Associate Teacher

Creating Life Better Here starts with you. At San Juan Regional Medical Center, we're more than a healthcare provider—we're a values-driven organization dedicated to delivering exceptional care. As a team member, you help fulfill our mission to make life better here for our community.

Under the guidance of the Teacher, the Associate Teacher provides a safe and nurturing environment for children that encourage their social, emotional, physical and intellectual development. They design and implement a developmentally appropriate curriculum according to guidelines established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The Associate Teacher maintains a positive relationships with families, children and colleagues. They also assist the Teacher with all functions and responsibilities listed in the Duties and Responsibilities section.

Required Behaviors:

• As you go about fulfilling this mission, your work habits and work relationships should embody SJRMC's values. These values are our culture, our identity as an organization. Sacred Trust, Personal Reverence, Thoughtful Anticipation, Team Accountability and Creative Vitality ask more of us than merely completing some list of tasks. Our values ask for a deeper level of commitment, and what is asked of us we freely give because we believe in our mission.

Required Qualifications: 

• High School diploma/GED is required.
• Demonstrates interest in working with children.
• Complete forty-five (45) Hour Entry Level Course or approved ECE course within six (6) months of employment.
• Must have Pediatric First Aide CPR AED certification within six (6) months of employment.
• Must complete twenty-four (24) hours of state training required by the ECECD

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience working with children.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Must complete twenty-four (24) hours of state training required by the ECECD.
• Interact frequently, affectionately, and respectfully by smiling, touching, and holding children.
• Speak in a friendly, calm, soft, courteous manner within close proximity to the children.
• Respect and observe children's interests.
• Intervene when needed to maintain safety.
• Enhance children's play with language, toys, and activities.
• Engage and communicate constructively with individual children during activities and routines.
• Take every opportunity to positively extend children's thinking and actions.
• Be available and responsive to children's needs, questions, and requests.
• Acknowledge feelings with sensitivity and demonstrate appropriate expression of emotions.
• Practice positive guidance techniques in guiding children's behavior.
• Be attentive, flexible and supportive of children and their families during transitions to and from classrooms.
• Implement a developmentally appropriate curriculum that reflects observations and assessments of individual children and goals jointly developed with families.
• Assist in the design of an environment that responds to children's individual developmental levels, physical and emotional needs, and current interests.
• Provide a variety of developmentally appropriate materials and activities that foster social skills and encourage children to think, problem solve, question, and experiment.
• Foster a positive self-concept by supporting individuality, independence, and the ability to make choices.
• Demonstrate respect for diversity by providing anti-bias, non-sexist language, images, and experiences that reflect both location and global communities.
• Share ideas in planning a daily schedule that provides a balance of activities: quiet/active, indoor/outdoor, fine/gross motor, etc.
• Implement child-oriented, self-initiated activities while limiting large group, staff-initiated activities.
• Provide more than one (1) option for group activity and maintain flexibility in changing planned activities, according to the children's interests.
• Assist in the documentation of children's accomplishments through anecdotal notes, documentation panels, and/or portfolios.
• Acknowledge families and all classroom visitors. Demonstrate a friendly, courteous, and professional demeanor.
• Participate in a primary caregiving relationship with individual children and their families, including the intake meeting.
• Share appropriate information with families daily regarding the development and specific activities of the children in their primary care. Utilize appropriate written communication tools as assigned.
• Assist in planning and participate in regular family conferences to discuss orientation, transition, and developmental goals for their child based on appropriate assessment tools.
• Maintain and follow all safety and health rules of the location.
• Supervise children at all times. Demonstrate awareness of the entire group while working with a small group or individual.
• Know the number of children in your group and maintain ratios at all times.
• Maintain accurate attendance records throughout the day.
• Complete appropriate paperwork (i.e., accidents, medication, and allergies).
• Encourage children to utilize appropriate health, safety and nutritional practices.
• Keep the environment and equipment safe, clean, and attractive. Encourage respect for classroom materials. Notify designated individuals in advance when supplies are needed.
• Maintain confidentiality about issues concerning other staff members, children and families or Children’s Discovery Place management and operations. Must not involve families in center concerns.
• Become very familiar with ages and stages of development for those children under your care. Understand the general areas of physical, social, cognitive and emotional development for this age group.
• Support organizational mission, philosophies, values, goals, and policies to families, colleagues, and community.
• Respect and adhere to staffing schedules which may be adjusted as the program needs change and may include working in another classroom.
• Demonstrate flexibility and openness to new ideas in childcare practices.
• Attend staff meetings, training sessions, and other center events.
• Continue professional growth by attending courses, asking for feedback, and reading professional literature.
• Receive constructive criticism with an attitude that indicates a willingness to improve.
• Provide feedback in a respectful manner.
• Assume a fair share of work.
• Look for ways to be helpful.
• Demonstrate initiative.
• Assume additional classroom and center/school responsibilities as needed (i.e., kitchen, pets, children's files, etc.).
• Participate actively in teaching the team through communication, collaboration, and curriculum planning.
• Each employee is responsible for implementing SJRMC’s Service Standards into their daily work

                                                     Safety, Courtesy, Effectiveness, and Stewardship

• Other duties as assigned

Physical Demands and Environmental Work Conditions:

• Follow state, federal and Children’s Discovery Place guidelines including immunizations, employment physical, and required health and safety training.

Ensure children's safety while performing the following job functions:

• Frequently lift, move, or hold children with a range of weight from ten (10) to forty (4)0 pounds.
• Occasionally lift, move, or hold weight more than forty (40) pounds.
• Supervise and interact daily with children outdoors for extended periods in varied weather conditions.
• Demonstrate full range of motion to lift, reach, squat, climb, sit, and otherwise fully participate in activities.
• Respond immediately and appropriately to multiple or unexpected situations or emergencies.
• Maintain mental and physical alertness and an appropriate level of energy to perform essential job requirements