Preschool Teacher Jobs

About the City of Cambridge:

The City of Cambridge is a divers and vibrant community that people pf different ethnic, racial, religious, national, and other backgrounds call home. We take pride in our city’s diversity and strive to crease a workplace that is reflective of the community we serve. The city if also deeply committed to creating an environment in which all our employees are treated equitably and fell included. We seek to hire, develop, and advance individuals who value antiracism, diversity, equity and the including (ADEI) and are committed to embedding ADEI best practices and tenets in all aspects of our work.

About The Department of Human Service Programs:

The Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) creates and coordinates services that enhance the quality of life for the Cambridge residents. Driven by the needs of residents, DHSP’s extensive services and programs touch almost every sector in the city: from newborns to senior citizens, from school-aged children to homeless families, from non-profit origination to local employers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Teacher is responsible for and expected to:

Research and plan regularly scheduled curriculum activities and long-term projects that:

• Provide nurturing and socially responsive care to all children enrolled in the program.
• Incorporate Director/Teacher and Lead Teacher’s suggestions around all areas of curriculum.
• Will actively engage in and support the Department’s Race and Equity Initiative.
• Maintain classroom space free from hazards as well as implement safety/playground checklists as per EEC, NAEYC, QRIS & DHSP regulations.
• Participate in a variety of meetings: parent meetings or workshops; staff meetings with the Director/Teacher, Preschool Manager, or other DHSP Childcare staff; and with program consultants.
• Create child portfolios using the COR Advantage assessment module and share these with parents during 3 annual parent-teacher conferences. Submit these for review, as needed, to the Director/Teacher or Lead Teacher.
• Reflect upon children’s learning to inform next cycle of curriculum planning.
• Maintain professional knowledge through participation in in-service training workshops offered by the Childcare Division or other outside resources as well as meeting educational requirements established by the Department of Early Care and Education and the City of Cambridge.
• Conduct child-centered, play-based small and large group activities with children daily.
• Participate in developing strategies to fully support the development of individual children.
• Fulfill some Lead Teacher position responsibilities when Lead Teacher is not present, including, but not limited to, direction and supervision of substitute staff.
• Meet weekly with the Director/Teacher or Lead Teacher to review and, if needed, improve weekly written curriculum plans.
• Provide consistent professional support and communication to and with the classroom team, giving constructive ideas, seeking and accepting advice to enhance the team’s functioning.
• Meet the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), NAEYC, QRIS, and DHSP curriculum standards and guidelines; and
• Observe, reflect upon, and document children’s developmental progress using the COR Advantage assessment module.
• Implement regularly scheduled curriculum activities and long-term projects.
• Initiate and maintain regular and respectful communication with parents regarding their child’s daily experiences in the program through daily conversations or meetings. In all communications, respect child, family, and staff confidentiality.
• Arrange and maintain classroom space which allows for a large variety of activities that promotes children’s growing independence in using the classroom resources and materials.
• Involve enrolled children in assessing the classroom environment and establishing classroom rules in order to accommodate individual and group needs.
• Correspond to the educational philosophy and goals of the program;
• Participate fully in safe and developmentally appropriate field trips that connect curriculum topics to the world outside of the classroom.
• Enhance the social, physical, emotional, and intellectual development of children enrolled in the program
• Participate in documenting children’s learning though displays of children’s work.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

MINIMUM REQUIRMENTS:

• Must meet or exceed EEC regulations for preschool teacher and be at least 21 years of age.
• At least three years’ experience in teaching, including 9 months of supervised experience.
• Must have basic writing and computer skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• BA preferred

PHYSICAL EXPECTATIONS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to:

• Be agile in their movements; moving quickly from sitting on the floor to standing, to kneeling so as to be at the child’s eye level. Employees may have to run after children, both in play and to respond to an emergency.
• Vision abilities are required for the supervision of children.
• Be able to use their hands and arms to move, reach, handle, and manipulate objects in the classroom. This includes moving furniture once a year when room is re-organized.
• Be able to hear children who speak in a soft voice or mumble words when distressed.
• Be able to occasionally lift and/or move a child (up to 40 pounds).

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential function of this job. The noise level is moderately to very loud. It includes classroom, outdoor playgrounds, and occasional field trips.