The City of Oakland is currently recruiting to fill three (3) Early Head Start Instructor vacancies in either/or Center-based and Home-based settings within the Human Services Department. Oakland is proud to offer their employees a generous comprehensive benefit package and is committed to the well-being of its employees. Benefits can include: Medical coverage, dental plans, vision care as well as deferred compensation, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts.
Under direction in the Human Services Department, Early Head Start Instructors instruct children enrolled in Early Head Start Programs; instruct parents on early childhood development concepts; assist in developmental assessments; organize and set up education and play materials for classroom and/or make home visits; and perform related duties as assigned.
This is an entry-level classification. The incumbent is responsible for the full range of instructional duties associated with teaching parents of infants/toddlers in the Early Head Start Program. This is a classification in the Early Childhood Instructor series and can be distinguished from Early Childhood Center Director, which is a working supervisor position, and Childhood Education Coordinator, which is a full supervisory position.
The incumbent receives general supervision from the Early Childhood Center Director or the Childhood Education Coordinator and may provide lead direction to substitute teachers or other assigned staff.
Examples of Duties
Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Instruct children in basic infant/toddler education concepts.
- Organize and set up developmentally appropriate education and play materials for the classroom and/or the home.
- Conduct fire, disaster and safety drills in the classroom; inspect facility for safety standards and maintenance needs.
- Assist in planning, organizing and scheduling daily activities at the center classroom or in the home.
- Conduct developmental screenings, ongoing child observations, developmental assessments and devise Individual Development Plans (IDP) on all children enrolled in program; assist in developing Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP) for special needs children.
- Maintain a clean and organized indoor and outdoor environment, including the food service area.
- Make initial and final home visits; make additional/on-going home visits as needed.
- Prepare snacks and serve meals.
- Conduct outreach and recruit children and families for enrollment in the program.
- Observe and supervise children in activities and ensure their health and safety at all times.
- Observe children for unusual behavior or illness and notify parents.
- Conduct parent conferences.
- Keep routine records for daily attendance and progress of children in the classroom and/or the home.
- Conduct weekly home visits for 1.5 hours per session.
- Collaborate with parents in providing an individualized educational program for their children in the home.
- Provide parent education, planning, and goal setting for parents.
- May assist with the process of planning and implementing the health programs in areas such as physical examination, vision, hearing, dental screening, and growth/nutritional assessment; complete vision, hearing, growth, and nutrition assessments as needed; provide all necessary follow-up in these or other health needs.
- Implement and plan socializations twice a month for three-hour sessions.
- Promote parent/child bonding and nurturing parent/child relationships through modeling developmentally and culturally sensitive interactions and communications.
- Administer Pediatric First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), as needed.
Minimum Requirements for Application
Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications is acceptable.
Education: An Associate, Bachelor's or advanced degree in Early Childhood Education/Child Development (ECE/CD) or related field including three (3) units supervised field experience in early childhood education/child development (ECE/CD) completed at an accredited or approved college or university, at least three (3) units of which must be in infant/toddler coursework.
OR
Twenty-four (24) units in ECE/CD including core courses plus sixteen (16) General Education (GE) units completed at an accredited or approved college or university, at least three (3) units of which must be in infant/toddler coursework.
AND hold, or qualify for, a Teacher Permit (or higher level permit) issued by the State of California.
Experience: Six months of full-time work experience or one year of part-time experience in a licensed childcare center or comparable group child care program.
Licenses: Individuals who are appointed to this position will be required to maintain a valid California Driver's License throughout the tenure of employment OR demonstrate the ability to travel to various locations in a timely manner as required in the performance of duties.
Must obtain a State of California Child Development Permit at the Teacher level within six months of employment and maintain throughout tenure of employment. Must demonstrate proof of application for Teacher (or higher level) permit from the State of California upon hire. Failure to obtain relevant teaching permit within six months will be grounds for removal during probation.
Must obtain Pediatric First Aid and CPR certifications within one year of employment and maintain throughout tenure of employment.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Depending on nature of assignment, candidates who receive offers of employment will be required to submit fingerprints, undergo a criminal record clearance, and have a physical examination including a TB screening.
Proficiency in a foreign language may be required.