Lead Teacher

The Learning Experience; Wayne (NJ); On-site; USD 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Childcare discounts

Professional development

Growth opportunities

Curriculum resources

Collaborative leadership

Ownership of classroom

Job summary

The Learning Experience is seeking a Lead Teacher in Early Childhood Education to own and enrich a classroom, guiding a dedicated teaching team while delivering the L.E.A.P. Curriculum.

You will foster a joyful, engaging environment where children feel safe to explore and learn, and you will build strong relationships with families and center leadership. Competitive pay based on experience, health insurance eligibility, PTO, childcare discounts, and ample professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required
• ECE coursework, credentials, or related experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Own your classroom and create a welcoming, organized environment.
• Lead your teaching team and model strong teaching practices.
• Implement the L.E.A.P. Curriculum® through meaningful, developmentally appropriate activities.
• Understand developmental milestones and recognize diverse learner needs.
• Maintain safety, health, and classroom-management best practices.
• Build strong partnerships with families and communicate effectively.
• Collaborate with teachers and leadership to support center activities.
• Pursue ongoing professional development and growth.

Job description

Lead Teacher | Early Childhood Education

You know how to run a classroom. Now come make it yours.

At The Learning Experience, our Lead Teachers are the heart of their classrooms. You're not just following a schedule or supervising play. You're creating an environment where children feel safe enough to explore, confident enough to try, and excited to learn.

We're looking for an experienced early childhood educator who can bring together great teaching, strong classroom management, meaningful relationships, and a whole lot of joy.

As a Lead Teacher, you'll take ownership of your classroom while working alongside a supportive teaching and leadership team. You'll bring our L.E.A.P. Curriculum® to life, guide your classroom team, build relationships with families, and help create the kind of school children are excited to walk into every morning.

Because around here, Happy Happens Here®, and our teachers are a pretty big reason why.

Why You'll Love Working With Us

• Competitive pay based on experience, education, and qualifications
• Health insurance for eligible employees
• Paid time off
• Childcare discounts
• Professional development and training opportunities
• Opportunities for continued growth and advancement
• Established curriculum, classroom materials, and resources
• A collaborative environment with support from center leadership
• The opportunity to truly take ownership of your classroom and make an impact

Compensation: 17.50-21.00

What You'll Do

As a Lead Teacher, you'll create and lead a classroom where learning, play, routines, relationships, and development all work together.

You'll:

• Own your classroom. Create a welcoming, organized, engaging environment and take responsibility for the overall success of your classroom.
• Bring learning to life. Implement our proprietary L.E.A.P. Curriculum® through meaningful, developmentally appropriate experiences tailored to the children in your care.
• Lead your teaching team. Communicate expectations, collaborate with classroom partners, model strong teaching practices, and help create consistency throughout the day.
• Know your children. Understand developmental milestones while recognizing that every child develops, communicates, and learns differently.
• Create a safe environment. Maintain active supervision and strong health, safety, sanitation, and classroom-management practices throughout the day.
• Build strong family partnerships. Communicate professionally and warmly with families through our mobile app and face-to-face conversations about their child's day, development, accomplishments, and needs.
• Handle the hard moments, too. Approach challenging behaviors, transitions, big emotions, and classroom conflicts with patience, consistency, and developmentally appropriate strategies.
• Be part of the whole school. Collaborate with teachers and leadership to support children, families, center events, enrollment, engagement, and the overall center community.
• Keep growing. Participate in professional development, welcome feedback, share ideas, and continue strengthening your skills as an early childhood educator.

We're Looking for a Teacher Who...

Loves children, of course. But we're also looking for someone who understands that being a Lead Teacher means being a leader.

Our ideal candidate:

• Is at least 18 years old
• Has a High School Diploma or GED
• Meets all applicable state requirements for the position
• Has previous experience working in a childcare or early childhood education setting
• Has demonstrated experience taking ownership of or helping lead a classroom
• Has ECE coursework, credentials, or additional early childhood education experience preferred
• Understands developmentally appropriate practices for young children
• Can create structure while still making the classroom joyful and engaging
• Communicates confidently and professionally with families
• Works collaboratively with coworkers and center leadership
• Is dependable, organized, patient, and consistent
• Is comfortable providing and receiving feedback
• Takes initiative and notices what needs to be done without always needing to be asked
• Meets applicable state and federal health, safety, training, physical, and employment requirements

Teaching Young Children Is Hands-On

Our Lead Teachers aren't watching their classrooms from the sidelines. You'll be on the floor, at the table, outside, singing, reading, teaching, comforting, redirecting, cleaning, communicating, and participating in the day alongside your children and teaching team.

Depending on the age group, essential responsibilities may include:

• Feeding, diapering, toileting, dressing, grooming, and assisting with other daily care needs
• Preparing and facilitating developmentally appropriate classroom activities
• Cleaning and sanitizing classroom materials and spaces
• Actively supervising children by both sight and sound
• Standing and walking for extended periods
• Safely lifting and carrying up to 40 pounds
• Reaching and stretching with hands and arms
• Stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and getting up and down from the floor
• Climbing or balancing when required for job duties
• Using a stool or ladder when necessary
• Participating in outdoor activities throughout the year, with temperatures potentially ranging from approximately 20°F with wind chill to 95°F
• Maintaining the physical and mental alertness necessary for active supervision and classroom leadership

The physical demands described above are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

Reasonable accommodations may be made in accordance with applicable law.

Ready for a Classroom You Can Be Proud Of?

We're looking for someone who doesn't just want a job in childcare. We want an educator who takes pride in their classroom, builds genuine relationships with children and families, supports their teammates, and wants to keep getting better at what they do.

If you're ready to bring your experience, personality, creativity, and leadership into a classroom where your work matters, we'd love to meet you.