UTC Children's Center

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Anticipated Hiring Salary: $17.20

The Lead Teacher provides a high-quality early childhood program which ensures a safe and nurturing environment that promotes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of young children while responding to the needs of families; serves as a role model and mentor to students during field experience at the Children's Center; and follows the curriculum in place to aid with helping the student workers and observers understand early childhood while using hands on curriculum.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Creates a welcoming environment

• Provides a safe classroom and playground environment for all children

• Sets daily schedule, prepares developmental lesson plans, and directs children in developmentally appropriate activities

• Organizes and participates in games, songs, and other activities

• Teaches readiness skills and redirects nonconstructive behavior patterns of children

• Plans and conducts field trips and implements measures to reduce infectious disease

• Dispenses prescription medications when needed

• Serves snacks and lunches

• Observes and evaluates children's cognitive, social, perceptual motor, emotional well-being, personal awareness, and communication

• Keeps ongoing developmental records and determines developmental goals for children including children with disabilities

• Participates in inclusion meetings for children with special needs

• Coordinates field experiences for the students completing observations in their classrooms.

• Models appropriate interactions and teaching strategies

• Brings theory and practice for students to life with the classroom of children and materials

• Evaluates the students that come to observe as well as yearly eval's on the children in their classrooms

• Conducts parent-teacher conferences twice yearly, more if needed

• Provides current information on issues pertaining to child development

• Supervises staff, volunteers, and students including: ensuring staff and students adhere to child development philosophy, training of student workers, conducting volunteer and student assessments and providing feedback, and providing technical guidance and direction to staff and students

• Assists with the operation of the Children's Center by acting in the absence of the coordinator and early childhood specialists

• Opens and closes the Children's Center

• Participates in program planning and evaluations

• Participates in staff and team meetings

• Conduct fire drills as well as any emergency drills for the safety of the children

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Ability to provide a high-quality early childhood program

• Ability to create a nurturing environment that promotes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of young children

• Ability to read medication instructions and administer the medicine as necessary

• Ability to distinguish individual facial features at arm's length and across the room

• Ability to evacuate all children and adults from building in less than one minute

• Ability to distinguish children's voices when out of visual range

• Ability to climb playground equipment and remove child from setting as necessary

• Effective communication skills, both oral and written

• Skills and abilities to serve as a role model and mentor to students

Review of applications will begin October 11, 2024 and continue until the position is filled. Applications received by this date will receive priority consideration.

Minimum qualifications: Typically requires an associate degree in child development, early childhood education or related field and two years of experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. Child development credential, CPR and First Aid certifications are required.

Preferred qualifications: Bachelor's degree and three years of experience in child development, early childhood education or related field are preferred.

The University of Tennessee Chattanooga is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or protected veteran status.