Early Childhood Lead Teacher, Alpha - $120,000/year USD

What You Will Be Doing

• Develop joyful, sensorially rich learning experiences that deliberately cultivate early literacy, numeracy, self-regulation, and social competence.
• Create a classroom environment where every child feels emotionally secure, truly understood, and eager to arrive each day.
• Monitor children's developmental progress continuously, record significant growth, and apply those observations to individualize instruction.
• Modify activities based on each child's interests and developmental readiness, ensuring every learner achieves measurable advancement.
• Collaborate actively with families to communicate progress, acknowledge milestones, and extend each child's development outside the classroom.

What You Won’t Be Doing

• Overseeing children without intentional developmental goals guiding each activity.
• Implementing scripted curricula, depending on worksheets, or prioritizing compliance over curiosity.
• Dedicated to behavior management instead of supporting children's emotional regulation skills.
• Placing children in front of academic software while you observe passively from a distance.

Basic Requirements

• Available to work full-time, in-person in Manhattan, New York City (relocation assistance is provided).
• An associate's degree or higher, or any U.S. state teaching license or certification.
• At least 2 years of experience working with children ages 3-5 in a structured, play-based classroom or group setting.
• Experience documenting developmental milestones using a structured framework or assessment tool (Teaching Strategies GOLD, ASQ, HighScope COR, etc.).
• Authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.

Nice-to-have Requirements

• Experience in a Reggio Emilia, Montessori, Bank Street, or other inquiry-based early childhood program.
• Experience in an independent school or an academically ambitious preschool.
• Familiarity with child-development frameworks, observation tools, or portfolio-based assessment.
• Experience adapting play-based activities to individual interests, needs, and developmental goals.

About Alpha

Alpha reimagines the school day around faster learning, stronger mentorship, and more time for students to build real-world skills. Roles with real student impact: Alpha hires teachers (guides), operators, admissions experts, school & curriculum leaders, and remote team members. Education work that pays like it matters: Alpha offers six-figure roles for people ready to help build a radically better school experience. A culture built for builders: Alpha is fast-moving, ambitious, and student focused. It’s for people who want to improve the system, not maintain it. Alpha is where you can do the most meaningful work of your career.