Early Childhood Lead Teacher

Western New Mexico University; Silver City (NM); On-site; USD 33,600 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Western New Mexico University in Silver City, on campus, seeks an Early Childhood Education program specialist to implement and evaluate developmentally appropriate curricula. The role focuses on aligning instruction with national accreditation standards and supporting practicum students.

The position requires 64 credit hours toward a BA in ECE or an equivalent degree, with experience working with young children and preferred bilingual Spanish abilities.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 64 credit hours toward a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education.
• Must have an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education or related field and experience with young children.
• Bilingual (Spanish) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develops and evaluates child-centered, age-appropriate curriculum aligned with accreditation requirements.
• Prepares weekly lesson plans and provides daily age-appropriate activities and small-group sessions.
• Plans and implements outdoor activities; supervises playground and ensures safety.
• Communicates with families, participates in parent conferences, and fosters community relationships.
• Administers assessments to measure development and individualize instruction.
• Supervises practicum/internship students and coordinates with faculty and staff.
• Adheres to the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

First Aid/CPR

Spanish bilingual

Communication

Classroom management

Education

64 credit hours toward BA in ECE

Associate/Bachelor/Master in ECE or related field

Job description

Implements instructional and developmentally appropriate programs for young children within the Early Childhood Programs in compliance with established state and national accreditation and licensing standards.

Responsibilities

• Develops, implements, and evaluates child centered and age appropriate curriculum to ensure adherence to national accreditation requirements.
• Prepares weekly lesson plans in accordance with established curriculum goals and objectives. Provides daily age appropriate educational activities for students from lesson plan. Provides small group interactive sessions to ensure understanding of concepts, lesson and/or activities.
• Plans and implements special events and classroom activities in support of emergent curriculum. Supervises classroom activities of students for understanding of specific lesson objectives and educational exercise.
• Assigns classroom activities to assistants to facilitate overall classroom management and delivery of instruction. Works closely with other teaching staff to coordinate and plan interclass projects and activities.
• Supervises all playground student activities and behavior to ensure appropriate safety and interaction skills. Plans and implements outdoor curricular activities with the children, extending the learning environment from indoors to outdoors.
• Works closely with families to discuss student progress, concerns, needs. Participates in regular parent conferences and pre‑semester orientations. Works to maintain strong, positive relationships with children, families, colleagues, and the community.
• Continually seeks creative ways to inspire, foster and support parental involvement, utilizing the uniqueness of each child and family to introduce cultural diversity into the curriculum and classroom.
• Administers assessments to children to measure social and emotional risks and resiliency. Utilizes assessment tools and observational skills to identify developmental needs of each child and devises learning plans to individualize instruction.
• Adheres to the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment.
• Coordinates the activities of the early childhood education practicum and internship students to deepen their understanding of early care and education best practices through hands‑on learning in the classroom setting and completes the required laboratory student assessment reports. Meets with early childhood education faculty and co‑teaching staff to evaluate internship and practicum students.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education & Qualifications

Minimum of 64 credit hours completed successfully towards a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or must have an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education or related field and experience with young children. Bilingual (Spanish) preferred.

Job Knowledge & Skills

Knowledge of age appropriate activities, interests and behaviors. Knowledge of proper handling procedures for food. Knowledge of the principles and practices for emergent curriculum development specific to early childhood education. Ability to implement the vision, mission, philosophy of the Early Childhood Programs. Knowledge of curriculums and principles, practices and techniques for development of lesson plans specific to early childhood education. Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with young children, staff and parents. Skill in working effectively in an environment subject to noise, frequent exposure to contagious diseases, interruptions and quickly changing priorities. Skill in quickly responding to dynamic situations utilizing effective communication and appropriate intervention methods to maintain classroom management. Skill in working with young children to help them complete activities and remain focused on assigned activities. Skill in working on an individual basis with children with special needs. Skills in guiding classroom assistants to ensure appropriate classroom management.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands

Normal classroom environment. May be required to lift, push, and pull office equipment and materials. Must be able to stoop, bend, squat, sit on floor and ambulate over uneven floor surfaces including stairs and steps. Must be able to visually and auditory assess situations to insure health and safety. Work involves moderate exposure to unusual elements, such as extreme temperatures, dirt, dust, fumes, smoke, unpleasant odors, and/or loud noises. Light maintenance such as shoveling, sweeping, mopping, throwing of trash, and others may be needed. May be required to work additional hours or days depending on circumstances.

Other Requirements

Certification in First Aid/ CPR is required.

Location & Salary

Location: Silver City – On Campus

Salary Range: $33,600 - $55,000