Pre-Kindergarten Teaching Assistant, GEMS

Harlem Gems is the final step in our early childhood pipeline. A top-notch, year-round, full-day pre-kindergarten program, Gems works with 160 children across two sites to ensure that each and everyone enters kindergarten school-ready.

Gems staff encourage strong family involvement, engaging parents and caregivers in classroom activities, and creating consistency between home and school.

Early literacy skills are a primary focus of the Gems curriculum. Students are immersed in language and not just English.

They also learn basic vocabulary in French and Spanish, and get to know and explore the world around them through exposure to a range of disciplines from math, science, and technology to social studies and the arts.

They participate in fun fitness activities, playing sports such as golf and tennis, and even learn the basics of health and nutrition, including how to differentiate go, slow, and whoa foods to foster healthy eating habits.

From recreation to reading, our goal is to turn our Gems into lifelong learners. And we reinforce the ultimate goal college graduation early and often.

Each Gems classroom is named after a prestigious college or university, at once setting a high bar for the future and fostering a culture of academic excellence.

Our team has been comprehensively reviewing best practices from local, national, and international school systems and following government guidelines to ensure we are taking all possible safety measures related to the pandemic.

Our safety protocols have been enhanced with the advice and assistance of experts in the areas of public health, epidemiology, air quality control, space design and layout, and building capacity.

Our organization continues to prioritize the safety of all students and staff as we navigate these unprecedented times.

Harlem Gems has an immediate opening for a Pre Kindergarten Teaching Assistant. The Pre Kindergarten Teaching Assistant will assist with incorporating direct instruction, discussion, projects, and cooperative work to engage students, keep classes focused, and infuse a lasting desire to learn.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the teacher in maintaining a clean and orderly classroom
• Participate in the arrival and dismissal of students, including activities outside of the classroom
• Conduct classroom activities when the Teacher is absent and substitutes in other classrooms
• Demonstrate appropriate teaching techniques
• Participate in program planning and communicates observations to others
• Handle behavioral and other emergencies as per policy and procedures and / or behavioral performance
• Communicate observations and / or concerns regarding students’ physical and psychological status
• Complete data collection in an appropriate and timely manner
• Participate in staff meetings and supervisory conferences as scheduled
• Performs other duties as assigned

Qualification, Skills and Knowledge Requirements

• Must possess a Bachelor’s degree
• Early childhood education and / or educational background
• Valid New York State certification as a teaching assistant
• Ability to have good working relationship with supervisors, staff, parents and outside personnel
• Must have the ability to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks

The salary for this position is $40,000 per year.