Please provide cover letter and resume to Carrie Hess. Thanks for your interest!

JOB TITLE: Children’s Programs Part-Time Teacher

EXEMPT: No

WAGE/SALARY RATE: $ 12.60 /hour

BENEFITS: Per employee manual

HOURS: 16-20 hours per week

DEPARTMENT: Housing and Family Services

LOCATION: 1500 Petaluma Blvd. South

EMPLOYEE REPORTS TO: Assistant Director, Children’s Programs

COTS is an equal opportunity employer

SUMMARY: We are looking for a dynamic and passionate childcare professional who will be part of a strong team that is dedicated to building innovative and effective programs for disadvantaged children and their parents. The position requires hands on work with children 18 months to 14 years old, who reside in our Family Shelter and Shared Transitional Housing programs.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

In this position you will:

* Create an intellectually engaging, responsive environment that is nurturing, consistent, predictable and repetitive.

* Adapt environment for children with disabilities.

* Facilitate the development of responsibility and self-regulation in high-risk children.

* Use knowledge of child development as framework in preparing the learning environment and having realistic expectations of children who have experienced trauma.

* Model appropriate social behaviors and coach children as they play with others.

* Listen, speak, and play with children in order to reach and teach them.

* Achieve an optimal balance between children’s self-initiated learning and adult guidance and support.

* Respond to challenging behavior effectively and set limits positively.

* Assess child and family needs for support

* Screen children for developmental and other challenges.

* Attend and participate in occasional staff meetings, trainings and/or agency functions.

COMPETENCIES:

* Experienced in working with children and their parents.
* Understanding of child development is required.
* Demonstrated practice of professional and ethical standards.
* Willingness to pursue professional development is preferred—e.g. training, classes, certifications.
* Management of workload in a balanced manner—e.g. prioritizing, planning, organizing.
* Demonstrated adequate competencies in interpersonal/communication skills and crisis management—sound judgment.
* Exhibits positive attitude in all working relationships.
* Attends and participates in staff meetings, trainings, and agency functions.
* Open to assessment of skill, supervision, and development of self awareness.
* Proven ability to work with individuals in recovery is helpful.
* Bilingual/Bicultural experience desirable.
* Demonstrated computer skills
* Must have own transportation.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Unless otherwise stated in writing signed by the Executive Director, driving is required for this position. Typical destinations may include other COTS offices and service locations, local stores and businesses and other local providers of services. Candidate must pass a Driving Record Check, possess a valid California Drivers License and provide acceptable proof of insurability for the required amounts and limits.

QUALIFICATIONS: The person selected for this position should have educational preparation (6-12 ECE units is highly desirable). In addition to educational preparation, a working knowledge of childhood development developed through a combination of education and direct experience with high-risk children and their parents is preferred. Candidate must also be physically and temperamentally suited to working with children. Spanish speaking desirable, but not required.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10’s and 100’s. Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurements, volume and distance.

REASONING ABILITY: Ability to apply commonsense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: California Drivers License and access to an insured vehicle required.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
o Some fluency in Spanish is helpful but not essential.
o Strong communication/interpersonal skills.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.

Please provide cover letter and resume to Carrie Hess. Thanks for your interest!