Lead Teacher

The Learning Experience•Long Island City, NY

About The Position

The Learning Experience is hiring a Lead Teacher to lead a classroom and support the learning and development of infants, toddlers, preschool, and/or Pre-K children. The Lead Teacher implements the L.E.A.P. Curriculum®, maintains a safe, organized, and engaging classroom, communicates with families, and guides Assistant Teachers. The role provides consistent, high-quality early childhood education while supporting children’s social, emotional, language, cognitive, and physical development. The Lead Teacher plans age-appropriate learning and play experiences, organizes classroom routines and transitions, and maintains lesson plans, observations, assessments, and records. They monitor children’s needs and development, follow applicable licensing, health, safety, supervision, and classroom-ratio requirements, and support daily care needs such as feeding, diapering, and toileting as appropriate. The role also involves collaborating with families, the teaching team, and center leadership; mentoring developing teachers; participating in required training; and helping create a positive, welcoming experience for families. The position requires the ability to supervise children by sight and sound and to stand, walk, bend, kneel, sit on the floor, participate in indoor and outdoor activities, and safely lift up to 40 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be available. The Learning Experience describes its approach as joyful, engaging early education built around six ages and stages of early childhood development, hands-on learning, and a cast of characters that brings learning to life through exploration and imagination.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED, unless otherwise permitted by state requirements.
Must be at least 18 years old.
Previous childcare, daycare, preschool, or early childhood education experience required.
Knowledge of child development and developmentally appropriate practices.
Strong classroom management, communication, and organization skills.
Must meet applicable state licensing, background screening, health, and training requirements.
Ability to supervise children by sight and sound; stand, walk, bend, kneel, sit on the floor, participate in indoor and outdoor activities, and safely lift up to 40 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Classroom leadership experience preferred.
ECE, Child Development, or Education coursework preferred.

Responsibilities

Create a classroom where children feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.
Build positive relationships with children and families.
Plan age-appropriate learning and play experiences.
Support children’s social, emotional, language, cognitive, and physical development.
Encourage curiosity, independence, communication, and confidence.
Plan and organize classroom activities, routines, and transitions.
Maintain required lesson plans, observations, assessments, and records.
Monitor individual children’s needs and development.
Maintain an organized and prepared classroom.
Guide and support Assistant Teachers; model positive classroom practices and teamwork.
Communicate with families about their child’s day, development, and progress, and respond to questions professionally.
Collaborate with teachers and center leadership.
Implement TLE’s L.E.A.P. Curriculum® and adapt activities to children’s ages, abilities, and developmental needs.
Follow state childcare licensing, health, safety, and supervision requirements.
Maintain required classroom ratios and active supervision.
Support children’s daily care needs, including feeding, diapering, and toileting as appropriate.
Participate in required training and professional development.
Maintain TLE classroom and curriculum standards and help families understand their child’s learning and classroom experience.
Support family engagement and center activities, and create a professional, welcoming classroom environment.