Early Childhood Assistant Teacher

Our mission at Touchstone is to cultivate a joyful learning community committed to creating a more innovative, just, and sustainable world.

Touchstone seeks an assistant teacher to start immediately in our 4 to 5 year old group for the  school year. This individual is a reflective, life-long learner passionate about play-based, place-based, and thematic or project-based learning. This person deeply respects young learners and is committed to progressive education, eco-literacy, emergent and integrated curriculum, and nature-based education. The position is likely to continue in the fall.

Touchstone Community School is a co-educational independent day school that enrolls approximately 75 students, ages 2.9 through 8th grade. It is located in Grafton, MA, with a five-acre island campus in Upton. Touchstone offers a progressive, hands-on environment, where a natural pace of development is respected and play, community, integrated curriculum, and social justice activism are emphasized.

We know that many talented people, particularly those from marginalized communities—including women, trans and non-binary folks, BIPOC, and people with disabilities—may hesitate to apply for a job unless they meet every qualification listed. If this role excites you, we encourage you to apply. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds are valued and celebrated.

Your unique skills and lived experiences will strengthen our team, and we look forward to learning more about what you can bring to this role.

An exemplary Touchstone teacher is one who is:

• Willing to learn and utilize Responsive Classroom and/or Collaborative Problem Solving
• Knowledgeable and appreciative of early childhood developmental needs and dedicated to supporting the individual social and emotional development of four to six year-olds
• CPR and first aid certified, or willing to become certified
• Ready to assist with carrying out messy and emergent learning experiences for children
• Dedicated to collaborating with all colleagues
• Delighted to embrace all weather conditions as an opportunity for learning
• Ready to maintain the physical environment by contributing to housekeeping tasks, keeping materials organized, and ensure the learning area is inviting
• Comfortable being outside for several hours in all weather conditions
• Experience in or understanding of progressive education
• Commitment to anti-bias, anti-racist, and anti-homophobic education
• Knowledgeable and appreciative of the developmental needs of young children and dedicated to supporting students’ individual academic, social, and emotional development

Hours are 8AM to 1:30PM, Monday through Friday.

Touchstone Community School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, disabilities, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, family composition, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its employment.

Grafton, MA

Learning Stage(s):
Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School