Classroom Assistant/Primary Caregiver

Summary

We are looking for fun, energetic and warm personalities to come play and interact with children ages 0-5yrs. You will assist lead teachers in supervision of children and help maintain a clean, safe and fun learning environment for the children in your classroom. Our center focuses on social-emotional development of young children and fostering healthy peer to peer and child to adult relationships. Your job will primarily consist of having lots of fun and playing!!!!
We are looking for part time staff. A major in Family and Human Development is desired. We are also looking for staff that is interested in staying with a group of children continuously as they move up from age group to provide the children in our care with consistency and continuity of care

The Teacher Assistant supports the Teachers and the Director by helping to create a caring and safe environment for the children and assisting in activities to improve the overall care and quality of education.S/he must be able to communicate, listen and work well with others in a team environment. Assisting the staff in implementing a quality educational program and in developing positive relationships with the children and their parents, the Teacher Assistant observes and documents children's interest and progress, and relays that information back to parents and staff. Teacher Assistant are responsible for implementing developmentally appropriate activities based on children's interests and needs under the direction of the Teacher and the Director.

Duties

Assist in the implementation of curricula activities and encourage participation by children.
Actively engage in activities; manage cleanliness, maintenance, and availability of classroom materials.
Maintain frequent communications with parents through informal discussions and progress reports.
Encourage self-help and good hygiene through behavior modeling.
Help ensure smooth, daily transition from home to child care center.
Follow all center policies and state regulations.
Maintain personal professional development plan to ensure continuous quality improvement.

Requirements

Must be at least 18 years of age and be working towards a degree in Family and Human Development, Psychology, Social work or a related field. No previous child care experience is required but a desire to learn about children's growth and development.

All staff working with children must test negative for TB, provide proof of immunizations and apply for a fingerprint clearance card. Next Horizons will provide information on how to obtain aforementioned criteria.

About Us

Next Horizons is founded on the philosophy that childcare programs are an extension of home and family. In accordance with this philosophy, the center provides a family style environment that is warm and nurturing, as well as educational and stimulating. We believe that childhood needs to be a time of fun, joy, and exploration. Our goal is to partner with families to provide a safe, healthy and enriched environment for each child.

We follow a developmentally appropriate curriculum.Developmentally appropriate curriculum is based on the premise that play is the primary medium through which young children develop intellectual, social, and perceptual motor competence. Structuring the environment and planning activities for self-directed play is a fundamental part of the education program. Curriculum activities include pretend play, open-ended creative and sensory experiences (painting, sand and water play, modeling clay, collage activities, etc.) construction activities with blocks and manipulative toys, mathematics and language games, gardening, cooking activities, and science experiences.

Next Horizons also aligns its curriculum to match Arizona Early Learning Standards and Infant Toddler Developmental Guildelines.