Children's Community School Transitional Kindergarten Associate Teacher

Position Description

Position Overview

Children’s Community School seeks a warm, reflective, and collaborative Transitional Kindergarten Associate Teacher to help create a joyful, inclusive classroom where young children learn through play, inquiry, relationships, and meaningful participation in their community. Working in close partnership with the Lead Teacher, the Associate Teacher supports the academic, social-emotional, physical, and creative development of each child while contributing to a responsive and engaging classroom environment.

This role requires prior experience in early childhood development and previous work with children in a classroom or other group setting. The successful candidate understands that young children are capable thinkers, communicators, problem-solvers, and community members whose ideas and identities should shape their learning.

Our Progressive Approach

Our program centers the whole child. Teachers observe closely, listen carefully, and design experiences that grow from children’s questions, interests, developmental needs, and lived experiences. Learning is active and connected across subject areas. Classrooms value collaboration, curiosity, creativity, reflection, social justice, and the many ways children express what they know.

Essential Responsibilities

• Partner with the Lead Teacher to plan and facilitate developmentally appropriate, play-based, inquiry-driven learning experiences.
• Support a classroom culture in which children feel known, respected, safe, and empowered to participate.
• Guide individuals and small groups through hands-on learning in early literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, art, movement, and outdoor exploration.
• Use observation, documentation, and reflection to understand children’s development, inform instruction, and contribute to student assessment.
• Support children’s social-emotional growth, including self-regulation, communication, conflict resolution, independence, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Use positive, respectful guidance and developmentally responsive classroom-management practices.
• Prepare materials, organize learning spaces, and help maintain a welcoming, accessible, and engaging classroom environment.
• Provide active supervision and attend to children’s health, safety, and well-being during classroom activities, transitions, meals, rest, outdoor play, and field experiences.
• Recognize and respond to varied learning styles, strengths, identities, languages, cultures, family structures, and support needs.
• Communicate professionally and respectfully with colleagues and families while maintaining confidentiality and appropriate boundaries.
• Participate in staff meetings, professional learning, school events, and the shared work of the CCS community.
• Receive feedback with openness, reflect on practice, and contribute ideas as an engaged member of the teaching team.
• Perform other duties that support the classroom and school program as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience or training in early childhood development, early childhood education, child development, or a closely related field.
• Previous experience working with young children in a classroom, preschool, childcare, camp, after-school program, or comparable group setting.
• A clear understanding of developmentally appropriate practice for children in Transitional Kindergarten.
• Ability to build caring, respectful relationships with children and support a diverse community of learners.
• Strong collaboration, communication, organization, reliability, and follow-through.
• Ability to remain attentive and engaged while supervising children throughout the school day.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, anti-bias education, and ongoing professional growth.
• Ability to meet all applicable school, licensing, background-check, health, and safety requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• College coursework, certificate, or degree in early childhood education, child development, education, or a related field.
• Experience in a progressive, inquiry-based, play-based, constructivist, or project-based learning environment.
• Experience using observation and documentation to make children’s thinking and learning visible.
• Current pediatric first aid and CPR certification, or willingness to obtain certification.

Professional Qualities

The ideal candidate is patient, playful, observant, flexible, and grounded. They approach children with genuine curiosity, communicate with care, value teamwork, and understand that teaching young children requires both thoughtful planning and responsiveness in the moment.

Physical and Work Environment Expectations

The position involves frequent movement throughout indoor and outdoor learning spaces; sitting on the floor; standing, bending, and kneeling; assisting children with classroom routines; and lifting or carrying classroom materials. Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals in accordance with applicable law.

Compensation and Benefits

$34-$37 per hour. Working hours will be from 8:30 a.m. – 2:20 p.m. and on Thursdays 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

September – June.

How to Apply

Please submit a resume and brief letter of interest describing your experience with young children, your work in classroom or group settings, and your interest in progressive education to careers@ccsteaches.org.

Equal Opportunity

Children’s Community School is committed to building an inclusive community and providing equal employment opportunities. We welcome applicants whose identities, experiences, and perspectives strengthen our school community.