Support Teacher – Infant & Toddler

Position Description Infant Toddler Support Teacher

REPORTS TO- EDUCATION DIRECTOR

POSITION SUMMARY

The Infant Toddler Support Teacher brings warmth, attentiveness, and professional knowledge to the care and development of children from birth through age two. Working in close partnership with the Lead Teacher, this role is both collaborative and independently grounded — requiring a caregiver who is confident in the unique developmental rhythms of infants and toddlers, responsive to each child’s cues, and knowledgeable in best practices aligned with Wisconsin DCF licensing guidelines for group child care centers.

The Infant Toddler Support Teacher supports the educational and spiritual mission of Divine Mercy Academy by nurturing each child’s emerging sense of self, trust, and wonder — in accordance with Montessori philosophy and Catholic values.

• Provide warm, consistent, and attentive physical care including diapering, feeding, soothing, and supporting sleep routines in alignment with each child’s individual schedule
• Respond promptly and sensitively to infant cues — hunger, discomfort, over stimulation, and the need for connection — building secure attachment and trust
• Support toddlers in emerging self-care skills (hand washing, toileting readiness, dressing) with patience, encouragement, and respect for each child’s developmental pace
• Maintain accurate daily records of feeding, diapering, sleep, and notable developmental observations, consistent with DCF documentation requirements

• Observe and document each infant and toddler’s developmental milestones across domains: social-emotional, language, motor, and cognitive
• Use observational records to support individualized caregiving and to inform the Lead Teacher’s planning
• Recognize and gently flag developmental concerns to the Lead Teacher or Education Director in a timely and caring manner
• Apply knowledge of infant-toddler development (birth through 24 months) to daily interactions and environmental decisions

• Maintain a safe, clean, and nurturing prepared environment that meets DCF licensing standards for infant and toddler group care
• Conduct routine safety checks of materials, equipment, and sleep spaces in accordance with licensing requirements (e.g., safe sleep practices, sanitation protocols)
• Support a beautiful and ordered space that invites curiosity and supports the natural movement and exploration of very young children
• Assist with setup, cleanup, and rotation of developmentally appropriate materials that honor the sensory and motor needs of infants and toddlers

• Work in close, respectful partnership with the Lead Teacher to maintain consistent routines and a cohesive caregiving approach
• Communicate openly and regularly with the Lead Teacher regarding individual children’s needs, moods, and daily experiences
• Implement caregiving approaches and classroom procedures as established by the Lead Teacher, while bringing independent professional judgment to moment-to-moment care decisions
• Support the Lead Teacher in maintaining classroom flow so that deep, individualized attention to each child is always possible

• Foster each child’s growing autonomy through patient scaffolding, narration of daily routines, and respect for self-directed exploration
• Use language that is rich, warm, and developmentally attuned — narrating actions, naming emotions, and responding to emerging communication
• Model grace, courtesy, and gentle redirection appropriate to the developmental stage of infants and toddlers
• Support the development of secure attachment…