Lead Teacher, Early Childhood

Brooklyn Waldorf School • Brooklyn, NY

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Brooklyn Waldorf School (BWS) is a vibrant and dynamic school nestled in the heart of Bedford-Stuyvesant. BWS provides an education that meets the needs of each student in a developmentally appropriate manner, integrating critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and a deep connection to the arts through the curriculum founded by Rudolf Steiner. Through leading a balanced and well-rounded school life, students are expected to understand themselves as agents of change in an ever-evolving world. Our faculty hails from all over the world and includes both seasoned Waldorf teachers and those new to Waldorf education. Serving over 160 students from pre-K to grade 8, teachers typically remain with a class through multiple grades, forming deep relationships over time. BWS teachers care for their students as whole individuals and provide not only for their academic development, but also for their emotional intelligence, artistic capacities, and physical knowledge of their surrounding environment. Teachers develop their own classroom content through active engagement with curricular resources prepared by our Faculty Council and reflect our local urban environment and community values. The Brooklyn Waldorf School was founded in 2005 by a body of parents and Waldorf graduates who sought a nurturing space within the city where their children could discover and explore their inner potential. As the school community grew, classes expanded to include Parent-Child, Early Childhood, Elementary, and Middle School. The Lead Teacher, Early Childhood guides a class of young children through a nurturing, play-based Waldorf program, partnering with a Support Teacher to create a warm, rhythmic classroom environment. This teacher leads daily curriculum planning and delivery, communicates regularly with families, and helps carry forward BWS's mission of educating the whole child.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and experience as a Teacher (Required)
• A love of children ages 2-6 and a deep desire to support their growth, through observation and collaboration
• Ability to sit, stand, and walk for significant periods of time, use staircases often, and lift up to 50lbs
• Ability to be outdoors with children in all seasons
• Musical and artistic ability
• Enthusiasm, flexibility, and a warm demeanor
• A strong connection to and appreciation for nature
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with an ability to connect with children, parents, and colleagues
• Physical stamina and enthusiasm for spending significant time outdoors in various weather conditions, and walk up to 2 miles
• Dedicated to fostering a Waldorf Pedagogy that moves beyond European-centric perspectives and prioritizes a diverse, multicultural curriculum.

Nice To Haves

• Waldorf experience (Highly preferred)
• Previous Waldorf training and/or a willingness to take Waldorf courses within the first few years of employment (professional development funding is available to partially offset associated costs)

Responsibilities

• Create an engaging play-based Waldorf Early Childhood curriculum focused on nurturing the whole child—intellectually, emotionally, and physically—through a balance of structured activities and creative play.
• Oversee daily operations, guide and oversee the class Support Teacher
• Maintain student records
• Prepare student end-of-year reports for parents in accordance with school policies
• Write bi-weekly newsletters updating parents on class activities
• Establish and maintain a positive and professional relationship with students, parents, and other teachers and school personnel

Benefits

• Full-Time Faculty, yearly employment agreement
• Competitive salary, commensurate with experience, non-exempt
• Benefits include medical and dental health insurance coverage, retirement, flexible spending, and Metrocards (where applicable)
• Opportunities for professional development
• Reduced tuition for dependents
• Childcare during faculty meetings and parent-teacher conferences

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level