Early Childhood Teacher I

Job Title

Early Childhood Teacher I

Agency

Texas A&M University

Department

BG Children's Center

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

,

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

What We Want

The Early Childhood Teacher I assists in classroom activities and instruction which provide a developmentally appropriate learning environment for young children including social-emotional development, responsive caregiving, assessing and documenting child progress, and assisting with mentoring and supervising others while using a positive team approach. Responsible for supporting play-based education and emergent curriculum design with high collaboration within the university and community. Provides a positive laboratory experience for college students.

Essential Duties/Tasks

Classroom Duties

• Assumes the responsibility of classroom oversight in the case of a teacher's absence.
• Learns to assist in planning and implementing daily curriculum according to developmentally appropriate practices and understand the principles of responsive caregiving.
• Develops a well-articulated philosophy regarding child learning, social-emotional development, and positive guidance.
• Learns/assists to develop and implement emergent and project-based curriculum daily with integrated interest/learning areas. 
• Learns/assists to perform observations, record anecdotal notes, and to take photographs and videos of child development in classroom to be used in coordination with assessment tool for intentional planning and reporting.
• Assist in fully including children into classrooms with a variety of developmental needs creating a strong classroom community.
• Follows classroom routine based on curriculum and developmentally appropriate practices.
• Learns/assists to establish individual and group goals in coordination with families.
• Observes family conferences and assists with sharing progress reports twice per year each.
• Assist in mentoring university students by guiding, supporting, and describing appropriate behaviors and effective practices to students connecting theory to practice.
• Assists in the supervision of indoor and outdoor activities to ensure safety.
• Assist in directing student employees to assist with supervising indoor and outdoor activities to ensure safety.
• Follow policies regarding conducting research to assist faculty/students with data collection.

Communication and Collaboration

• Learns/assists to plan, prepare, and implement developmentally appropriate play-based and culturally responsive early learning experiences based on emergent curriculum including project-based activities to promote children’s interests and all developmental levels.
• Learns/assists to resolve conflicts appropriately and efficiently with children or parents. 
• Assists in providing accommodation for children as needed.
• Assists in establishing and maintaining meaningful partnerships with children, families, colleagues, university faculty and staff, and the community.
• Learns to establish and maintain good verbal and written communication with families through daily and weekly communication.

Regulatory Compliance

• Adheres to all policies and procedures dictated by the Children’s Center, Texas A&M University, the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, SACS/Cognia, and Texas Rising Star to ensure compliance for state certification and national accreditation.
• Assists to ensure all federal, local, state, and/or program documentation is complete and accurate.

Research Collaborations

• Assists in collaborating with university researchers that support the production of new knowledge in the field of early childhood care and education.
• Assists in coordinating with researchers to implement studies both within and outside of the classroom in ways that support the children’s psychological and physical needs.
• Acts as an advocate for participating children.
• Follows all center and university policies on the implementation of research occurring at Texas A&M University Children’s Centers.

What You Need to Know

Salary: Salary will be commensurate to selected hire's experience.

Cover Letter/Resume: A cover letter and resume are strongly recommended and will help in our review. You may upload them on the application under the CV/Resume section. 

Physical Requirements:

• Requires ability to lift/move light to moderately weighted objects.
• This position requires the ability to safely lift and carry/hold children with proper lifting techniques for children of varying age and size.
• This position may have biological exposure to bacteria and communicable diseases as well as exposure to blood and bodily fluids.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• No prior experience required.

Preferred Experience:

• Previous administrative and clerical work in a childcare center preferred.

Required Licenses and Certifications: 

• Pediatric CPR, Pediatric First Aid Certification, or the ability to be certified within 60 days of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to develop knowledge of child growth and development, learning theories, effective learning environments, and appropriate teaching strategies.
• Ability to develop knowledge to assess the effectiveness of instructional strategies and learning environments.
• Ability to give, receive, and reflect on constructive feedback.

• Ability to work cooperatively with others in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to assist in mentoring and supervising early childhood preservice teachers and student employees.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Team building, collaboration, and leadership skills.
• Ability to present information clearly and concisely.

Who we are

The Texas A&M University Children’s Center is a premier early childhood care and education center dedicated to providing an exemplary education for over 200 children year-round. At the Texas A&M Children’s Center, we believe that every child deserves the best start in life. That is why we embrace emergent, play-based, and child-centered approaches building strong foundations for our young learners. Through hands-on exploration and imaginative play, we create an engaging learning environment that nurtures children’s love of discovery and innovation. Our commitment to excellence in early childhood education is evident in the vast high-quality experiences we offer our students and families. We take pride in serving as a clinical and practicum site for academic departments at Texas A&M University. By collaborating with educators and researchers, we aid in the development of future leaders in education and beyond. Our dedication to developing the next generation of educators ensures that our team stays at the forefront of innovative teaching.

Why Texas A&M University?   

We are a prestigious university with strong traditions, Core Values, and a community of caring and collaboration.  Amenities associated with a major university, such as sporting and cultural events, state-of-the-art recreation facilities, the Bush Library and Museum, and much more await you.  Experience all that a big city has to offer but with a reasonable cost-of-living and no long commutes.   

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and AD&D, flexible spending accounts, and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M contributing to employee health and basic life premiums  
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays   
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month  
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas 
• Health and Wellness: Free exercise programs and release time  
• Professional Development: All employees have access to free LinkedIn Learning training, webinars, and limited financial support to attend conferences, workshops, and more   
• Educational release time and tuition assistance for completing a degree while a Texas A&M employee  
• Living Well, a program at Texas A&M that has been built by employees, for employees 

Our Commitment   

Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents & lived experiences.  Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values which are: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service. 

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.