Toddler Teacher

Lead Toddler Teacher

Temple Emanuel Preschool is a warm early childhood community where children, families, and educators are known and valued. Our play-based, emergent approach gives toddlers opportunities to build independence, strengthen social-emotional skills, explore open-ended materials, and learn through relationships, movement, stories, art, and purposeful play. Jewish holidays, values, music, Hebrew words, blessings, and traditions are woven naturally into classroom life.

Position Overview

Temple Emanuel Preschool is seeking an experienced, EEC-certified Lead Toddler Teacher to work primarily with children ages 15 months to 2 years. This is a full-time, 12-month position for an educator who can create a safe and engaging toddler classroom, plan and implement a developmentally appropriate curriculum, communicate clearly with families, and collaborate closely with teaching partners.

What Success Looks Like in This Role

A successful Lead Toddler Teacher will:

• Create a warm, consistent classroom where children feel safe, confident, and inspired to explore while supporting their cognitive, physical, language, and social-emotional development through engaging learning experiences.
• Build strong partnerships with families by communicating regularly about each child's experiences, growth, and development through conversations, photos, updates, and conferences.
• Collaborate as a leader and teammate by working closely with colleagues to plan curriculum, maintain a well-functioning classroom, solve challenges, and contribute to a positive, professional school culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Integrate Jewish values, holidays, Shabbat, Hebrew language, songs, stories, and age-appropriate blessings into daily classroom life.
• Plan and implement engaging, play-based, emergent curriculum that supports toddlers' cognitive, language, physical, social-emotional, and self-help development through art, sensory exploration, music, movement, storytelling, free play, and outdoor learning.
• Create a nurturing, well-organized classroom by establishing predictable routines, observing children's interests and developmental progress to guide planning, and collaborating weekly with colleagues on curriculum.
• Build strong partnerships with families through regular classroom updates, photos, and meaningful communication about each child's experiences, progress, and development.
• Partner closely with teaching colleagues by sharing classroom responsibilities, participating in planning meetings and staff meetings, and communicating proactively to maintain a consistent, high-quality learning environment.
• Demonstrate flexibility, professionalism, and a collaborative mindset by helping solve challenges and ensuring safe, stable classroom coverage when needs arise.

Required Qualifications

• Massachusetts EEC Essentials 2.0 Training, Teacher Certification, including completion and submission of the required Child Growth and Development coursework or willingness to obtain.
• First Aid CPR Certified by August 26th.
• Understanding of toddler development and developmentally appropriate teaching practices.
• Ability to work a schedule that includes coverage through 5:30 p.m.
• Strong classroom organization, family communication, and teamwork skills.

Jewish knowledge or identity is not required. Candidates must be open to learning and participating in the Jewish life of the school.

Preferred

• Experience working with toddlers or young twos.
• Familiarity with play-based, emergent, or creative curriculum.
• Experience documenting children's learning and communicating developmental observations to families.

Compensation & Benefits

• Annual salary: $50,000–$55,000
• Health insurance
• Dental and/or vision coverage
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• 19 days of paid time off
• Paid holidays and scheduled school closures
• Tuition reimbursement
• Temple membership benefit
• Childcare benefit
• Year-round employment and summer-program continuity

Schedule

• Full-time, 12-month position
• Monday through Friday
• Staggered shifts within 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
• Anticipated start date: August 24, 2026