Teacher, Early Childhood Education (4107C) #89542

Teacher, Early Childhood Education (4107C) #89542 About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles , Principles of Community , and Strategic Plan .

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

Departmental Overview

Residential and Student Services Programs is part of the Division of Student Affairs under the direction of the Associate Vice Chancellor of Residential and Student Services Programs (RSSP). RSSP provides and manages residential student housing, residential life programs, residential dining, as well as early care & education services for students, faculty, and staff. RSSP also conducts a summer conference and year-round catering business, operates seven campus restaurants, and manages twenty-six faculty apartments. RSSP's annual operating budget is $150,000,000, and the cluster employs over 2500 career, limited, contract, and student employees, creating a "culture of care" for our students and all other customers and stakeholders.

The Early Childhood Education Program (ECEP) serves over 260 children (ages 3 months through pre-kindergarten) from the university (faculty, staff, and students) and community families. The program consists of over 60 career FTE, 10 30+ limited and per diem substitutes, and 60 - 80 student assistants who work daily with children and families in the program to ensure quality early education experiences that best nurture and develop the individual child, support a family-responsive environment for the university, and advance the field of early childhood education.

Position Summary

This position requires a strong foundation in ECE pedagogy and developmentally appropriate care and educational practices for young children in a group setting that utilizes low adult-to-child ratios.

Under general supervision, responsible for supporting a play-based, emergent curriculum, including preparing and implementing lesson plans that best meet the individual needs of children within the context of a group setting. The curriculum is "emergent" because it is derived from the children's interest and is teacher-facilitated rather than teacher-directed. Teachers develop and lead small- and large-group activities appropriate to the age and developmental level of the children assigned. The program also commonly follows the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) best practices and a caregiving philosophy recommended by the Program for Infant and Toddler Care (PITC). Teachers are responsible for child screening and ongoing assessment based on established child development milestones to better support each child's individual needs and to determine whether referrals are necessary for more formal screening and assessment.

Teachers are also responsible for regular parent communication and interaction regarding their child's progress and adherence to local, state, and federal standards as well as all licensing regulations pertaining to children in group care settings. Excellent communication and a commitment to teamwork are core to the success of this position.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is October 30, 2026

Responsibilities

Teaching Responsibilities

Provides primary caregiving in a safe and developmentally appropriate manner aligned with CCL, CDSS, and CDE requirements and ECEP's curriculum and philosophy practices.
Maintains daily intake forms and ensures daily professional communication with parents. Escalates parent communication for injuries above the neck, injuries that break the skin, injuries requiring first-aid treatment, and/or behavior/developmental concerns.
Prepares materials and classroom opportunities that support children's emerging interests and individual needs.
Plans and provides activities that stimulate children's curiosity and abilities and encourages their social-emotional, fine and gross motor, language, pre-literacy, and other critical developmental foundational skills.
Participates in intake for new students and parent/teacher conferences (fall and spring) or more frequently if needed.
Collaborates with classroom team members to develop programs and a summary of findings related to the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) and related ITERS/ECERS ratings, which evaluate the classroom environment.
Also, working knowledge of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), where appropriate, to evaluate teacher/child interactions and engaging environments.
Performs and records focused child observations, which include CDE/CDSS required DRDP assessments for all children using the ECEP designated software system.
Attends ECEP-sponsored trainings and supports any other classroom and quality/teaching effectiveness tools and software that may also be used as the program adopts new approaches based on research and CDE/CDSS and other funding requirements.
Includes all children regardless of developmental level and/or presenting temperament without bias, or exclusion from activities that separate children from the group.
Supports and maintains NAEYC "best practices" and NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Commitment.
Supports PITC philosophy in infant/toddler rooms and young preschool rooms, where operationally possible and appropriate, recognizing that some children may need to be moved to different teachers and/or classrooms based on the individual child's developmental needs and updates needs and services plans quarterly.

Classroom Responsibilities

Maintains a positive, safe, and nurturing environment for young children and families.
Develops trusting and professional relationships with children, parents, and colleagues.
Performs daily health and safety checks on children throughout the day and alerts parent(s), classroom families, and Center Director or Site Supervisor as appropriate.
Conducts classroom equipment and playground safety inspections daily and notifies the Center Director or Site Supervisor for areas requiring maintenance or replacement.
Maintains a well-organized classroom by continually restoring and enhancing the environment so it's suitable for young children.
Establishes and updates needs and services plan, DRDP portfolio (electronic), and assessment of each child in primary care group.
Models ECEP philosophy and standards of professionalism.
Coaches substitute teachers, student assistants, and volunteers and communicates performance or training issues to the Center Director or Site Supervisor in a timely manner.
Completes classroom environmental ratings (ITERS/ECERS) annually and ERS Summary of Findings.
Maintains child family confidentiality of information and records.
Ensures parents sign-in/sign out during assigned shift; be aware of attendance throughout the shift to ensure appropriate ratios and child safety, and record meal counts at point of service
Practices emergency drills as required by state regulations.
Supports the classroom team by sharing relevant information with co-workers as soon as possible, without jeopardizing supervision of children.
Uses respectful language and positive guidance when addressing children's behavior in the classroom.
Participates in classroom management to maintain a positive learning atmosphere.
Includes all children regardless of developmental level, cultural background and primary language spoken, and/or expressed behavior or personality.

Professional Responsibilities

Provides additional on-the-job training and ongoing coaching to assigned student assistants (SA) in collaboration with the Center Director or Site Supervisor as outlined in the ECEP Teacher Resource Guide (Staff Handbook) and provides input into their evaluation.
Provides input to the Center Director or Site Supervisor on training and resources to improve SA hiring and training process.
Participates in classroom parent meetings, parent conferences, and special center events.
Plans and leads center intake meetings and orientation of new families.
Contributes to the center newsletter and communications.
Represents ECEP by being professional at all times, responsive, caring, and informative in communication with parents, fellow teachers, co-workers, and the campus community at large.
Does not share internal conflict or philosophical/curriculum disagreements with parents and others and, when unsure, consults with the Center Director or Site Supervisor on communication.
Develops collaborative and respectful relationships with peers, supervisors, and managers.
Attends all required meetings, including staff and individual required training, staff meetings, team meetings, enrollment & program update-related open houses, and individual performance reviews, as scheduled and assigned by supervisor.
Addresses conflicts promptly and involves the Center Director or Site Supervisor. Human Resources and/or other management members when appropriate.
Immediately informs the Center Director or Site Supervisor of emerging parent conflict.
Adheres to policies in the ECEP Teacher Resource Guide (Staff Handbook) including, but not limited to: health and safety policies, program philosophy guidelines, use of prep time, and any other policies and procedures therein.
Models intentional learning and supportive emerging literacy practices in all interactions with children, and consistently models appropriate professional behavior, including a calm tone when in the presence of or within hearing distance of children.
Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor that are appropriate to classification and within CBA.

Required Qualifications

Demonstrated ability to perform basic computer use, including: keyboard and mouse, simple data entry, use of email software and internet search.
Proficiency with basic-level MS Word and DRDP Technologies.
Ability to safely manage multiple children (within established ratios) and provide engaging activities and appropriate interactions to encourage learning and social-emotional development.
Demonstrated time management skills to develop appropriate lesson plans and meet all reporting requirements for tracking student development and adjust to unexpected team shift absences.
Ability to proofread own work (DRDPs, documentation boards, email or other communication, etc.) for accuracy.
Ability to work with a variety of clientele professionally using patience, tact, sensitivity, and diplomacy.
Demonstrated ability and experience to teach and work independently in a center-based child care program.
Knowledge of developmental needs and appropriate learning experiences for children 3 months to 5 years.
Familiarity with child development theory and practice.
Must have received fingerprint clearance through the Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division. Background clearance must be maintained while employed as a Teacher.
Effective written and verbal communication skills.
Maintains current CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing Child Development Teacher Permit or higher.
Maintains current EMSA Pediatric CPR/First Aid certification (if not, must obtain within the first 3 months of employment).
Must have 3 or more Infant/Toddler development units. If hired for an Infant/Toddler room.
Must complete bloodborne pathogen training annually, upon hire.

Salary & Benefits

This is a full-time (40 hours/week), career position

This position is eligible for UC Benefits. For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $30.38 (Step 4) - $31.73 (Step 6).