Lead Infant/Toddler Teacher

For Your Child Preschool (FYC) is a nurturing, play-based early childhood education center dedicated to providing a safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate learning environment. We believe children learn best through exploration, meaningful relationships, hands-on experiences, and responsive caregiving. We are seeking a dedicated, energetic, and compassionate Full-Time Infant/Toddler Teacher who is passionate about early childhood education and committed to supporting the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development of young children.

The ideal candidate is patient, dependable, collaborative, and enthusiastic about creating meaningful learning experiences for infants and toddlers.

Key Responsibilities

Child Development & Education

• Plan and implement age-appropriate, play-based activities that support developmental milestones.
• Create engaging, hands-on learning opportunities through sensory exploration, music, movement, art, and interactive play.
• Observe and document children's developmental progress, interests, and emerging skills.
• Support children's growing independence, communication, problem-solving, and social-emotional development.
• Adapt activities and caregiving approaches to meet each child's individual needs.

Responsive Caregiving & Classroom Management

• Provide warm, attentive, and nurturing care to infants and toddlers.
• Respond promptly and appropriately to children's physical and emotional needs.
• Establish positive relationships that help children feel safe, secure, and valued.
• Maintain consistent daily routines, including feeding, diapering, toileting, napping, and transitions.
• Use positive guidance, redirection, and developmentally appropriate behavior management strategies.
• Encourage positive interactions among children while modeling kindness, patience, and respect.

Health, Safety & Classroom Environment

• Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and welcoming classroom.
• Follow all Illinois DCFS licensing requirements and FYC health and safety policies.
• Supervise children actively and attentively at all times.
• Follow proper sanitation, diapering, feeding, and safe sleep procedures.
• Ensure classroom materials are developmentally appropriate, accessible, and properly maintained.
• Recognize and promptly communicate safety concerns or changes in children's health.

Family Communication

• Build positive, professional relationships with children and their families.
• Communicate regularly regarding daily routines, developmental milestones, and classroom experiences.
• Provide timely and accurate daily updates through FYC's communication platform, Tadpoles.
• Maintain confidentiality and communicate family concerns appropriately to administration.

Teamwork & Professionalism

• Collaborate with co-teachers, support staff, and administration to maintain a positive classroom environment.
• Participate in classroom planning, staff meetings, professional development, and required training.
• Demonstrate reliability, punctuality, flexibility, and a strong work ethic.
• Accept constructive feedback and demonstrate a willingness to grow professionally.
• Contribute to a supportive and respectful workplace culture.

Qualifications

Required:

• Experience working with infants and/or toddlers in a licensed childcare or early childhood education setting preferred.
• Genuine passion for working with young children.
• Knowledge of infant and toddler developmental stages and age-appropriate practices.
• Strong communication, organizational, and teamwork skills.
• Ability to meet Illinois DCFS qualifications and background check requirements for the assigned position.
• Ability to safely perform essential caregiving responsibilities, including lifting and carrying children, diapering, feeding, and actively supervising classroom activities, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred:

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or a related field.
• Illinois Gateways to Opportunity credentials.
• Current CPR and First Aid certification.
• Experience implementing play-based curriculum and documenting developmental progress.
• Familiarity with Tadpoles or similar childcare communication systems.

Our mission is to take advantage of the teachable moments that happen every day by fostering the intellectual, creative, social, emotional, and physical growth and development of our students and to inspire a lifelong commitment to learning. A caring, cooperative school environment promotes cultural values and supports positive relationships and respectful interaction. We will provide an environment that allows children to learn by doing and moving from concrete, hands-on experiences to more abstract concept development. Our priority is to provide a healthy balance of child-directed and teacher-guided activities, as well as time for children to work individually, in small groups and in large groups. We believe that a stable, safe, healthy, comfortable, and culturally relevant environment is crucial to a child's growth. A play-based approach provides a child-centered curriculum directed by teachers in which children are encouraged to construct their own knowledge. We believe that our program reflects the needs and goals of children and families. We look forward to working closely with families which will provide an integrated, comprehensive approach to learning.