Kindergarten Teacher

Full-time position in Coal Township, PA at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School. Payroll Grade: 14, Exempt status.

About the Role

Teach kindergarten pupils basic academic, social, and other formative skills in keeping with the school's Catholic character and Gospel values. Reports to the Principal.

Responsibilities

• Establish and enforce rules and procedures to maintain order among students.
• Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
• Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
• Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
• Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time.
• Instruct students individually and in groups using various teaching methods such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
• Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students.
• Assign and grade classwork and homework.
• Read books to entire classes or small groups.
• Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.
• Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
• Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and determine their priorities and resource needs.
• Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, diocesan policies, and administrative regulations.
• Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and persevere with challenging tasks.
• Guide and counsel students with adjustment and/or academic problems, or special academic interests.
• Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help.
• Prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states, diocese, and school.
• Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use in learning activities and imaginative play.
• Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.
• Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons that promote learning and follow approved curricula.
• Use computers, audiovisual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
• Prepare for assigned classes and show written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate supervisors.
• Collaborate with other teachers and administrators to develop, evaluate, and revise elementary school programs.
• Prepare reports on students and activities as required by the administration.
• Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
• Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development, such as games, arts and crafts, music, and storytelling.
• Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence for Act 48.
• Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, guest speaker visits, and other experiential activities.
• Organize and label materials, and display students' work.
• Attend staff meetings and serve on committees as required.
• Administer standardized ability and achievement tests and interpret results to determine students' strengths and areas of need.
• Supervise, evaluate, and plan assignments for teacher assistants and volunteers.
• Involve parent volunteers and older students in children's activities.
• Perform administrative duties, such as assisting in school libraries, monitoring halls and cafeterias, and loading and unloading buses.
• Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.
• Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities such as restrooms.
• Sponsor extracurricular activities such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.
• Prepare and supervise students for Mass and other sacramental preparation.

Skills

• Oral Expression: Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Problem Sensitivity: Recognize when something is wrong or likely to go wrong.
• Oral Comprehension: Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Speech Clarity: Speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Speech Recognition: Identify and understand another person's speech.
• Written Comprehension: Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Written Expression: Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Fluency of Ideas: Generate several ideas about a topic.
• Deductive Reasoning: Apply general rules to specific problems to produce logical answers.
• Inductive Reasoning: Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions.
• Information Ordering: Arrange things or actions in a specific order or pattern according to a set of rules.
• Originality: Generate unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation.
• Near Vision: See details at close range.
• Selective Attention: Concentrate on a task over time without being distracted.
• Category Flexibility: Generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
• Flexibility of Closure: Identify a known pattern hidden within other distracting material.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Must be able to sit and stand for extended periods.
• Must be able to meet all technological requirements for classroom management.
• Must be able to hear and understand speech at normal classroom levels and in an outdoor environment.
• Must be able to speak in an audible tone so others can understand clearly in both a normal classroom environment and an outdoor setting.
• Must have the physical ability to lift up to 25 pounds.
• Must be able to bend, stoop, climb stairs, and reach overhead.

Duties are normally performed in a school/classroom environment. Duties may occasionally be performed on field trips away from school. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Qualifications

• Must possess a Bachelor's degree or higher, preferably in education or a related field.
• An active teaching certification is preferred. Otherwise, be willing to work towards obtaining one.
• Must possess the ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Must possess the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, staff, parents, and the community.
• Must comply with PA State clearance requirements.
• Must be a Catholic in good standing if teaching religion. Otherwise, must be willing to respect the Catholic Church and follow its basic morality guidelines.