Infant/Toddler Assistant Teacher

• Competitive salaries reflecting your skills and experience.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance for eligible employees, plus wellness programs, mental health resources, and a family gym membership.
• Generous PTO and paid holidays, with flexible work hours for work-life balance.
• 403(b) plan with company contributions for eligible employees after 2 years of service.
• Continuous learning opportunities through workshops and training programs.
• Supportive work environment valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Discounts on programs, employee assistance programs, and company-sponsored events.

• Provide responsive caregiving and continuity to help children develop secure relationships while focusing on the children’s social and emotional well-being.
• Support and embrace the agency written plan for continuity of care.
• Assist in the planning, preparation and delivery of age-appropriate instructional activities that facilitate active learning experiences and promote the social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of each child. This includes both indoor and outdoor activities
• Assist the Early Head Start Teacher in rigorous academic instruction for English Language Learners (ELLs) that will support children’s academic, intellectual and linguistic development.
• Maintain awareness and supervision of the needs of the entire classroom and ensure the health and physical safety of children, at all times, whether indoors and outside.
• Meet the individual needs of each child, at their physical level (kneeling, bending, or sitting on the floor)
• Interact with and assist children individually or in small groups in order to guide and reinforce learning concepts.
• Assist with the completion of daily recording of health checks, communication logs, attendance, and meals.
• Guide and support all children, including dual language learners and those with special needs.
• Model and promote appropriate English grammar, language, positive interactions and discipline and interactions for children and parents.
• Establish a professional rapport and work cooperatively with adults assigned to the classroom (i.e., Teacher, Aide, Parents, and Volunteers), establishing clear expectations for roles and responsibilities.
• Develop effective communication and professional relationships with families and encourage parent involvement through a variety of methods (e.g., classroom parent meetings & events, center-wide activities).
• Participate and support agency/center efforts toward recruitment, enrollment, attendance and retention of eligible families.
• Adhere to Head Start Performance Standards, Developmentally Appropriate Practices and the Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers and Two’s.
• Discreetly handle sensitive information and maintain confidentiality at all times

• Collaborate with classroom team members to develop lesson plans with goals, objectives, activities and outcomes for children that integrate health, nutrition, mental health, disabilities and parent involvement.
• Gather, arrange and display children’s work to help in a manner appropriate for their eye level
• Assist classroom team to maintain an attractive, clean, safe and engaging classroom environment which includes positive guidance techniques and that encourages support children's independence and self-selection of activities.
• Model and implement family style eating during mealtimes.
• Regularly sanitize all surfaces, classroom toys, equipment and laundry.
• Assist with classroom management, arrangement, organization, and labeling materials.
• Assume joint share of classroom team to maintain a safe, clean, environment, and practice good personal hygiene and frequent hand washing.
• Assist with completion of classroom inventory quarterly and the selection of materials and equipment to support instruction and children’s learning.

• Timely and accurately administer required screenings.
• Observe, document and assess children’s health, skills, behavior, growth and development.
• Follow established system for collecting and managing daily observations of children, including weekly entries on-line.
• Take pictures and maintain anecdotal notes, written observations, and other approved forms of documentation for each child.
• Maintain documentation of each child’s progress and growth according to Head Start guidelines and the methods of Teaching Strategies GOLD.
• Input classroom data into appropriate information systems, as required (TSG, Home Visits and Parent/Teacher Conferences).
• Adhere to timelines and complete child assessment information, at least four times annually.
• Complete all necessary paperwork for classroom activities including attendance and meal count sheets.
• Assume joint share of the classroom team to maintain and ensure accurate and up to date education folders and portfolios for each child.
• Observe and respect issues of confidentiality.

• 30 college credits of which 18 hours must be Child Development and signed contingency to obtain Gateways Level 2 Infant/Toddler Credential within 12 months of employment. Must complete 15-hours training within the first 90-days, with a focus on Infant/Toddler development (Curriculum and Content: Social Emotional, Physical, Language, and Literacy).
• Experience working with children 6 weeks to 3 years old
• Demonstrated understanding of child growth and development
• Proficient verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to clearly and concisely present ideas and concepts and tailor communication to different audiences
• Ability to build rapport with children, parents and families of high risk
• Continuous learner who leverages opportunities for learning and applies new knowledge and skills
• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple, competing priorities to maximize personal and team effectiveness.
• Ability to keep detailed, accurate and complete records and documentation as needed.
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office Word, email and the ability to learn and adapt to new technology.
• Demonstrates evidence of YMCA Leader competencies in previous experience or practice.
• Must pass DCFS background check and maintain clearance throughout employment
• Willing and able to work flexible hours, potentially including some evenings and Saturdays; hours may be adjusted to accommodate program needs
• Occasional travel in the Chicagoland area may be required for training
• This position is a union position

• Reporting any items that may provide a health or safety hazard to staff, members or guests to your supervisor
• Following all policies and procedures related to keeping children safe in our facilities and programs, including those related to the monitoring and supervision of children
• Reporting any suspicious behavior and violation of policy and procedures to your supervisor
• Completing all child abuse prevention training as required

YMCA