Head Teacher

The New Orleans Jewish Community Center; New York (NY); On-site; USD 32,000 - 39,000; Part time

Job summary

Educational Alliance in New York City is seeking a Head Teacher to join our East Village preschool team. You will co-construct curriculum grounded in children's interests, document learning, and lead planning with the teaching team.

The role focuses on creating nurturing, inquiry-based environments, supporting family partnerships, and maintaining high-quality documentation of children’s progress. Monday–Friday, 8:15am–1:45pm, on-site position.

Qualifications

• MA in Early Childhood/ Elementary Education or NYS certification track.

Responsibilities

• Co-construct curriculum based on children's interests, questions, and development.
• Document, reflect, and plan from observations.
• Lead weekly planning meetings with teaching team.
• Meet the needs of all children.
• Plan and create a classroom environment with inquiry, exploration, learning and respect in mind.
• Nurture children's home languages through books and materials.
• Create a warm and inclusive environment for children and families.
• Organize, clean and maintain the classroom space and materials.
• Create visual evidence of narratives and curriculum.
• Adhere to DOH regulation per Article 47.

Skills

Outlook

Microsoft Office

Zoom

Written communication

Oral communication

Education

MA in Early Childhood/ Elementary Education

New York State N-6 or PreK-6 certification or study plan

Tools

Outlook

Microsoft Office Suite

Zoom

Job description

Head Teacher
Educational Alliance
197 E Broadway
New York, NY 10002

The 14th Street Y is a vibrant Jewish community center located in Downtown Manhattan. Each year, tens of thousands of New Yorkers of all ages, races, and ethnicities come to 14Y as members, visitors, or partners to experience our high quality and varied programs centered around arts and culture, early childhood education, summer camps, fitness and aquatics, Jewish life, and older adult services.

Working within inspired and dynamic teams, our teachers are helping to build a vision for progressive education in the East Village. 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, written learning narratives, anecdotes, panels, and mini-stories; facilitate communication and collaboration between the family and the preschool.

This position will work Monday- Friday from 8:15am - 1:45pm

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Co-construct curriculum based on children's interests, questions, and development
• Document, reflect, and plan from observations
• Lead and participate weekly planning meetings with the teaching team
• Meet the needs of all children
• Plan and create a classroom environment with inquiry, exploration, learning, and respect in mind
• Nurture children's home languages through curated books, materials, and the physical environment
• Create a warm and inclusive environment where children and families feel welcome
• Organizing, clean and maintain physical space and selection of materials in a way that is inviting and accessible to children
• Create visual evidence of the narratives and curriculum occurring in your classroom
• Adhere to DOH regulation per Article 47

Relationships with Teaching Team

• Develop schedules and processes to ensure that work is complete in a timely fashion by teaching team.
• Lead regular documentation, reflection, and planning meetings with teaching team.
• Provide feedback, coaching, and support to Assistant Teachers as necessary.
• Support general areas of need to benefit the entire Preschool, which may include helping other classrooms and Admin.

Interactions with Children

• Speak and listen to children with respect and mindfulness
• Supervise the whole group, while giving individual attention
• Manage classroom procedures including transitions, routines, and small groups
• Engage students in exploration and ongoing project work
• Scaffold children through conflict and problem solving

Relationships with Families

• Build respectful and reciprocal relationships with families
• Communicate consistently with families

Professional Responsibilities

• Document children's learning, development, and progress through mini-stories, written narratives, reflections, and observations. Maintain a documentation portfolio for each child and complete assessment checkpoints throughout the year.
• Maintain collaborative and professional relationships with colleagues
• Mentor Assistant teachers
• Participate in professional development meetings
• Show professionalism including integrity, ethical conduct, and decision making
• The candidate will be reflective, ask questions, be willing to take risks and make mistakes
• Arrive and depart according to daily schedule unless otherwise approved by the Director

Minimum Qualifications:

• MA in Early Childhood/ Elementary Education New York State N-6 or PreK-6 certification or study plan
• Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to craft narrative observations and assessments, mini-stories, and written reflections, and communicate with families and colleagues regularly via email
• Ability to use Outlook, Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom, and other online learning platforms as required
• Minimum 3 years of professional teaching experience in an early childhood setting preferred
• Strong oral communication with children, families, and colleagues

$3169

Agency Information:

A nonprofit beacon of hope for over 130 years, as a historically Jewish organization Educational Alliance believes in the power of communities to lift up people of all ages and turn strangers into neighbors. We offer high-quality, affordable education programs, health services, and diverse cultural enrichment right where New Yorkers live and raise their families. We make the city a brighter, friendlier and more supportive place. Our community centers offer multi-generational programs that push boundaries and break barriers, sharing critical tools to foster relationships and advance the well‑being of people in New York City.

Our pioneering educational programs--like 2Generation Head Start, and courses ranging from art to fitness, career readiness to citizenship--are carefully curated and developed with our city's residents in mind. We offer dozens of options and we never stop innovating to help people of all ages grow, connect, and engage.

Guided by Jewish values, Educational Alliance celebrates the differences and individuality every person brings when they walk through our doors because we know that there is more that connects us than keeps us divided. Today, our reach extends beyond the city as our innovative programs serve as models for other organizations to adopt and implement in their communities. We invite you to join us as we partner with our neighbors, strengthen our city, and pave the way for more generations of New Yorkers to live enriched and fulfilling lives - because you belong here.