Job Description

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS:

The Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) creates and coordinates services that enhance the quality of life for Cambridge residents. Driven by the needs of residents, DHSP’s extensive services and programs touch almost every sector in the city: from newborns to senior citizens, from school-aged children to homeless families, from non-profit organizations to local employers.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Substitute Teacher will provide teaching support for 7 preschool programs and 7 afterschool programs. Support includes helping teachers maintain normal classroom schedules and activities as well as supporting children’s engagement in the program.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Upon arrival, ask the site director for instructions regarding their job responsibilities for the time period they are in the classroom.
• Support a positive learning environment in the classroom by actively engaging with the children in classroom activities and routines. Be alert to situations that may result in conflicts between children and scan the environment as to always ensure the children's safety.
• Assist teachers in the facilitation of learning activities. This may require working one-on-one with a child or with a small group of children as they work towards completing the activity.
• With staff, ensure the safety of children while playing outdoors, on field trips or while transitioning from one location to another. This includes situational awareness and knowledge of elementary safety precautions.
• Assist teachers with a variety of classroom duties such as lunch and snack preparation. Maintain classroom, including classroom clean-up, as needed.
  Refer any children's behavior or disciplinary issues and parent concerns to teachers.
• Maintain professional manner at all times.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Education and Experience

• Experience working with children preschool through 5th grade.
• High School Diploma or G.E.D. required, associate’s degree preferred.
• Meets or exceeds EEC regulations for Substitute Teacher.
• Must be 18 years or older.
• Applicants must successfully pass EEC Background Records Check which includes CORI, SORI, DCF and Fingerprinting.
• First Aid & CPR certified or obtain within 6 months of hire.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Adaptable to different working environments and styles.
• Strong communication skills.
• The City of Cambridge's workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse. Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.
  

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS, WORKING CONDITIONS, WORK FLEXBILITY AND ACCOMODATIONS:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• Be agile in their movements; moving quickly from sitting on the floor to standing, to kneeling so as to be at the child’s eye level. Employees may have to run after children, both in play and to respond to an emergency.
• Be able to hear children who speak in a soft voice or mumble words when distressed.
• Be able to use their hands and arms to move, reach, handle, and manipulate objects in the classroom. This includes moving furniture once a year when room is re-organized.
• Be able to occasionally lift and/or move a child.
• Vision abilities are required for the supervision of children.
• The noise level in work environment is moderately to very loud. The work environment includes classroom and outdoor playgrounds and occasional field trips.
  

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

SUPERVISION:

Receives onsite supervision from Afterschool Head Teacher or Preschool Director.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

Please upload the following documents to complete your application:

• Resume
• Cover Letter