Early Childhood Teacher

About the role

Goodwill Central Texas has been empowering people to work for more than six decades, transforming revenue from over 37 retail locations into education, career training, job placement, career coaching, and support services. The Goodwill Excel Center for Adults, opened in 2014, is an open-enrollment public charter high school for adults ages 18 to 50, providing a supportive and holistic learning environment where all students are empowered to achieve.

The Excel Center builds a high-performing organization focused on transforming lives through education and work. Team members contribute to a culture grounded in caring, innovation, and accountability, focused on strong graduate outcomes. All team members deliver excellence by upholding high standards of professionalism, owning outcomes, working as one team, leading with purpose, and strengthening the system.

The Early Childhood Teacher is responsible for developing and implementing a high-quality, developmentally appropriate program for children from birth to age five within the Exploration Center. Guided by NAEYC Professional Standards, Texas Rising Star requirements, and program policies, this position creates a safe, nurturing, and inclusive learning environment that supports each child's physical, social-emotional, cognitive, and language development. The role designs engaging learning environments, plans and delivers intentional instruction, assesses children's progress, and models positive, responsive interactions that foster curiosity, confidence, and lifelong learning. Through collaboration with families and colleagues, the Early Childhood Teacher promotes the growth and development of every child and advances the center's mission of excellence in early childhood education.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and evaluate developmentally appropriate curriculum and lesson plans aligned with NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) principles, early learning standards, and program goals.
• Provide high-quality learning experiences that support the holistic development of children across cognitive, language, literacy, social-emotional, physical, and creative domains.
• Incorporate play-based learning, emergent curriculum approaches, and individualized teaching strategies to meet the unique needs, interests, and abilities of each child.
• Use intentional teaching practices, including open-ended questioning, guided exploration, and instructional scaffolding, to promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and deeper learning.
• Monitor children's developmental progress, identify milestones and potential concerns, and collaborate with families, specialists, and the teaching team to support early intervention efforts when appropriate.
• Establish and maintain consistent classroom routines and environments that promote safety, security, independence, and positive learning experiences.
• Implement positive behavior guidance strategies that foster self-regulation, social competence, conflict resolution, and emotional well-being.
• Build strong partnerships with families by encouraging participation in classroom activities, family events, conferences, and home-school learning connections.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable licensing, accreditation, and quality standards, including NAEYC, Texas Rising Star (TRS), Texas School Ready (TSR), Texas Healthy Building Blocks (THBB), and Child Care Regulation (CCR) requirements.
• Uphold the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct by demonstrating professionalism, integrity, respect, confidentiality, and ethical decision-making in all interactions.
• Design and maintain engaging, developmentally appropriate learning environments that encourage exploration, discovery, creativity, and conceptual understanding.
• Support continuous quality improvement initiatives and inclusive practices that enhance program effectiveness and child outcomes.
• Foster open, respectful, and collaborative communication with families to support children's learning, development, and consistency between home and school environments.
• Conduct regular family conferences and maintain ongoing communication regarding children's progress, developmental milestones, and classroom experiences.
• Utilize formal and informal assessment methods to monitor children's growth and development, maintain accurate documentation, collect work samples, and develop individualized portfolios.
• Participate in ongoing program evaluation and collaborate with the Coordinator to implement current research, best practices, and continuous improvement strategies within the classroom.
• Communicate effectively and professionally with children, families, colleagues, and community partners while maintaining a positive and supportive learning environment.
• Maintain a clean, safe, healthy, and organized classroom environment through routine cleaning, sanitizing, and organization of materials and learning spaces.
• Collaborate as an active member of the teaching team by sharing ideas, providing feedback, and contributing to program planning and improvement efforts.
• Provide guidance, mentoring, and support to Teacher Aides/Floaters, Child Development Specialists, Assistant Teachers, substitutes, and other classroom support staff by modeling effective teaching and caregiving practices.
• Ensure curriculum plans, classroom schedules, and learning experiences provide a balanced mix of child-initiated exploration and adult-guided instruction that reflects children's interests and developmental needs.
• Communicate center policies, procedures, and program expectations to staff and families in a clear, respectful, and professional manner.
• Perform additional duties as assigned to support the overall success, quality, and mission of the Exploration Center.
• May supervise Assistant Teachers, Child Development Specialists, Aides/Floaters, volunteers, substitutes, and/or practicum students.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's Degree in any discipline with a minimum of 36 college credits in a related field (early childhood education, early childhood special education, elementary education, child development, or any field that includes at least 36 early childhood related credits).
• Accredited, in-person Pediatric CPR/First Aid certification (must obtain within 30 days of hire).
• Three years of experience as a classroom teacher of young children in a child development center or other educational facility working with children from birth to kindergarten age.
• Ability to understand work instructions in English.
• Working knowledge of computer programs and internet applications such as Microsoft Products, Google Applications (Gmail), Excel, Microsoft Word, and Internet Explorer.
• Communication skills to work on a team and interact with parents in a professional manner.
• Ability to work cooperatively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to engage in physical activity with children (bending, lifting up to 40 lbs., standing for extended periods).
• Understanding of marginalization and how it impacts those Goodwill serves and employs.

Preferred

• Bilingual in English and Spanish, Arabic, Pashto, or American Sign Language (ASL).

Benefits

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: top-tier medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous Paid Time Off: vacation days, personal days, and company-wide holidays.
• Teacher Retirement System & 403b Participation.
• Paid Parental Leave.
• Professional Development Opportunities: access to workshops, online courses, and tuition/certification support.
• Wellness Programs: gym memberships and free mental health support.
• Employee Recognition Programs.
• Diverse and Inclusive Culture: regular team-building activities and events that foster a sense of belonging.

Retirement Information