Nature-Based Infant/Toddler Teacher

About This Role

Turtle Island Children's Center is a year-round play and nature-based early childhood program serving infants through pre-kindergarteners. Located on magnificent grounds along the North Branch River in Montpelier, Vermont, we focus on fostering intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development in a nurturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide a nurturing, safe, and healthy environment for infants and young toddlers to promote their social, intellectual, physical, and emotional development.
• Collaborate with volunteers, substitute teachers, and floating teachers to ensure compliance with state and program guidelines.
• Observe, document, and encourage children's learning to support an emergent curriculum focusing on building self-confidence, problem-solving, social justice, and active citizenship skills.
• Create and maintain a safe, responsive, and healthy physical environment that supports the physical, emotional, and cognitive development of young children.
• Proactively communicate with team members, administrators, and families, facilitating parent-teacher conferences biannually.
• Safeguard children at all times while actively supervising and engaging with them.
• Create and maintain a clean, organized, inviting, welcoming, and safe environment for all children and families.

Requirements

• Minimum 2 years experience with infant/toddler group care.
• Hold 21 credits in Early Childhood Education or more, or Career Ladder Level 3 or higher, or have the ability to obtain Level 3 within 90 days of hire.
• Show understanding of the developmental needs of children from birth to 18 months old, responsiveness to their intellectual, emotional, and social needs, and ability to work with groups of children.
• Show flexibility to work as a team member and a part of a learning community.
• Love and respect for children, teachers, and the important work of early childhood education.
• Be at least 20 years of age.
• Be able to perform tasks such as kneeling, bending, squatting, lifting, pushing, and carrying children up to 30 lbs.
• Meet annual professional development requirements per Vermont state regulations.
• Willingness to continue professional education in Early Childhood Education or related fields.
• Complete First Aid/CPR training upon hire.

Nice to Have

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education preferred.
• 21 credits in Early Childhood Education or related field required.

Benefits

• 20 days accrued paid leave annually (sick/personal).
• An additional 23+ paid days for program closures and holidays.
• In-house professional development opportunities and assistance.
• A Direct Primary Care Plan: unlimited visits with nurse practitioner.
• 403(b) Retirement account.
• Annual bonus.
• Work within an incredible team of dedicated professionals.
• 50% off childcare tuition for your child.