Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

Summary Instruct preschool-aged children in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth needed for primary school in preschool, day care center, or other child development facility.
May be required to hold State certification.
Duties Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
Attend to children's basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, and changing their diapers.
Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order.
Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development, such as games, arts and crafts, music, storytelling, and field trips.
Observe and evaluate children's performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
Identify children showing signs of emotional, developmental, or health-related problems and discuss them with supervisors, parents or guardians, and child development specialists.
Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and needs, determine their priorities for their children, and suggest ways that they can promote learning and development.
Enforce all administration policies and rules governing students.
Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
Teach proper eating habits and personal hygiene.
Serve meals and snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines.
Assimilate arriving children to the school environment by greeting them, helping them remove outerwear, and selecting activities of interest to them.
Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to children.
Demonstrate activities to children.
Arrange indoor and outdoor space to facilitate creative play, motor-skill activities, and safety.
Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.
Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
Organize and label materials and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their ages and perceptual skills.
Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.
Supervise, evaluate, and plan assignments for teacher assistants and volunteers.
Collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of preschool programs.
Attend staff meetings and serve on committees as required.
Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.
Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guests, or other experiential activities and guide students in learning from those activities.
Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.
Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
Perform administrative duties, such as hall and cafeteria monitoring and bus loading and unloading.
Administer tests to help determine children's developmental levels, needs, and potential.
Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help.
Requirements Set up classroom materials or equipment.
Provide for basic needs of children.
Teach life skills.
Establish rules or policies governing student behavior.
Read to students.
Plan educational activities.
Monitor student performance.
Monitor student behavior, social development, or health.
Evaluate student work.
Monitor student behavior, social development, or health.
Discuss problems or issues with supervisors.
Discuss student progress with parents or guardians.
Discuss student progress with parents or guardians.
Enforce rules or policies governing student behavior.
Set up classroom materials or equipment.
Teach life skills.
Provide for basic needs of children.
Provide for basic needs of children.
Modify teaching methods or materials to accommodate student needs.
Develop instructional objectives.
Apply multiple teaching methods.
Set up classroom materials or equipment.
Arrange childcare or educational settings to ensure physical safety of children.
Maintain student records.
Prepare reports detailing student activities or performance.
Plan educational activities.
Display student work.
Attend training sessions or professional meetings to develop or maintain professional knowledge.
Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs.
Evaluate performance of educational staff.
Supervise student research or internship work.
Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs.
Serve on institutional or departmental committees.
Discuss problems or issues with supervisors.
Plan experiential learning activities.
Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
Distribute instructional or library materials.
Order instructional or library materials or equipment.
Assist students with special educational needs.
Supervise school or student activities.
Administer tests to assess educational needs or progress.
Develop strategies or programs for students with special needs.
Nice To Haves Data entry software Microsoft Excel Children's educational software Compact digital cameras Compact disk CD players Desktop computers Educational board games Educational puzzles Educational toys Email software Emergency first aid kits Microsoft Office Microsoft Word Pegboards Personal computers Photocopying equipment Play structures Sand tables Toy block sets Water tables