Early Childhood at Manny Cantor Center
197 East Broadway
New York, NY 10002
Start Date: September 1, 2021
JOB PURPOSE
Working within inspired and dynamic teams, our teachers are helping to build a vision for progressive education in Chinatown and the Lower East Side. Inspired by the preschools of Reggio Emilia, we believe that all children learn through inquiry, exploration and play in the context of strong relationships and a sense of belonging.
Our teachers create responsive, safe, joyful and nurturing learning environments for children that foster inquiry, exploration, learning & reflection; collaborate with co-teachers to plan an emergent curriculum based on observations of children’s interests and development; document children’s learning through photographs, learning narratives, anecdotes, panels and mini-stories; facilitate communication and collaboration between the family and the preschool.
SCOPE OF INFLUENCE
• Participate in the documentation, reflection and planning process to devise emergent curriculum informed by children’s interests, questions, theories and prior knowledge.
• Facilitate virtual learning and individualized outreach to families during periods of school closure.
• Work with a diverse community, including a significant Mandarin-speaking population
• Build relationships with families and communicate about children’s learning and development in person and through documentation.
• Partner with the teaching staff and administration in the overall philosophy and direction of the preschool
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
Planning, Preparation + Curriculum Development
• Co-constructing curriculum, based on children’s interests, questions and development
• Documenting, reflecting and planning from observations
• Participating in weekly planning meetings with teaching team
• Meeting the needs of all children, including English language learners
Facilitate Virtual Learning During Periods of School Closure
• Facilitate virtual learning by posting schedules, mini-stories, resources, suggested activities and video “read-alouds” online daily. Lead daily morning meeting and small group sessions for children via video conferencing.
• Communicate regularly with families and coworkers via email, Zoom, phone and chat.
• Meet with each family at least weekly via phone or video conference to provide individualized support and assess for strengths, challenges, needs and goals.
• Develop written support plans for each family covering parenting, education, mental health and basic needs. Update plans on an ongoing basis in collaboration with administration and social work teams.
• Connect families with housing, employment, college access and medical resources as necessary. Refer families to Manny Cantor Center’s internal Mental Health, Social Work and 2-Generation departments. Check in with support staff as necessary to ensure that families’ needs are being met.
• Through whole group, small group and individual check-ins, empower families during periods of school closure by providing coaching, mentorship and parenting resources on topics including attachment, sleep, feeding, limit-setting, kindergarten transition developmentally appropriate expectations etc.
Classroom Environment
• Planning and creating a classroom environment with inquiry, exploration, learning and respect in mind
• Nurturing children’s home languages through curated books, materials and the physical environment
• Creating a warm and inclusive environment where children and families feel welcome
• Organizing physical space and selection of materials in a way that is inviting and accessible to children
• Creating visual evidence of the narratives and curriculum occurring in your classroom
Interactions with Children
• Speaking and listening to children with respect and mindfulness
• Supervising the whole group, while giving individual attention
• Managing classroom procedures including transitions, routines and small groups
• Engage students in exploration and ongoing project work
• Scaffolding children through conflict and problem solving
Relationships with Families
• Building respectful and reciprocal relationships with families
• Communicating consistently with families
Professional Responsibilities
• Documenting children’s learning, development and progress through mini-stories, written narratives, reflections and observations. Maintain a documentation portfolio for each child. With support of Head Teacher, upload documentation into the DRDP assessment platform and complete assessment checkpoints throughout year.
• Maintaining collaborative and professional relationships with colleagues
• Participating in weekly professional development meetings
• Showing professionalism including integrity, ethical conduct and decision making
• The candidate will be reflective, ask questions, be willing to take risks and make mistakes
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Required Knowledge
• Bachelors Degree preferred
• Bilingual Mandarin/English a plus
• Minimum 3 years of professional teaching experience in an early childhood setting preferred
• Available to work a mix of morning and afternoon shifts (8am-4pm or 10am-6pm) to cover extended day
• Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to craft narrative observations, mini-stories and written reflections, and communicate with families and colleagues regularly via email.
• Strong oral communication with children, families and colleagues.
Role Key Competencies
Building Trust
Communication
Energy
Adaptability
Stress Tolerance
Coaching
EdAlliance “Perks”
Competitive Salary
Paid Holidays
Comprehensive Health Insurance
Free Gym Membership to our Manny Cantor Center Gym
403(b) Retirement Plan
Discounts to programs at Educational Alliance
Generous Vacation Package
Please apply at the link below.
Educational Alliance brings together and partners with diverse communities in Lower Manhattan, offering individuals and families high-quality, multi-generational programs and services that enhance their well-being and socioeconomic opportunities. We are a place where everyone is welcome and where progress is powered one relationship at a time. We are proud of our legacy as a Jewish organization and we provide high-quality, transformational services and programs to all New Yorkers through our network of community centers on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and East Village. As we have for 130 years, we offer best-in-class programming–now across 15 sites—focusing on a mix of education, health and wellness, arts and culture, and civic engagement.
教育联盟，一个127年历史的纽约机构，是一个充满活力的社会组织，服务于纽约各行各业的纽约人。我们为每个人服务，不管他们说什么语言，他们来自哪里，或者他们的社会经济地位。我们相信艺术和文化、教育、健康和社会服务可以帮助每个人过上更美好的生活。
Early Childhood at Manny Cantor Center is an inspired, responsive and progressive school built on the following principles: all children are competent, capable, and curious; all families have something to contribute; we are stronger together. We believe that universal education is necessary for equal citizenship. Our school incorporates Head Start, Early Head Start, Universal Pre-K and tuition funding to serve all families on the Lower East Side and beyond.
Together, we are empowering exceptional education.