Float Teacher

Little Beginnings Child Development Center provides a setting where children can wonder, solve, learn, and grow. We amplify the potential of all children in our care through the guidance and encouragement of experienced professionals. We currently seek experienced and talented Support Staff/Float Teachers for all age groups, with nurturing and energetic personalities; if you want to make a difference in young children's lives, apply today!

Qualifications and Commitment

• Must have a High School Diploma.
• Must be willing to work collaboratively with other members of the teaching team.
• Provide a nurturing, developmentally appropriate learning environment.
• Support a positive workplace environment for other members of the classroom teaching team and set the highest possible professional standards as a model for all staff.
• Support the cooperative relationship among families, staff and administration.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities/Essential Functions(include but are not limited to):

General Responsibilities

• Arriving on time and ready to work.
• Dressing in a manner which is appropriate for active play with young children.
• During the work day, maintaining positive, alert, energetic and supportive interactions with children and other staff.
• Planning discretionary annual leave and sick leave in a way which does not interfere with the operation of the center, subject to the approval of the Director.
• Calling the Director or Assistant Director immediately if unable to come to work due to illness or personal emergency.
• Clocking in and out for the day and for lunch break in the Little Beginnings office daily.
• Fulfilling personnel requirements established for in child care programs as determined by licensing standards of the Commonwealth of Virginia and Arlington County.
• Keeping required employee records up-to-date in personnel files.
• Assuming an equal share of the joint housekeeping duties at the center.

Pay Range

$15.00-$21.00 per hour

Job Type:

Full-Time

Interactions with Children

• Provide a warm, nurturing safe and loving environment where self-concepts are enhanced, independence is encouraged and individuality, culture and family values are respected.
• Provide an environment that fosters an authentic sense of self and lays a foundation for secure relationships, enduring curiosity, and lasting self-confidence.
• Use Conscious Discipline and positive guidance techniques to help children interact one-one-one and in a group. To help children learn self-regulation, self-discipline and to use their “Big Voice”. Discipline should be done, one-on-one, not from across the room. Staff are to go to the child, not the other way around.
• Interact frequently with children, encouraging them to share experiences, ideas and feelings, and involve them in both individual and group activities.
• Interact frequently with children by sitting with them during play and at meal times. Encourage them to share experiences, ideas and feelings, and involve them in both individual and group activities. Use open-ended questions.
• Be a good role model.Children readily learn to imitate what they see. Model good manners and thoughtfulness throughout the day in a comfortable, easy manner. This is best done when at the child's level, on the floor or in low chairs. Notice how children will say to one another the things they have had said to them. Avoid negative words and tones. Provide clear instructions and lots of prompts.

Curriculum

• Help plan and implement all activities that are based on the needs of the individual child with concerns for his/her interests, culture, special needs, special talents, individual learning style and preferred pace of activity.
• Involve the children in planning activities.
• Help to provide a variety of developmentally appropriate activities and materials that encourage the social, physical, emotional and cognitive development of both the individual and the group in accordance with the policies and philosophy of the Center.
• Work with children one-on-one, small and large groups, supervising activities, keeping children on task.
• Be responsible for all mealtime activities of the group in the absence of the Lead Teacher. Sit with the children at meal times; provide a “family” type atmosphere by encouraging conversation and consideration of others. Model and encourage but never force children to try new foods. Treat with equal importance all foods served at the Center.
• Observe and record children’s behavior and interests. Use these observation records as a basis for planning activities, journal entries and writing anecdotes in TSG.
• Help plan and implement regular outdoor activities and field trips appropriate to the age of the children and the learning objectives of the curriculum.

Supervision and Evaluation

The Lead Teacher, Director, and Assistant Director of Little Beginnings will be responsible for the supervision of the Assistant Teacher. The Assistant Teacher will complete an annual self-evaluation and this, together with observation and evaluation by the Director will form the basis for an annual review and individual plan for professional development. Other means of evaluation may include evaluation by other members of the teaching team, parent questionnaires, video-taping of classroom activities, use of the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale and other means as determined by the Director.

Parent Relations

• Establish and maintain good communication with parents through informal and formal contacts including helping to plan and participating in the annual “Back To School Night” night in September and assisting as needed in two formal parent-Assistant Teacher conferences per year in October/November and April/May.
• Encourage parent participation in the program.
• Treat all parents with respect for their problems and their point of view.
• Complete primary children’s journals in line with the classroom schedule.

Physical Environment, Health and Safety

• To ensure appropriate ratios are maintained at all times: For children ages 3 – 23 months, group size will not exceed 6 and ratio will be maintained at 1:3; for children ages 24 – 40 months, group size will not exceed 10 and ratio will be maintained at 1:5; for children ages 3 – 4 years, group size will not exceed 16 and ratio will be maintained at 1:8; for children ages 4 – 5 years, group size will not exceed 20 and ratio will be maintained at 1:10.Help to prepare a warm and safe environment that is orderly, clean, appealing, encourages independence, and permits the child to grow and explore.
• Assure that children are never left alone and are adequately supervised at all times.
• Supervise children in the bathroom and assist with toileting if necessary according to the developmental level of each child.
• Assist in the evacuation of the building in an emergency and be able to respond to any emergency situation.
• Maintain current knowledge of emergency procedures.
• Comply with all Center policies for universal precautions and infection control guidelines and procedures.
• Arrange with the Lead Assistant Teacher to make timely requests for new equipment and supplies within budget guidelines.

Professionalism

• Maintain all required records and files.
• Compile individual descriptions of children’s development and examples of their work to use as a basis for planning appropriate activities, communicating with parents or making referrals to other agencies.
• Follow guidelines necessary to maintain NAEYC accreditation.
• Demonstrate continued professional growth through such things as membership in professional organizations, attendance at professional workshops, conferences, meetings and/or college courses and providing an appropriate advocacy role for the welfare of young children in the community.
• Understand and apply all regulations in the Virginia Minimum Standards for Licensed Child Care Centers which relate to this position.
• Assist and support other staff members.
• Conduct oneself at all times in a professional manner. This includes protecting the privacy and confidentiality of children, their families and other staff members and supporting the decisions of the Board and Director of the Center.

Physical Constraints

• Work eight hours a day.
• Have the ability to perform the following physical requirements of the job: Ability to hear the conversational voice with or without a hearing aid.

Ability to see and read newsprint with or without corrective lenses. Ability to speak and be understood under normal circumstances. Ability to lift, hold and carry children and other items weighing up to 45 pounds and the use of arms, hands, legs and feet with or without assistive devices to accomplish the job including evacuation of the building during emergencies. Ability to respond to any emergency situation, to communicate with emergency personnel and to understand instructions on a prescription bottle. Carry out program activities: Converse with children at their eye level
Sit on the floor with children
Move quickly (run) to assist a child
Participate in walking field trips Set up equipment and materials: Fill a bucket of water (2.5 gallons) and carry from classroom to outdoor play space.
Prepare and use bleach/water mixture daily to disinfect toys, tables and bedding as necessary.
Carry furniture and equipment between 5-10 pounds (chairs, easels, toys) between rooms or between inside and outside.
Stack and place sleeping cots on the floor, requiring lifting and bending.
Wipe off low tables (18”-22”) daily.
Retrieve supplies from overhead cabinets.

Other Rights and Responsibilities

The subject to the rights and responsibilities described in the Little Beginnings Employee Handbook which may be revised from time to time by the Board of Directors.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $15.00 - $21.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• No weekends

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Arlington, VA 22201: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Application Question(s):

• Are you fully vaccinated against COVID-19? *required*