Preschool Teacher InternAt — Marco Polo Children's School

Marco Polo Children's School is looking to hire assistant, associate, and lead toddlers or preschool teachers for both our general (English) and Chinese Immersion program. We are looking for strong candidates who are familiar with the Reggio Emilia philosophy and excited to be part of our school in the Irvine community.

Summary

Teacher will provide a stimulating, safe, and developmentally appropriate educational environment where toddler children have the opportunity to develop cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills. Provides a lesson plan by which classes are conducted.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Organizes and provides developmentally appropriate early childhood education programs; plans and implements curriculum and education for children in the Reggio Emilia philosophy.
• Provides activities and opportunities that encourage curiosity, exploration, and problem solving appropriate to the developmental levels and learning styles of children.
• Plans and prepares indoor and outdoor classroom setting; oversees safety and educational programs; supervises children in the classroom; provides a supportive environment in which children can learn and practice appropriate and acceptable individual and group behaviors.
• Interacts with parents and community groups; maintains open and cooperative communication with parents and families, encouraging their involvement in the program and supporting the child's family relationships.
• Writes and compiles individual assessments of each child's development; completes daily inventories, child attendance, and related reports.
• May lead, guide, and train staff/student employees, interns, and/or volunteers performing related work; may participate in the recruitment of volunteers, as appropriate to the area of operation.
• Assist children with activities of daily life (e.g., diapering/restroom use, feeding, dressing).
• Implementing positive discipline.
• Attend and engage in occasional parent participation events and other events that may be on nights and/or weekends.
• Maintain a professional self-image and project the values of the organization at all times.
• Attend teacher meetings or other work-related meetings throughout the year.
• Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

Training

1. Initial General Employee Orientation
Interns will participate in a comprehensive orientation session at the start of the placement. This session will cover the school’s policies, safety protocols, child protection regulations, and the overall philosophy of early childhood education. It will also introduce the intern to the school’s expectations for professionalism, behavior, and interaction with children, families, and staff.

2. Weekly Scheduled One-on-One Mentor Meetings
Interns will meet weekly with an assigned mentor teacher for feedback, reflection, and discussion on their progress. These sessions will focus on problem-solving classroom challenges, refining teaching strategies, and providing guidance on specific areas of development, such as behavior management or lesson planning.

3. Job Shadowing
Interns will observe experienced preschool teachers in action, paying attention to how they manage classrooms, engage children in learning activities, and interact with parents. Interns will rotate through different classrooms or age groups to gain diverse insights into various teaching styles and developmental stages.

4. Workshops on Specific Skills
Throughout the placement, interns will attend workshops focused on essential skills for early childhood educators. These workshops could cover topics like designing age-appropriate activities, fostering emotional and social development, using positive discipline techniques, and incorporating inclusive practices in the classroom.

5. Provision of Work Samples and Lesson Plan Templates
Interns will receive work samples, such as sample lesson plans, assessment templates, and activity guides, to help them understand how to design their own materials. They will also have the opportunity to develop their own lesson plans, implement them, and receive feedback.

6. Overview of Assessment Practices and Child Observation
Interns will be introduced to preschool assessment techniques, including how to conduct child observations, use checklists, portfolios, and anecdotal records to monitor children’s progress. They will also learn how to use this data to inform their instructional strategies.

7. Literature Review and Testing
Interns may be required to engage in reading and reviewing current research in early childhood education. This can include articles or books on developmental psychology, play-based learning, or classroom management. In some programs, interns may also be tested on the key concepts they learn during workshops or mentor meetings.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of an academic internship in a preschool setting, an intern should be able to conceptualize and achieve the following learning goals:

1. Understand Early Childhood Development Theories and Practices: The intern should demonstrate a clear understanding of the major theories of child development and apply these to guide their interactions, lesson planning, and classroom management. They should be able to explain how physical, cognitive, social, and emotional domains develop in young children.

2. Create and Implement Inclusive, Culturally Responsive Curriculum: The intern should be able to design and deliver lessons that are inclusive, addressing the diverse cultural, linguistic, and developmental needs of all children. This includes promoting equity and respect for diverse backgrounds in a preschool setting.

3. Build Effective Communication Skills with Children, Families, and Colleagues: The intern should be able to communicate effectively with young children at their developmental level, collaborate with fellow educators, and establish positive, professional relationships with families to support each child’s learning and development.

4. Apply Classroom Management Strategies Based on Positive Discipline: The intern should be able to apply developmentally appropriate classroom management strategies that foster a positive and safe learning environment, using positive discipline techniques and conflict resolution strategies to manage behavior.

5. Use Observation and Assessment to Inform Practice: The intern should be proficient in observing children’s behavior, interactions, and learning, and using these observations to assess development and learning outcomes. This information should then be used to adjust instructional approaches and provide targeted support to individual children.