Teacher - Pre-Kindergarten

Position Purpose

Delivers rigorous instruction to students in order to promote intellectual, social, and physical growth; ensures that regardless of socioeconomic factors every child is prepared for accelerated learning to compete in a global economy.

Provides standards-based, data-driven, differentiated instruction that engages students. Creates a safe and supportive learning environment to maximize student learning.

Provides high quality early childhood instruction in Pre-Kindergarten classroom setting in accordance with TEA Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

• Designs clear, well organized, sequential lessons that build a strong foundation for learning; provides opportunities for project-based learning using the pedagogy of the district curriculum and frameworks to provide a collaborative classroom where students are thinking critically, and engaging in interactive lessons throughout the day, creative thinking, and extended interaction among students.
• Creates developmentally appropriate, early childhood lessons that reflect evidence-based best practices.
• Develops lessons to meet the needs of diverse learners by providing differentiated instruction for all learners and adapting methods as needed to stay student centered.
• Communicates clearly and accurately; engages students in a manner that encourages students’ persistence and best efforts.
• Promotes complex, higher-order thinking, engaging classroom experiences and activities that provide opportunities for deeper learning
• Ensures student understanding by consistency monitoring, giving immediate feedback, and making lesson adjustments as needed in accordance to student data.
• Provides instructional guidance and monitors student progress by daily documentation of student performance using on-going authentic assessment and multiple assessment tools;

employs interventions and formal / informal assessment procedures

Provides daily instruction in music, art, and physical movement / development

Student Growth and Development

• Reinforces and demonstrates the belief that all students have the potential to achieve at high levels; supports all students in their pursuit of social-emotional learning and academic success.
• Acquires, analyzes, and uses background information (such as familial, cultural, educational, linguistic, and developmental characteristics) to engage students in the learning process.
• Facilitates each student’s learning by employing evidence-based practices and concepts related to learning and social-emotional development.

Content Knowledge & Expertise

• Understands the major concepts, key themes, multiple perspectives, assumptions, processes of inquiry, structure, and real-world applications of early childhood and all subjects and content.
• Designs and executes quality lessons that are consistent with the concepts of assigned discipline; aligns to TEA Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines and demonstrates expertise in child development.
• Demonstrates content-specific pedagogy that meets the needs of diverse learners using engaging instructional materials to connect prior content knowledge to new learning.

Classroom Environment

• Creates a mutually respectful, collaborative, and safe community of learners by using knowledge of students’ development and backgrounds.
• Organizes the classroom in a safe and accessible manner that maximizes learning.
• Establishes, implements, and communicates consistent routines for effective classroom management, including clear expectations for student behavior.
• Leads and maintains the classroom where students are actively engaged.

Data-Driven Practice

• Implements both formal and informal methods of measuring student progress.
• Sets individual and group learning goals for students by using preliminary data; communicates these goals with students and families to ensure mutual understanding of expectations.
• Collects, reviews, and analyzes stat to monitor student progress on a regular basis.
• Accesses collected data to analyze and inform instructional strategies; adjusts short- and long-term plans accordingly.

Professional Practices & Responsibilities

• Reflects on teaching practice to improve instructional effectiveness; engages in continuous professional learning to gain knowledge / skills to refine professional judgment.
• Provides guidance for teacher assistant to ensure high quality Pre-Kindergarten Instruction and maximize student outcomes
• Participants in campus and district learning communities to deepen knowledge and understanding of child development and early childhood education
• Collaborates with colleagues and exhibits self-awareness in interpersonal interactions.
• Invites constructive feedback from peers and administrators.
• Seeks out opportunities to lead students, other educators, and community members within and beyond the classroom.
• Models ethical and respectful behavior; demonstrates integrity in all situations.

Shared Responsibilities

• Upholds accurate and efficient record-keeping of official attendance records, grade reports, student files, documentation of state and local assessment preparation, and other appropriate documents.
• Engages parents and families in the academic and behavioral progress of their child by initiating parent conferences and providing opportunities for parents to continually support student learning and school programs.
• Participates in faculty and committee meetings, as well as, school events during and outside regular school hours as required.

Safety

• Follows established safety procedures to perform job duties including lifting and climbing, drills and lockdowns.
• Corrects unsafe conditions in work area and promptly reports any conditions that are not immediately correctable to maintenance and / or supervisor.
• Observes student behavior outside the classroom at designated times, between classes, and at assigned duty stations; takes necessary action when appropriate.

Personal Work Relationships

• All Fort Worth ISD employees must maintain a commitment to the District’s mission, vision, and strategic goals.
• Exhibits high professionalism, standards of conduct and work ethic.
• Demonstrates high quality customer service; builds rapport / relationship with the consumer.
• Demonstrates cultural competence in interactions with others; is respectful of co-workers; communicates and acts as a team player;

promotes teamwork; responds and acts appropriately in confrontational situations.

Other Duties as Assigned

Performs all job-related duties as assigned and in accordance with Board rules, policies and regulations. All employees are expected to comply with lawful directives in rare situations driven by need where a team effort is required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of federal and state guidelines and District policies and procedures regarding education and students.
• Knowledge of current teaching methods and educational pedagogy, as well as differentiation of instruction necessary to create effective and productive student-centered learning environments.
• Knowledge of assigned content facts, concepts, theories, and principles that are being taught.
• Knowledge of data information systems, data analysis, and the formulation of action plans.
• Skill in planning and providing professional learning; lesson planning with multiple core-area teachers.
• Skill in talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Ability to provide information and assist office personnel, parents, and students related to District programs and activities.
• Ability to work effectively in collaborative teams.
• Ability to effectively conference with teachers, parents, and students.
• Ability to use software to access databases, work with email, and do word processing.
• Ability to organize and coordinate work.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both oral and written forms.
• Ability to engage in self-evaluation with regard to performance and professional growth.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others contacted in the course of work.

Travel Requirements

Travels to school district buildings and professional meetings as required.

Physical & Mental Demands, Work Hazards

• Tools / Equipment Used : Standard office equipment, including computer and peripherals; standard instructional equipment such as Promethean Board.
• Posture : Prolonged sitting and standing; occasional stooping, squatting, crouching / crawling, kneeling, bending, pushing / pulling, and twisting.
• Motion : Use hands for fine manipulation, handle or feel and reach with hands and arms using a keyboard and video display terminal;

frequent walking; occasional climbing stairs.

• Lifting : Frequent light lifting and carrying (less than 15 pounds); occasionally up to 35 pounds; may lift and move textbooks and classroom equipment.
• Vision : Performs tasks requiring close vision.
• Environment : Works in an office setting; noise levels in the office are usually low to moderate; frequent talking and listening;

may work outside; may require occasional irregular and / or prolonged hours.

• Attendance : Regular and punctual attendance at the worksite is required for this position.
• Mental Demands : Maintains emotional control under stress; works with frequent interruptions.

Minimum Required Qualifications

Education :

• Bachelor’s degree from accredited college or university;
• Major in Child Development, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, or a related field to Early Childhood.

Certification / License :

Valid Texas Teacher certificate at the appropriate level for assignment OR Accepted in an approved Alternative Certificate Program (ACP) and have passed the required prerequisite examinations.

Experience : Working at inner-city schools with diverse student populations preferred.

Language : If not Bilingual (English / Spanish oral and written), ESL Certification is preferred.

Position may be grant-funded and contingent on availability of funds.

This document is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required.