CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

Hiring Department

Child Development Center

Job Description

• Coordinate, supervise, and ensure the educational effectiveness of an assigned classroom and/or age group
• Supervise and mentor aides or students assistants in the care and development of children
• Focus on cultural unity and acceptance within the classroom and provide guidance and care to the children supervised
• Administer child care center policies and procedures
• Provide supervised care of assigned children
• Supervise student assistants in the classroom
• Evaluate work performance and provide leadership, mentoring, and feedback to student assistants in a professional manner
• Recognize successful performance; or if appropriate, recommend discipline or termination
• Ensure classroom setting is organized, clean, and inviting
• Provide a positive educational and stimulating environment
• Provide a variety of developmentally appropriate activities for the children in the classroom based on observed and assessed skills
• Maintain structure and classroom routine
• Initiate transitions and follow needs of children
• Work toward mastery of Pre-Kindergarten skills in a teacher-lead learning environment
• Apply extensive knowledge of caring for children: nutritional needs, physical needs for play and rest, normal development patterns and behavior
• Share duties (diapering, feeding, supervising) with student assistants to meet the needs of the children
• Use charts, delegate duties, use memos, training or open discussion to assign/divide work
• Follow specified individualized care instructions and diet restrictions to avoid allergic reactions and/or medical emergencies
• Complete meal charts and attendance records, as required for funding
• Ensure students are knowledgeable on procedures regarding health, safety, legal liability of custodial care (guardians, exparte orders, allergic reactions, breathing treatments)
• Assess developmental skills of individual children and develop learning goals for behavior or development
• Routinely look for children with delays/concerns
• Identify changing needs, developmental goals, delays/concerns and discuss with parents
• Work with parents to meet specified needs of child
• Make effort to talk to parents on a daily basis regarding their child's day
• Explain normal development to parents
• Seek out information for parents
• Exercise strong customer service and effective verbal and interpersonal skills
• Stay up to date on center policies and using own knowledge, interpret policy for parents
• Administer rules fairly and consistently for all families
• Complete necessary training and/or other requirements as assigned by the Center director.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

An Associate's Degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and some experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate for this position has a flexible schedule that allows for changes, is motivating to children and coworkers, has high energy, and has experience communicating effectively with parents and coworkers. Child Development Associate credential preferred.