Pre-K Teacher, Alpha - $120,000/year USD

About the role

This is a full-time, on-site role leading a Pre-K classroom where emotional safety, curiosity, and measurable developmental growth are equally important. You’ll design rich, play-based experiences that help children build confidence, resilience, early literacy, numeracy, and a genuine love of learning.

What You Will Be Doing

• Design joyful, sensory-rich learning experiences that intentionally build early literacy, numeracy, self-regulation, and social development.
• Create a classroom where every child feels emotionally safe, deeply known, and excited to come to school every day.
• Observe children’s development in real time, document meaningful progress, and use those insights to personalize learning.
• Adjust activities around each child’s interests and developmental needs, helping every learner make measurable progress.
• Partner closely with families to share growth, celebrate milestones, and support each child’s development beyond the classroom.

What You Won’t Be Doing

• Supervising children without a clear developmental purpose behind every activity.
• Following scripted lessons, relying on worksheets, or teaching to compliance instead of curiosity.
• Spending your day managing behavior rather than helping children develop emotional regulation.
• Sitting children in front of academic software while you monitor from the sidelines.

Key Responsibilities

Create a Pre-K classroom where every child develops a lasting love of learning while making exceptional progress across the developmental foundations that shape lifelong success.

Basic Requirements

• Able to work full-time, on-site at one of our campuses: Manhattan, New York, or Chicago, Illinois (relocation assistance is available)
• 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.

Working with us

This is a full-time, W2 employee position with immediate access to benefits. All roles are year-long positions. The compensation level for this role is $120,000 USD/year. The payment period is weekly.