1. Become familiar with Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) regulations and remain current with them. 2. Become familiar with physical plant and ensure its safety. 3. Keep indoor and outdoor areas free of dangerous conditions and materials. 4. Ensure safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, are in place and operable and know how to use them. 5. Participate effectively in evacuation procedures. 6. Conduct fire drills. 7. Check daily that all equipment and materials are in safe, working order. Maintain equipment and materials. Limit the children using equipment to a safe number. 8. Maintain order and safe behavior among children while recognizing their need to explore and be curious. 9. Instruct children in safety rules and enforce them consistently. 10.Lead children in clean-up activities. 11.Maintain first aid supplies. Know what items are in the kit and use them appropriately. 12.Understand liability – personal and organizational.

1. Verify children’s immunizations are up to date. 2. Maintain an easily accessible and current list of phone numbers for contacting parents and emergency services. 3. Identify, treat and report minor injuries/illnesses. 4. Establish procedures for care of sick children; e.g. isolate a child with a contagious illness from well children, contact parents and medical providers and administer medicine. 5. Identify major injuries/illnesses, giving first aid if appropriate, obtain professional medical care. 6. Note children’s appearance for any evidence of illness, injury or change in behavior. 7. Recognize indicators of possible abuse and maltreatment, seek resources for information and support; follow state law in response. 8. Comply with ADA requirements, make the environmental accessible to those with special needs. 9. Understand policies and liability for procedures regarding treatment and/or medication, child abuse, maltreatment law and emergency procedures. 10.Conduct daily health checks, clean toys, materials and equipment. 11.Establish good handwashing practices

1. Arrange physical space and materials to create a dynamic aesthetic and stimulating environment. 2. Ensure the environment supports a broad array of experiences. 3. Provide a reliable routine together with a stimulating choice of materials, activities and relationships. 4. Provide a variety of opportunities for actions and interactions between and among children and adults. 5. Provide a balance between active and restful times, social and private times, receptive and productive activities, making choices and following the lead of others, helping others and being helped. 6. Balance free and structured, individual and group, indoor and outdoor activities. 7. Encourage decision-making and choices. 8. Recognize and respect cultural diversity, which is refected in activities and materials. 9. Provide a caring, bias-free climate that supports children’s feelings of competence and self-worth. Provide for recognition of group and individual accomplishments. 10.Adapt initial plans to increase range of options in the environment.

1. Assist with planning group and individual activities. 2. Offer opportunities for active exploration, social interaction, creative expression and representation, experiences with literature, literacy enhancing activities, and construction of knowledge in an atmosphere that promotes children’s ability to learn as they play. 3. Plan activities: complete daily lesson plans, organize instructional materials, arrange room. 4. Plan and implement curriculum and instructional practices based on knowledge of individual children’s needs and interests, as determined by assessment information. 5. Plan activities to foster children’s growth in all areas of development: physical/motor, social/emotional, cognitive. 6. Evaluate and revise existing lesson plans, help develop new ones. 7. Schedule activities, routines, and transitions which are consistent with developmentally appropriate practice, and provide variety in activity choices. 8. Implement activities: direct or participate in setup, announce activities, direct and supervise children, improvise contingency activities, monitor time limits for each activity. 9. Direct activities for individual children, small groups and entire group. 10.Actively promote social skills such as: listening skills, sharing, teamwork and cooperation, decision-making, conflict resolution skills, respect for property. Teach these skills by verbal instruction and by example. 11.Actively promote emotional skills such as: maintaining a positive self-image, handling anger, acting independently. 12.Encourage active learning, rather than emphasizing adult talking and children’s passive listening. 13.Use a variety of music, art, literature, dance, role playing, celebrations and other creative activities from the children’s culture(s) in program activities. 14.Expand and enrich experiences as children develop.

1. Become familiar with common attributes of developmental stages associated with growth and learning in the childhood years. 2. Understand the relationship of basic needs (food, clothing, shelter, human nuturing) to childhood growth and development. Understand the impact of poor nutrition, lack of medical care. 3. Have realistic expectations about children’s attention spans, interests, social abilities and physical needs, including children with handicapping conditions. 4. Implement plans for each child by identifying developmentally and culturally appropriate activities and materials for each day. 5. Consider goals and objectives for each child and for the group as a whole; develop realistic plans responsive to the needs of all, including children with handicapping conditions. 6. Make or obtain materials and equipment appropriate to the developmental needs of children. 7. Delight in each child’s success, express kindness and support when a child is having trouble and help him/her learn from mistakes. 8. Provide many opportunities for all children, including those with disabling conditions, to feel effective, experience success and gain the positive recognition of others. 9. Recognize possible learning and/or developmental problems. Participate in the development and implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Individual Family Service Plans (IFSPs) for children with special needs. 10.Be aware of each child’s limitations and abilities, use guidance techniques accordingly and explain rules at child’s level of understanding. 11.Use a variety of positive guidance methods – such as listening, reinforcement and redirection.

1. Gather information using the following procedures: a. record observations of the child b. collect samples of the child’s work and play c. produce audio or written records of conversations with child in both informal and formal contexts d. obtain information from the child’s family e. participate in the process of conducting informal assessments which are developmentally appropriate 2. Participate in the process of integrating various assessments, as appropriate. 3. Participate in the process of analyzing assessment information, as appropriate. 4. Participate in the periodic review of children’s progress for the purposes of future planning, intervention, referrals, and/or teaching strategies, as appropriate. 5. Participate in the process of setting long and short-range goals for individual children, as appropriate. 6. Identify children with possible special needs, make referrals, as appropriate. 7. Maintain up-to-date records concerning the growth, health, behavior, and progress of each child and the group and share the information with parents and appropriate center personnel.

1. Demonstrate mutual trust and respect for the values, attitudes, expectations and culture of other individuals. 2. Demonstrate fluency in oral and written language skills. 3. Communicate actively with each child – model good speech, listen carefully, respond actively to their expressions, converse with them, and build on their verbal and non-verbal understanding and vocabulary. 4. Communicate in a developmentally appropriate way. 5. Communicate with children, family members and colleagues in understandable formats, language and terminology (oral and written). 6. Provide an active program with daily opportunities for children to converse with each other and with adults while engaged in a variety of informal and formal activities. 7. Encourage the use of books and materials for writing and drawing. 8. Provide activities that encourage children to develop listening and comprehension skills. 9. Communicate behavioral choices and their consequences to children. 10.Recognize possible impairments or delays that affect hearing and speech, help families find resources, cooperate with treatment plans, and find ways to communicate positively with these children. 11.Report significant information to supervisor, either orally or in writing. 12.Share views and participate in discussions about teaching roles and stgrategies, children’s growth and development, children’s needs and program plans. 13.Contribute significantly to group discussion and decisionmaking. 14.Communicate regularly with family members; involve them in discussions and decision-making regarding children, program and philosophy. 15.Complete administrative records and forms.

1. Recognize the child’s family as the first and most enduring teachers. 2. Greet parents, establish rapport. 3. Establish and maintain partnerships with family members in which each recognizes the valuable contributions of the other. 4. Respect and appreciate the family composition and culture of each child. 5. Accommodate differences in families and cultural backgrounds in planning schedules and activities and adapt teaching roles and strategies to reflect differences in children’s needs as related to family and cultural backgrounds. 6. Encourage parents to talk about important family events and their children’s special interests and behavior at home. Share information frequently with parents about the child’s experiences. 7. Provide continuity of expectations and experiences between a child’s family and the childhood program. 8. Participate in parents’ meetings, open houses, parent conferences, as appropriate. 9. Help parents understand the development of their child and understand the child’s point of view. 10.Help parents develop realistic expectations for children’s behavior in ways that help avoid disciplinary problems (e.g., discussing how long children can sit still.) 11.Discuss problem behavior with parents in a constructive, supportive manner. 12.Offer parents information about health and social services and other resources in the community. 13.Follow up in a timely manner on actions agreed to at conferences with parents. 14.Involve families in classroom activities related to their culture, interests, abilities and talents. 15.Articulate program philosophy to parents; communicate and enforce program policies. 16.Negotiate differences with parents.

1. Understand and practice all legal and regulatory mandates relating to the health and safety of children. 2. Maintain children’s records as required by legal or regulatory mandates. 3. Understand liability – personal and organizational – and act appropriately regarding these liabilities. 4. Act in a dependable, responsible manner in coopration with others involved in the care and education of the children. 5. Support other staff by offering assistance and supervision when needed. 6. Work with other adults in a child care setting to resolve issues and problems cooperatively and respectfully. 7. Know the social service, health and education resources of the community and use them when appropriate. 8. Prepare for and participate in, staff meetings and group problem solving. 9. Contribute to leadership by participating in planning and evaluating the program. 10.Acquire additional knowledge and competencies through participation in staff development, involvement in professional organizations, reading professional journals and other professional publications, and formal course work. 11.Keep informed about child care practices, research legislation and other developments in early childhood education. 12.Develop relationships with other child care professionals and establish a network for information and support. 13.Recognize that caregiver fatigue, low morale, and lack of work satisfaction decrease effectiveness and find ways to maintain energy and enthusiasm. 14.Continually evaluate own performance to identify needs for professional growth.* 15.Respect and maintain confidentiality in regard to information and interactions with children, families and colleagues. 16.Be aware of, and commited to, a professional code of ethical conduct. 17.Assume increasing levels of responsibility, accountability and independence. 18.Prepare Professional Resource File as required for Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. (Optional)

1. Child Safety and Security* 2. Child Abuse and Maltreatment: Identification, Prevention, Statutes, Regulations 3. Program Staffing/Supervision Requirements* 4. Sanitation* 5. Record Keeping* 6. Ethics 7. Childhood Diseases 8. First Aid (6.5 hours minimum) 9. Infant and Child CPR 10.Sexual Harassment Preventing Training – must comply with Section 201-g of the Labor Law

1. Observation Skills 2. Recording Skills 3. Positive Guidance and Discipline Techniques* 4. Child Development 5. Developmentally Appropriate Activities* 6. Effective Communication with Children and Families 7. Positive Guidance and Discipline Techniques* 8. Child Abuse and Maltreatment: Identification, Prevention, Statutes, Regulations 9. Health and Nutrition Needs of Children* 10.Children with Special Needs 11.Cultural Diversity 12.Nature and Value of Play 13.Space Planning 14.Materials and Equipment 15.Building Self-Esteem 16.Fostering Independence 17.Building Self-Control 18.Socialization of Children