Old First Nursery School in Park Slope, Brooklyn seeks an assistant teacher to begin in September 2024.

Founded in 1959, Old First Nursery School is the oldest parent-run cooperative nursery school in New York City. Old First Nursery School’s mission is to make every child’s first school experience successful and fun, to build a strong, supportive community, and to provide a progressive, play-based education in a warm, nurturing environment.

The assistant teacher will work closely with the head teacher to support the planning and implementation of our emergent curriculum. Old First Nursery School’s assistant teacher is responsible for assisting in the implementation of activities on a daily basis; assisting in the development of monthly lesson plans; helping to create and maintain a classroom culture of health and safety, both physical and emotional; maintaining regular communication with their supervisor, and contributing to the overall effective operation of the classroom.

Old First has a large indoor play space and a large garden with playground equipment. The school uses a play-based, Bank Street approach to education focusing on the whole child, and embraces diversity, including that of family structure. Our school has a total of sixteen students in a combination 3/4 year-old class with one head teacher (who also functions as the director of education) and one assistant teacher. Parents run all non-teaching aspects of the nursery school including hiring, admissions, maintaining the facilities, managing the finances, and booking the field trips and specialists. While we rent our space from Old First Reformed Church, we are not religiously affiliated.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience working with young children, preferably in a school or community-based program and possess a B.A in any field
• Can assist the head teacher to provide a developmentally appropriate, hands-on, play-based curriculum and possesses an eagerness to learn from the head teacher
• Is an energetic, warm, loving, patient, community-oriented teacher who is comfortable working with children and parents in a diverse cooperative classroom setting
• Is skilled at working very closely and collaboratively with others, while respecting confidentiality
• Can commit to school hours from 8:30-3:30 Monday through Friday, plus some additional prep time before or after school. We closely follow the DOE schedule with summers off

We offer:

• Enthusiastic parent support and a well-established school with a strong cooperative community
• A large, beautiful facility in a great Brooklyn neighborhood
• An all-inclusive environment which values diversity and each individual in our community
• We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds
• Applications accepted through April 15 or until position is filled
• Salary is commensurate with experience. Health benefits and IRA match program provided, as well as paid sick days and weekly vacations (in accordance with the school calendar)

Required Expectations including but not limited to:

• Ensure the safety and well-being of each child by responding to their emotional, social, physical, and educational needs
• Utilize developmentally appropriate practices
• Acquire knowledge of the progressive philosophy
• Be warm and nurturing with children
• Be a positive role model for children
• Enjoy working with children and demonstrate that through actions and words
• Demonstrate respect for children, families, head teacher, and any other staff in school & church building

Responsibilities including but not limited to:

• Understand and apply mission statement
• Engage children in activities and play that stimulates their development
• Appropriately supervise children while keeping them emotionally and physically safe at all times
• Assist children with activities of daily life (e.g., restroom use, feeding, dressing) with care and patience
• Recognize that children develop on a continuum and that the teacher scaffolds support
• Help facilitate daily activities that are developmentally appropriate for preschoolers
• Create and maintain an environment that is clean, organized, and safe for all children
• Assist the head teacher in implementing curriculum and planning daily activities that are developmentally appropriate
• Communicate with the head teacher regarding all aspects of the children’s care as well as classroom management
• Maintain a professional self-image and project the values of the school at all times
• Prepare the classroom for lessons
• Simple daily house cleaning duties
• Clear away materials and equipment after lessons
• Help children who need extra support to complete tasks
• Support head teacher in managing class behavior
• Attend to children who are upset or have had accidents
• Participate fully in the life of the classroom
• Bring up questions or concerns as they arise at the end of each day
• Restrict personal cell phone use to quick and urgent matters
• Meet weekly to problem solve and plan with head teacher
• Meet monthly with head teacher and teacher liaison to share concerns, feedback, and updates
• Meet with parent teacher liaison periodically, as needed, throughout the year
• Meet 3 times a year with head teacher to receive and discuss feedback on expectations, responsibilities and skill development

Skills Must possess personal attributes needed to develop trusting relationships with children and adults, including and not limited to:

• Respect for children’s ideas, feelings, abilities, and differences
• Ability to express genuine warmth and concern for children, and to understand their developmental needs
• Ability to work cooperatively with other staff members, to accept supervision, and to help promote a positive environment
• Ability to be friendly, inviting, self-motivated, even-tempered, and adaptable
• Ability to build good working relationships with both pupils and adults
• Flexibility and creativity
• Ability to accept changes in schedules and environment
• Ability to manage class and deal with challenging behavior
• Patience and a sense of humor
• Insights into and tolerance for the range of age-appropriate behavior
• Ability to move and react quickly and to handle emergencies effectively and calmly
• Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to work and communicate effectively and collaboratively with a diverse population

SALARY $37,000 - $43,000

TO APPLY: Send applications to president@oldfirstnurseryschool.org

Application package should include: a letter of introduction, resume, sample age appropriate project or unit of study, and two professional references with contact information.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $37,000.00 - $43,000.00 per year

Ability to Commute:

• Brooklyn, NY 11215 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Brooklyn, NY 11215: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person