ELC Assistant Teacher

About the role

The Early Childhood Assistant Teacher serves as a member of the Montclair Y staff team and is responsible for assisting the classroom teacher in various tasks while ensuring a safe, fun, and positive environment for participants.

Responsibilities

• Greet each child and parent upon arrival.
• Visually scan each child upon arrival and check for illness, disease, or any physical impairment.
• Note in daily report.
• Demonstrate warmth toward children and set positive example by always using a pleasant and calm speaking voice.
• Comfort children when needed.
• Aid the teacher with instructional lessons.
• Accompany children to supervise activities such as outdoor play and fire drills.
• Set up cots/mats in the classroom.
• Reinforce skills by using puppets, flannel boards, manipulatives, etc.
• Select appropriate songs and stories.
• Read and sing with the class on a daily basis.
• Help supervise fine and gross motor activities indoors and outside.
• Plan free play activities/afternoon activities.
• Use positive reinforcement.
• Help maintain proper personal hygiene.
• Prepare materials for lessons.
• Help prepare learning centers and bulletin boards.
• Help with classroom plans and pet care, as needed.
• Help serve snacks and meals.
• Provide input to the teacher about children's progress and record all incidents for teacher's evaluation.
• Advise teachers, not parents, regarding child's daily problems/concerns.
• Attend all required meetings.
• Help the teacher with completion of all classroom records.
• Provide for professional growth by attending workshops and reading.
• Adhere to policies related to boundaries with members, volunteers, staff, and participants.
• Attend required Abuse Risk Management training and adhere to procedures related to managing high-risk activities and supervising members and participants.
• Report suspicious or inappropriate behaviors and policy violations and follow mandated abuse reporting procedures.
• Ensure members, volunteers, and vendors are properly signed in and signed out, ensuring only authorized employees, members, volunteers, and vendors are allowed in the facility.
• Perform other duties as requested by the Teacher and/or designee.
• Maintain loyalty to the Y, conduct oneself with professional integrity, respect the confidentiality of families served, and always be an appropriate role model for the children/parents.
• Maintain a safe & healthy environment at all times.
• Risk/Facility Management: All staff are responsible for assuring the safety of Y members/participants and for the care, maintenance, and safety of the all-Y facility/program environments. In addition, all staff are required to report accidents/incidents/emergencies immediately to the Director and/or designer. Staff must also adhere to YMCA confidentiality requirements related to all reported incidents.
• Quality Assurance: All staff are expected to plan, deliver, and maintain quality programs, facilities, and program environments. Staff will be expected to follow YMCA best practices for their program/membership discipline and to meet or exceed YMCA of Montclair’s expectations.
• Training/Staff Meetings: Attend all mandatory training staff meetings, risk management training within the specified timeframes. Keep abreast of current trends in facilities and risk management.

Qualifications

• Must be 18 years old or older.
• Must possess a high school degree and 2 years classroom experience as an aide or other suitable experience with children.
• Must enroll at their expense and complete a CDA program within the first year of employment if the incumbent possesses only a high school diploma.
• Must possess, maintain, and renew CPR for the Professional Rescuer, EPI, Asthma and First Aid within 90 days of hire.
• Must have the ability to take charge of a group of children and come up with activities/games in a moment’s notice, if need be.
• Must have stamina and physical flexibility (walking, sitting, standing, bending, crouching, kneeling, pushing, pulling, running, stretching, reaching, climbing, lifting, and carrying up to 50 lbs.) to participate in children's activities and communicate with children face to face.
• Must be able to accompany children up and down stairs in order to supervise activities such as outdoor play, and fire drills.

Skills

• Ability to take charge of a group of children and come up with activities/games in a moment’s notice, if need be.
• Stamina and physical flexibility (walking, sitting, standing, bending, crouching, kneeling, pushing, pulling, running, stretching, reaching, climbing, lifting, and carrying up to 50 lbs.) to participate in children's activities and communicate with children face to face.
• Ability to accompany children up and down stairs in order to supervise activities such as outdoor play, and fire drills.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement savings plan, paid time off, and more.

Pay

Compensation is commensurate with experience.

Schedule

Full-time position with flexible hours to accommodate the needs of the community.