Tk / K Teacher InternAt — Catalyst Kids Newport Heights

The Student Teaching Intern will work alongside the Program Lead/Lead Teacher in a TK/Kindergarten before- and after-school classroom. The intern will gain hands-on experience supporting the planning, implementation, and evaluation of developmentally appropriate learning experiences for young children. The intern will gradually take on increased responsibility in classroom leadership, including activity planning, child observation and documentation, positive guidance, classroom organization, and communication with teaching staff. The experience is designed to connect coursework in child and adolescent development/education with practical experience in a licensed childcare setting.

Tasks:

1. Plan and implement developmentally appropriate activities and curriculum based on children's interests, observations, and developmental needs.
2. Observe and document children's learning and development through observations, photos, work samples, and classroom documentation.
3. Practice classroom leadership and positive guidance by leading activities, routines, transitions, and small/large group experiences.
4. Create and support open-ended and long-term learning projects that encourage children's exploration, problem-solving, and engagement.
5. Participate in weekly reflection and feedback meetings with the Program Lead/Lead Teacher to evaluate teaching practices, set goals, and gradually take on increased classroom responsibilities.

Training:

Initial orientation to classroom routines, program expectations, licensing requirements, safety procedures, confidentiality, and supervision expectations.
Job shadowing and modeling of classroom management, child interactions, transitions, curriculum implementation, and documentation practices.
Weekly scheduled one-on-one meetings to review progress, discuss observations, provide feedback, and establish goals for the following week.
Skill-based training in lesson planning, open-ended curriculum, child observation and assessment, documentation, positive guidance, and classroom leadership.
Examples and work samples, including lesson plans, classroom documentation, observation notes, and other program materials.
Gradual release of responsibility, allowing the intern to move from observation and assisting to independently planning and leading portions of the TK/Kindergarten program under supervision.

Learning OUtcome:

By the end of the academic internship, the student will be able to:

1. Plan and implement developmentally appropriate curriculum based on children's interests, developmental needs, observations, and learning goals.
2. Demonstrate effective classroom management and positive guidance strategies while maintaining a safe, inclusive, and supportive TK/Kindergarten environment.
3. Observe, document, and assess children's development and learning through written observations, work samples, photographs, and other classroom documentation, and use this information to inform curriculum planning.
4. Demonstrate increasing leadership within the classroom by facilitating transitions, small- and large-group experiences, open-ended activities/projects, and daily classroom routines.
5. Reflect on teaching practices and professional growth by participating in feedback meetings, identifying areas for improvement, and applying feedback to future interactions and lesson planning.