Stony Brook School
284 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Start Date: August 27, 2018
The Stony Brook School is a small, independent preschool in Jamaica Plain, engaging children ages 2.9-5. We are seeking experienced, collaborative early childhood educators who are eager to develop, lead and learn through a Reggio-inspired Preschool Program. These positions start for the 2018/19 school year in fall, with training/orientation beginning late summer 2018. We seek an energetic, joyful and dependable co-teacher of our Preschool Program, who is a keen observer of children’s interests, competencies, styles of interaction, and preferred modalities for learning. The successful candidate must demonstrate a passion for early childhood education, grounding in respectful communication, collaborative leadership, positivism, and a nurturing teaching style.
The successful candidate will be:
Engaged: Foremost, a responsive researcher that listens and observes. Following the children’s lead in what to explore and skilled in asking questions that lead to next explorations. Naturally curious. Comfortable in guiding problem solving, and open to unexpected lessons learned through play. A teacher of social and emotional skills through modeling strategies of respectful communication. Accurate in assessing personal feelings, strengths and limitations and how they impact relationships with children, staff, and families. A developer of thoughtful inquiries and sensory experiences, within the classroom and in outdoor explorations. An ideas generator and initiative taker who offers appropriate curricula designs. A thoughtful documenter of processes, who speaks and writes effectively.
Respectful: Valuing young children as capable, compassionate, resourceful people with many ways of expressing and exploring regard for self, others, and the environment. Encouraging children, and peers, to build relationships through shared experiences and differing perspectives, and listening for understanding and meaning. Guiding children in questioning, discovering and making connections within their social, emotional and natural worlds.
Collaborative: A believer that respectful relationships are central to early learning, and that family and environment are equal teachers to classroom educators. An effective communicator and listener to people of different backgrounds, abilities, opinions, and perceptions. Someone who builds rapport easily, relates well to others, and demonstrates positivism for working with a co-teacher, caregivers, and families. A speaker of their truths, who seeks first to understand the other person’s point of view and remains calm in challenging situations. Open to trying out new approaches and discovering ideas to create better explorations. Understanding of strengths within a teaching team, and able to ask for support where needed.
Dependable: Reliable, arriving on time and ready to teach each day. A maker of sound judgments. Intuitively able to physically and mentally position oneself in order to manage an entire learning space. Able to transfer learning from one situation to another. Able to establish goals, clarify tasks, cooperatively and independently plan work/curricula and actively participate in meetings and staff development. Documenting and sharing observations on each child, in confidence, formally and informally, throughout the year.
Proactive: Open to change and a seeker of opportunities for self-development that enhances job performance. Aware of, and actively using, developmentally appropriate best practices. Able to demonstrate up-to-date knowledge and skills in the fields of early childhood education and
emergent curricula. An engaged facilitator of classroom spaces and provocations that engage children in curiosity and making connections.
Professional Qualifications:
Preschool Program Co-Teachers must have a degree in Early Childhood Education, or directly related field. Experience working with preschool aged children in a group setting required, and EEC Preschool Lead Teacher Certification preferred. Experience in, or strong knowledge of, emergent curricula, such as Reggio Emilia approach, desired. Up to date Child and Infant CPR/First Aid Certification or certification within 1 month of hire required or provided.
Physical Requirements:
Work requires close visual acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned (i.e. light custodial duties, snack distribution, classroom set-up and safety, general supervision and wellbeing of participants) or to make general observations of facilities, participants or environment. Ability to lift 35+ pounds. Must be able to climb, stoop, reach, stand, lift, feel, communicate appropriately, and be capable of repetitive motion. Assist in classrooms, field trips, and outdoor explorations, as needed. Able to walk, bend, stand, squat or sit on the floor with children throughout, at least, a 6-hour day. Able to walk up and down steps several times each day. Able to physically respond quickly in an emergency. Understand the risk of exposure to blood and bodily fluids and use universal precautions in such instances.
Stony Brook School is an Equal Opportunity Employer:
The above description reflects the general details considered necessary to describe the principal function of the job identified, and shall not be considered a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the job. The Stony Brook School is an equal opportunity employer and affords equal opportunity to all applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other status protected under local, state or federal laws.
The Preschool Teacher is a year-round position, requiring availability 8:00am-4:00pm and for professional development and occasionally scheduled evening/weekend parent/school events. The program runs 8:30-2:30 daily, with additional time for planning, set-up, and documentation. We offer a competitive salary based upon education and experience ($21-$24/hour or $43,680-$49,920/year) which includes generous paid vacation time, including 3 summer weeks off, an annual retention bonus for re-committing to the next school year, and health, dental, and 401K benefits. T-Accessible, Close to Orange Line.
Email Cover Letter and Resume to Shannon Pope
Shannon@stonybrooklearning.com
Stony Brook School offers a joyful, creative path for young children to enter into an engaged learning community, and to develop the foundation and skills that will inform a lifelong love for learning. Aligned with the Reggio Emilia approach, we aim to inspire innovative, collaborative and critical thinkers. Stony Brook School is a mindful vision, where children will see and understand themselves as a valued, contributing members of a caring community. Our emergent, project and play based curriculum arises from children’s natural interests and developing skills. Our warm, inviting classrooms are thoughtfully curated to inspire movement, curiosity, and inquiry, alongside urban explorations that celebrate our local neighborhood and partnerships.
Shannon Pope
shannon@stonybrooklearning.com
Together, we are empowering exceptional education.