Master Teacher - Early Childhood

RESPONSIBILITY:             
The Master Teacher (Pre-Kindergarten) is directly responsible to the Principal.
 
FUNCTION:                         
Master teachers are required to provide and maintain high levels of quality by helping and supporting preschool teachers.  Their primary role is to visit classrooms and coach teachers using reflective practice to improve instruction.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Hold a bachelor's degree and teacher certification from an accredited college or university.  Master’s Degree preferred; 
• Have a minimum of five years experience teaching in preschool programs or related to early childhood education;
• Have experience providing professional development to classroom teachers and/or mentoring teachers. 
• Have knowledge and experience with developmentally appropriate assessments for young children as well as performance-based assessments.
• Have a valid driver’s license with no serious violation;
• Have excellent written and communication skills;
• Have experience in implementing developmentally appropriate and state approved preschool curriculum;
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of early childhood education, child growth and development, effective instructional strategies, classroom management, learning assessment and diagnosis, and research related to early childhood education. 
• Hold certification as follows:  Preschool through grade three standard instructional certificate; or Standard elementary school instructional certificate and the equivalent of two academic years of full-time experience teaching three- and four-year olds under the certificate in a position that would require the preschool through grade three endorsement; or Standard New Jersey nursery school instructional certificate; or Preschool through grade three endorsement in addition to other standard instructional certificate, except as indicated at N.J.A.C. 6A:9-11.2 and 11.7. 
• Will require criminal history background check, physical and proof of U.S. citizenship or legal resident alien status.  (CURRENT EMPLOYEES EXEMPT)
   

PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES:

Curriculum & Professional Development

• Visit classrooms on a regular basis to coach and provide feedback to teachers to improve teaching practices through the reflective cycle.
• Coach teachers on the use of Performance-Based Assessments (Teaching Strategies GOLD, CORE, Work Sampling, etc.), including supporting quality assessment, interpretation of data and use of assessment data in planning.
• Administer structured program evaluation instruments (in assigned classrooms) in the fall-winter to measure quality practices in preschool classrooms (e.g., ECERS-3, High/Scope Preschool Program Quality Assessment).
• Use  performance-based assessment data and results of structured classroom observations to determine and support a high level of curriculum implementation.  Plan specific goals and training opportunities, including, but not limited to, modeling classroom practices and lessons, facilitating PLC meetings, and planning and implementing workshops, to improve weak areas identified from structured observation instruments (aggregated data), curriculum observation instruments, performance-based assessment results, district evaluation data, and other information.
• Confer with early childhood supervisors to coordinate, articulate, and provide professional development for all early childhood staff.
• Provide individualized follow-up support to the teacher's level of development and plan small group meetings/trainings for teachers with similar needs.
• Reflect on own professional development needs, attend workshops, read research articles, consult with others, etc.

• Confer regularly with the preschool intervention and referral team to discuss how to support teachers and parents with children who have challenging behaviors.
• Confer regularly with the community parent involvement specialist to plan for smooth transitions for children entering preschool or going to kindergarten and assist in planning parent involvement activities (e.g., ensuring that the results of the performance-based assessment along with other information about the preschoolers are shared with kindergarten staff, planning parent workshops together, planning visits to kindergarten classrooms)
• Confer with teachers to provide instruction on how to establish a nurturing, supportive, and positive classroom climate that encourages student responsibility, using positive motivation, clear classroom routines, challenging instructional strategies, and effective classroom management techniques.
• Provide technical assistance to district and provider administrators to discuss curriculum goals, professional development, performance-based assessment, structured observation visits, etc. 
• Master teachers with specific expertise (e.g., inclusion, bilingual education, mathematics, literacy) will have the added responsibility of providing consultation and professional development to other master teachers.
• Perform additional duties as assigned that are directly related to early childhood classroom improvement.
• Assist in providing and effectively organizing a variety of materials, equipment, media, and community resources to support the instructional program, using school-approved procedures.  Organize and supervise approved field trips to enhance classroom learning.      
• Exhibit a personality that demonstrates enthusiasm for early childhood education as well as interpersonal skills to relate well with students, teachers, staff, administration, parents, and the community. 
• Master teachers are required to support teachers who have English Language Learners and students who have IEP’s in their classrooms.