Preschool Teacher

Mass Audubon•Wenham, MA

30d•$22 - $24•Hybrid

About The Position

The Ipswich River Nature Preschool at Endicott is seeking a part-time Preschool Teacher. This position is one of the early childhood educators on the teaching team and teaches one or more preschool classes, collaborates with co-teachers on curriculum development/implementation, writes student assessments, engages in classroom management and family communication. They are responsible for co-designing educational experiences for nature preschool students in accordance with Mass Audubon’s Action Agenda strategic goals, Mass Audubon’s education frameworks, guidelines, and policies for Early Education and Nature Preschools, and MA Early Education and Care (EEC) and overall best practices in nature-based early childhood education. Preschool Teacher candidates must possess a strong respect for young children and families, a love of teaching young children and a strong desire to connect children and nature and developing values for stewardship of natural and social communities. The Preschool Teacher must have a keen love of designing nature-based curriculum and teaching outside and the ability to plan multi-sensory, play and nature-based, anti-bias, emergent and developmentally appropriate curriculum, incorporating a variety of hands-on/minds-on experiences. The Preschool Teacher is one of the teacher contacts for families in the class, prepares progress reports, parent-teacher team conferences and maintains a warm, professional relationship with children, their parents and caregivers.

Requirements

Massachusetts Early Education and Care (EEC) Preschool Teacher certification required
At least 1 year of experience teaching young children
Excellent writing and communication skills and ability to work cooperatively and independently
Interest and/or experience in nature-based, emergent, play-based and anti-bias early childhood education
Successful candidates must pass multiple background record checks, as required by Mass Audubon and Department of Early Education and Care, including CORI/DCF/SORI and fingerprints
Three employment references

Nice To Haves

Massachusetts Early Education and Care (EEC) Lead Preschool Teacher certification
First and CPR preferred but not necessary (training provided)

Responsibilities

Provides a physically and emotionally safe environment for young children both within an indoor and outdoor environment
Maintains clear communication with co-teachers and share teaching amongst the co-teaching faculty team
Creates and maintains a healthy, safe, and positive environment for children using best practices in early childhood nature-based education
Works with other faculty colleagues to develop and steward a sense of community, belonging, and connection to nature in the preschool community
Responsible for emotional and physical health and safety of students and completing accident reports/injury forms as needed as well as medication logs; assist in communicating incidents with parent/guardian at the end of class, obtain signature and provide photocopies for parent and child’s preschool file
Assess and document student development; complete progress reports twice a year and assist in conducting parent-teacher team conferences, as scheduled by Preschool Director
Maintain the physical environment by contributing to classroom housekeeping tasks as needed and storing personal belongings away from preschool program space
Enhance the physical space by thoughtfully placing child-initiated art, emergent language poems, emergent math charts and graphs, photographs of nature, students/families in class community, murals and other learning centers that reflect a nature-based curriculum
Keeps up with relevant and ongoing changes in policies and guidelines within Mass Audubon, specific Mass Audubon sanctuary, and within MA Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) policies and regulations
Attend to all required safety and risk management requirements including, but not limited to conducting fire drills, filling out accident forms and medication logs, and informing Preschool Director of safety concerns as noted in daily activities
Must be comfortable exploring the natural world in a variety of weather throughout the year for 2 or more hours a day
Responsible and accountable to all Mass Audubon/MA EEC health and safety policies and guidelines
Always maintains communication with co-teachers and other relevant staff throughout the day
Meets weekly with teacher team to plan curriculum /troubleshoot challenges as applicable
Communicate with families about their child’s development and daily learning and play experiences including working with teaching staff to plan and conduct parent/teacher conferences
Professionally communicate with families about classroom activities, lessons, and school community (i.e. written class message or class newsletter)
Engage with parents/caregivers in conversations about children’s challenging behaviors under the direction of the Preschool Director; be a part of preparing and planning meetings with parents/caregivers to explore appropriate strategies, interventions and possible collaboration with outside consultants
Ability to prepare and present nature-based, multi-sensory, integrated, play-based, anti-bias and emergent curriculum for multi-age groups (3-5 years) of children in collaboration with co-teaching faculty that enhances the physical, social/emotional and cognitive growth of young children (this includes regularly teaching one or more preschool classes)
Understands early childhood development and manages reasonable outcomes and expectations for young children
Observe, document and assess the ongoing development of each child and write progress reports twice per year
Communicate and work cooperatively with the Nature Preschool education staff to accomplish program goals
Completes annual professional development hours as needed/required
Attend and participate in Nature Preschool Open Houses (virtual or in-person), and/or tours of the school, to describe the philosophy of the program, provides a general overview of what the preschool offers young children and their families
Attend and engage in school-wide community-building social events
Act as an ambassador for their specific nature preschool as well as Mass Audubon Nature Preschools, recognizing that preschool classes are frequently seen/observed by the public, visiting professionals, prospective families and Mass Audubon staff members
Attend staff meetings and actively participate in statewide education staff meetings, audience professional learning communities, and professional development trainings as needed and required
Assist in other sanctuary and regional education activities, as needed