Preschool Assistant Teacher

Job Description

Job Description

About This Role

Employment Details

Position: Preschool Assistant Teacher

Type: Full time, Non-exempt

Compensation: $19-23/hour, based on education and experience

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8 hours per day, for the 10-month school year (late August–early June)

Location: New Haven, CT (On-site)

Additional Work Opportunities: Additional paid work for substitute shifts may be available based on school needs and employee interest.

About Leila Day

Leila Day is a progressive, play-based, nature-centered school where childhood is honored. We innovate and build on the best traditions and practices of progressive, early childhood education. We believe in teaching and learning grounded in caring relationships, filled with joyful, learning adventures, and powered by the creativity of children at play. Teachers plan learning experiences around the needs and interests of the children and the opportunities provided by the natural world and our multicultural community. 

Our indoor and outdoor classrooms encourage children to explore, wonder, learn, and grow. Located beside East Rock Park in New Haven, we use the woods, trails, streams, and surrounding neighborhood as an extension of the classroom.

Position Summary

Leila Day is seeking a full-time Preschool Assistant Teacher to join our teaching team and work alongside Co/Lead Teachers with children ages 3–4. The Assistant Teacher plays an essential role in creating a warm, engaging, and inclusive classroom community where children feel known, supported, and empowered to explore through play.

Working collaboratively with the teaching team, the Assistant Teacher helps implement an emergent, child-centered curriculum grounded in children's interests, caring relationships, and hands-on experiences. The role includes supporting children's play and learning, participating in daily routines and classroom responsibilities, and contributing to a learning environment that extends naturally between indoor and outdoor spaces.

We are looking for a thoughtful, energetic, and collaborative educator who enjoys being actively engaged with young children and is excited to learn and grow within a progressive, nature-centered school community.

Key Responsibilities

• Foster a warm, welcoming, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate classroom environment where children feel safe, known, and encouraged to explore and learn through play.
• Work collaboratively with Co/Lead Teachers to plan, implement, observe, and document an emergent, child-centered curriculum responsive to children's interests, developmental needs, and the opportunities offered by the natural world.
• Engage actively with children throughout the day, facilitating play, extending children's thinking and exploration, and building caring, respectful relationships with individual children and the group.
• Support children's social-emotional development and growing independence by modeling empathy, patience, respect, and positive communication, and helping children navigate conflicts, challenges, and everyday classroom experiences.
• Support and affirm each child's cultural background, language, identity, interests, and individual learning style while contributing to an equitable and inclusive classroom community.
• Support daily classroom routines and procedures in collaboration with Co/Lead Teachers, including transitions, group activities, meals, rest, toileting, and outdoor time, while responding thoughtfully to children's varying needs.
• Help maintain a safe, orderly, and engaging learning environment by preparing materials, setting up and cleaning up activities, organizing classroom spaces, and caring for classroom resources.
• Participate fully in indoor and outdoor learning experiences, helping children engage safely and confidently with nature, materials, and their surroundings in all weather.

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum 1 year of experience working with children in a childcare or school setting.
• Experience working with children ages 3–9.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and an ability to work collaboratively as part of a teaching team.
• Warm, patient, dependable, and responsive approach to working with young children.
• Genuine interest in play-based, emergent, and child-centered education.
• Ability and willingness to participate in outdoor learning experiences in a variety of weather conditions.
• Interest in creating inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments.

Physical, Health & Safety Requirements

• Ability to meet applicable Connecticut licensing requirements and Leila Day health and safety requirements, including required health documentation and training such as CPR, First Aid, and Administration of Medication, as applicable to the position.
• Ability to participate fully in the physical activities of the classroom, including lifting, moving, or assisting children, as well as walking, squatting, climbing, and sitting on the floor.
• Ability and willingness to spend up to approximately three hours outdoors each day in a variety of weather conditions.
• Ability to respond appropriately and promptly to children's health and safety needs and to emergency or unexpected situations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree or coursework in early childhood education, education, child development, or a related field.
• Early Childhood Education (ECE) credits.
• Experience with play-based, emergent, or child-centered curriculum.
• Experience working with mixed-age groups.
• Experience supporting multicultural and inclusive learning environments.
• Experience or skills in outdoor education, gardening, environmental education, science, or naturalist education.
• Experience working in a progressive, arts-rich, or nature-centered educational setting.

Benefits & Professional Growth

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Sick Leave
• Holiday and vacation pay
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching contributions available after two years of service
• Ongoing professional development and learning opportunities
• Opportunities to learn and grow alongside experienced educators

Leila Day is an accredited, nonprofit child care center serving children of working families from diverse economic, racial and cultural backgrounds from New Haven and surrounding towns. In operation since 1878, this celebrated program's mission is to foster children's social, emotional, intellectual and physical development within a warm and nurturing environment built on sound

principles of child development. Leila Day emphasizes nature and outdoor education. The children and teachers spend time learning outside every day.