basis with Associate Teachers and Assistant Teachers.
- Ensure that the Associate Teacher and Assistant Teachers are kept updated in all matters concerning the classroom and program, i.e. Group and Lead Teacher meetings, lesson plans, policies, & procedures, training received.
Professional Development
- Participate in yearly performance evaluations.
- Provide functional training and guidance to staff, interns, substitutes, and volunteers assigned to the classroom.
- Report all staffing and classroom concerns to supervisor in a timely manner.
- Report family changes in schedules and excessive absences to administration in a timely manner.
- Participate in on-going in-service and educational development opportunities provided by the school.
- Participate in ongoing development and evaluation of center’s goals and objectives.
- In accordance with our "team" philosophy, the person filling this position may occasionally be required to carry out or assist with other tasks in addition to the duties listed on this job description.
- Staff must believe in and act in accordance with Quality Time’s stated programs and mission statement.
Physical and Psychological Requirements
- Ability to make decisions on behalf of children and protect their well-being.
- All employees, regardless of position, serve as role models for children and adolescents who are served by the school. Therefore, each employee must at all times be emotionally stable and able to function effectively with children, adolescents, and adults who may have mental or behavioral health problems. The staff must be able to demonstrate appropriate daily behavior, appropriate expression of emotions, as well as appropriate role modeling. Hostility, aggression and unnecessary or inappropriate physical actions as well as inappropriate emotional expression are not acceptable.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds and, in case of emergency, a 40-pound child.
- Frequently walks, uses hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, and talks or hears.
- Often required to stand and sit; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, bend, squat or crawl with children as necessary to model, augment, and facilitate children’s physical activities and communicate with them at eye-level.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
- May occasionally be required to drive a motor vehicle.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION / QUALIFICATIONS
- Successful completion of college courses for credit; a minimum of 90 clock hours, CDA, or equivalent of approved early childhood coursework.
- Successful completion of background investigation for child care licensing.
Display the following traits:
Early Child Development knowledge and experience
Proficiency with digital and electronic materials (tablets, computers, printing)
Good communication, problem solving, and priority setting skills
An overall positive and professional attitude /disposition
Ability to effectively plan, organize, and implement educational activities
Job Type: Full-time
Required education:
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $20.00 - $28.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Silver Spring, MD 20910: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)
Education:
Experience:
- Childcare: 2 years (Required)
Language:
License/Certification:
- CPR Certification (Preferred)
- Child Development Associate Certification (Required)
Shift availability:
Work Location: In person