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

About the Role

Great preschool teachers don't rely on scripts. They thrive in schools that respect their professional judgment. If you're an educator who views play as meaningful work, prioritizes relationships over academics, and sees every moment as a chance for learning, Alpha is your kind of place. This is a full-time, on-site position in Manhattan, where you'll lead a Pre-K classroom focused equally on emotional safety, curiosity, and observable developmental progress.

You'll create meaningful, play-based learning opportunities that foster confidence, resilience, early literacy and numeracy skills, and a true passion for learning. We seek educators who understand that exceptional preschool is not babysitting—it's the groundwork for all future success. Alpha is transforming education by accelerating academic mastery, freeing up time to cultivate the essential life skills children need. That transformation starts in Pre-K with outstanding teachers who understand how to make play purposeful.

We plan to hire candidates from throughout the New York metro area. If you're a talented educator interested in relocating closer to the city, relocation assistance is available.

Responsibilities

• Build engaging, sensory-rich learning experiences that deliberately develop early literacy, numeracy, self-regulation, and social skills.
• Establish a classroom environment where every child feels emotionally secure, truly understood, and eager to arrive each day.
• Monitor children's growth continuously, record significant progress, and apply those observations to individualize instruction.
• Modify activities based on each child's interests and developmental stage, ensuring all learners achieve meaningful advancement.
• Collaborate closely with families to communicate development, honor achievements, and extend each child's learning beyond school.

What You Won’t Be Doing

• Watching children without intentional developmental goals guiding each activity.
• Delivering scripted curriculum, depending on worksheets, or prioritizing compliance over curiosity.
• Devoting your time to behavior management instead of nurturing children's emotional self-regulation.
• Placing children in front of digital learning programs while you observe passively.

Requirements

Basic Requirements

• Available to work full-time, on-site in Manhattan, New York City (relocation assistance available).
• Hold an associate's degree or higher, or possess any U.S. state teaching license or certification.
• Have at least 2 years of experience working with children ages 3-5 in a structured, play-based classroom or group environment.
• Possess experience documenting developmental milestones through 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

• Background in a Reggio Emilia, Montessori, Bank Street, or similar inquiry-driven early childhood program.
• Experience working in an independent school or academically rigorous preschool.
• Knowledge of child-development frameworks, observation methods, or portfolio-based assessment.
• Experience tailoring play-based activities to individual interests, needs, and developmental objectives.

About Alpha

Join the team building school around student growth. 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.

Pay

The compensation level for this role is $60 USD/hour, which equates to $120,000 USD/year assuming 40 hours per week and 50 weeks per year.

Schedule

This is a full-time (40 hours per week), long-term position. The position is immediately available and requires entering into an independent contractor agreement.