Preschool Teacher & Education Coordinator

Summary

General Position Description

The Lead Teacher is responsible for developing a cohesive teaching team, coordinating the curriculum, and managing the day-to-day operational activities of the classroom. Teachers must understand children’s cognitive, social, emotional and physical development in order to ensure a safe and stimulating classroom environment where children are actively engaged and encouraged to succeed.  The Teacher must be skilled in communicating with both children and adults in order to meet the needs of the children, effectively guide associate teachers, and resolve parental concerns. As the Education Coordinator, responsibilities include supporting other teachers to ensure that the curriculum and classroom activities are implemented effectively.

This position reports to the Program Director.

Duties

Classroom

• Facilitate learning by implementing a play-based, child-centered curriculum
• Meaningfully engage with children to foster joy in learning and encourage social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth
• Embed early learning standards into daily activities and routines
• Implement positive behavior supports to create a peaceful classroom environment
• Form nurturing and responsive relationships with children and teach social-emotional strategies
• Maintain an ongoing data collection system to support observations of development and behaviors
• Maintain frequent communication with parents through informal discussions, progress reports, and parent-teacher conferences
• Supervise personnel assigned to assist with classroom activities (i.e., associate and multi-classroom teachers)
• Monitor indoor and outdoor learning environments for safety and cleanliness
• Participate in and contribute to staff meetings and opportunities for professional development

Instructional Support

• Promote implementation of early learning standards
• Increase teacher content knowledge by acting as a content area expert
• Provide support and resources for staff on program development
• Ensure that all staff interact and communicate respectfully with children demonstrating an inclusive environment
• Evaluate classroom curriculum and environments, develop action plans with the teaching team, and monitor progress toward program goals

 

Observation, Assessment, & Documentation

• Monitor, evaluate, and support lead and associate teachers
• Perform classroom observations and provide clear and meaningful feedback
• Support teachers’ achievement of goals by using coaching strategies that gradually release responsibility for implementing instructional practices to the teacher (e.g., co-planning, modeling, co-teaching, side-by-side coaching, and observing)

 

Hiring 

• Contribute to the process of screening, interviewing, and hiring teachers in collaboration with leadership team
• Collaborate with the leadership team to orient staff

Leadership/Team Building

• Work as the liaison between teachers and the Program Director
• Implement programs to achieve staff retention and decrease teacher turnover
• Lead the teaching team through communication, collaboration and discussion of individual children’s needs, services, and curriculum planning
• Positively project the organization, goals, philosophies, and policies to parents/guardians, staff and the community.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of professional child care experience
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or related field of study
• High energy and flexibility to adapt to the needs of a growing center
• Strong oral and written communication skills and basic computer skills
• Strong understanding of child development
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Infant/child CPR and First Aid certification
• Ability to lift up to 40 pounds
• Must clear full background check and pass health screening

Nice To Haves

Benefits

• Reduced fee for childcare services
• Paid training and staff development
• Paid holidays
• Paid time off
• Quarterly $500 stipend for leadership role (Education Coordinator)

About Us

Lotus Learning Center is a new family-owned and operated early childhood program that will open in the East Nashville, North Nashville, and Madison area this fall!

At Lotus, we nourish children's creativity and promote their holistic development. Our emergent curriculum emphasizes play-based and project-based learning that aligns with children's unique interests.