Early Childhood Educator

Job Description

Job Description

About This Role

A New Leaf School of Nashville is a vibrant, child-centered learning community dedicated to nature-based and project-based education. Our approach integrates hands-on, experiential learning with an emphasis on environmental stewardship, creativity, and critical thinking. We foster a love of learning by encouraging curiosity, collaboration, and exploration.

We seek experienced Early Childhood Educators to inspire, nurture, and guide our preschoolers within our enchanting Reggio Emilia inspired garden campus.

As a valued member of our teaching team, you'll engage in collaborative endeavors in the true spirit of Reggio pedagogy with a co-teacher. You'll have the opportunity to both contribute to and lead projects aimed at enriching children's education while fostering a deeper connection with the natural world.

The ideal candidate shares our passion for nature-based and project-based education and enjoys the following:

• Knowledge of the Reggio approach to education and willingness to work as co-researchers with the children to develop an emergent curriculum.
• Ability to document and share with others the learning journey of the classroom.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Great organizational skills.
• Develop portfolios for each of your students.
• Assessing student progress. Communicate progress and delays with the director and with parents.
• Stamina to hike on a hill and endurance for bug bites, ticks, and other wildlife.
• Ability to work in teams.
• Patience and calm response to problem resolution.
• Ability to teach children social-emotional awareness and skills.
• Enthusiasm and ability to develop the outdoor classroom and to work outdoors over half of the day.

• Associate's degree, Bachelor's or Master's degree in Early Childhood Education
• Knowledge of DHS rules, and Tennessee Early Childhood Developmental Standards.
• Commitment to continued professional development.

• Previous experience in Nature Education and/or Reggio inspired schools.

• Paid planning time weekly.
• Paid time off
• Paid In-Service days
• Paid personal time
• Paid sick time
• Cancer insurance or Short Term Disability insurance.
• Worker’s Compensation Insurance.
• Accident at work medical coverage.
• Half-price summer camps for your children.
• Schedule: 7:30 am to 3:30 pm.

A New Leaf's mission is to bring education back to Earth. Here you are part of something greater than yourself. We playfully and seriously learn, together as a community, about things that are real, meaningful, at times enigmatic, and always powerful! We are licensed by DHS and work in the Reggio way. Together we question and improve the means and goals of education for our youngest learners.