Floater Teacher

Floater Teacher

The Midwest Playhouse

Position Overview

The Midwest Playhouse is seeking a dependable, energetic, and nurturing Floater Teacher to support our classrooms and teaching teams. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys working with children of different ages and is comfortable stepping into different classrooms based on the needs of the day.

Our Floater Teacher plays an important role in keeping our classrooms running smoothly by assisting teachers, maintaining required ratios, covering breaks and absences, and providing children with consistent, loving care.

Schedule

25–40 hours per week, depending on staffing and program needs.

Hours and classroom assignments may vary based on enrollment, staff schedules, call-offs, and daily operational needs. Flexibility is an important part of this position.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide safe, nurturing, attentive care to children throughout the day
• Float between classrooms and programs as assigned
• Assist Lead Teachers with daily classroom routines and activities
• Cover teacher breaks, lunches, meetings, and absences
• Help maintain required child-to-teacher ratios
• Engage children in age-appropriate play, learning experiences, music, movement, sensory activities, art, outdoor play, and classroom centers
• Assist with meals, snacks, bottles, diapering, toileting, naps, and other care routines as appropriate for the classroom
• Actively supervise children at all times
• Use positive guidance, gentle voices, patience, and developmentally appropriate redirection
• Help maintain clean, organized, welcoming classrooms
• Complete assigned cleaning and sanitizing responsibilities
• Assist with opening and closing duties when scheduled
• Communicate professionally and respectfully with families, coworkers, and leadership
• Follow classroom schedules and routines established by Lead Teachers
• Complete required documentation and daily updates through Playground
• Follow all The Midwest Playhouse policies and Missouri childcare licensing requirements

What We're Looking For

The ideal Floater Teacher is:

• Dependable and punctual
• Flexible and willing to help wherever needed
• Comfortable working with multiple age groups
• Patient, kind, and nurturing
• Energetic and actively engaged with children
• Able to take direction from Lead Teachers and leadership
• A strong team player with a positive attitude
• Professional in communication, appearance, and conduct
• Comfortable working in a Christian, faith-based environment
• Willing to model the values and culture of The Midwest Playhouse

Physical Requirements

Candidates must be able to perform the physical responsibilities associated with caring for young children, including sitting on the floor, bending, kneeling, standing for extended periods, participating in indoor and outdoor activities, and safely lifting or assisting children as needed.

Required Licensing & Training

Before beginning work or within the timeframe required by Missouri licensing and The Midwest Playhouse, employees must complete or provide all required documentation and training, including:

• FCSR Letter
• Fingerprinting Letter
• Safe Sleep Training
• Child Care Orientation
• Physical Examination
• TB Screening
• In-Person CPR & First Aid Certification

Why Work for The Midwest Playhouse?

The Midwest Playhouse is more than childcare. We are a growing, Christ-centered early childhood program focused on creating a safe, loving environment where faith, learning, and play come together every day.

Our teachers are encouraged to build meaningful relationships with children, bring creativity into the classroom, and become part of a supportive team that genuinely cares about the quality of children's early experiences.

We believe children learn best through relationships, hands-on experiences, purposeful play, and teachers who make them feel loved, safe, and capable.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide a safe, Christ-centered learning environment where every child is loved, encouraged, and inspired to grow through faith, learning, and play.

The Midwest Playhouse is a Christian, Missouri state-licensed early childhood program serving infants through Kindergarten Prep in nurturing, relationship-focused learning environments.

What began as a small in-home childcare program has grown into a community of loving in-home classrooms and our Lake St. Louis Learning Center—all built around one purpose: creating a place where children feel safe, loved, known, and excited to learn.

Our approach goes beyond traditional childcare. We believe the early years should be filled with meaningful relationships, purposeful play, creativity, exploration, and opportunities for children to grow in their faith and character. Our programs incorporate hands-on curriculum, Bible lessons, music and movement, sensory experiences, process art, STEM, Spanish, outdoor play, and developmentally appropriate learning experiences.

Just as importantly, we're intentional about the team we build. We look for educators who are kind, dependable, positive, professional, and genuinely passionate about children. We value teamwork, initiative, gentle guidance, open communication, and teachers who want to continue learning and growing in the early childhood field.

At The Midwest Playhouse, you're not simply coming to work to supervise children. You're joining a growing team with opportunities to learn, lead, create, and make a meaningful impact during some of the most important years of a child's life.

Where faith, learning, and play come together every day.