Early Childhood Toddler Teacher

THE POSITION

Hawken School is seeking an experienced, thoughtful, and caring educator with a passion for working with toddlers, 18 months to 3 years. The ideal candidate is a dynamic, reflective professional who thrives in a collaborative, team-oriented environment, working alongside thoughtful and dedicated colleagues.

Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong understanding of early childhood development and a commitment to creating joyful, engaging learning experiences grounded in a child-centered approach. They will bring warmth, curiosity, and professionalism to their work, along with a deep respect for the individuality and developmental needs of each child. Equally important is a commitment to building positive, respectful partnerships with families.

While not required, experience with approaches such as Reggio Emilia, Conscious Discipline, and/or Resources for Infant Educarers (R.I.E.) is especially valued. Familiarity with these frameworks aligns with our commitment to supporting social-emotional development, fostering meaningful relationships, and creating responsive learning environments. Candidates who bring experience or interest in these practices will find opportunities to collaborate with colleagues who value thoughtful, reflective teaching within our program.

• Demonstrate professionalism and reflective practice while maintaining a child-centered, relationship-based approach to teaching and caregiving
• Collaborate with a co-teacher to provide relationship-focused care, including sensitive observation and the planning of developmentally-appropriate classroom provocations across all domains of learning as set forth in the Ohio Early Learning Standards
• Communicate respectfully, clearly, and in a timely manner with families, colleagues, support staff, and administrators to foster a collaborative school community
• Provide attentive, respectful caregiving during daily routines including diapering and toileting, meals, rest time, and dressing, using these moments as opportunities for connection, language development, and the fostering of independence
• Serve as an active member of the teaching team, collaborating to develop and implement classroom curriculum while observing, documenting, and reflecting on children’s growth and development
• Cultivate a caring, inclusive, and engaging classroom environment where social-emotional learning and the school’s commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice are central to daily practice
• Prepare classroom materials and maintain a clean, safe, and thoughtfully organized learning environment that supports exploration and independence
• Maintain accurate daily records of children’s care routines and developmental progress
• Participate fully in the professional life of the school through weekly team meetings, faculty meetings, professional development opportunities, and school events
• Prepare for and participate in family-teacher conferences according to the school’s conference cycle (typically three to four times per year), partnering with families to support each child’s development
• Contribute to the broader life of the school by supporting additional responsibilities as assigned by the Director or Head of School, including professional development days, admissions events, and community programs

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field is required
• Experience with R.I.E., Conscious Discipline, or similar social-emotional learning frameworks preferred
• Demonstrated competence in early childhood pedagogy, including curriculum development, inquiry-based learning, and developmentally appropriate practice
• Exceptional understanding of the developmental needs of early childhood learners and toddler development
• Joyful enthusiasm, creativity, flexibility, good humor, and a team spirit necessary for working within a dynamic team serving toddlers individually and in groups
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with demonstrated experience building collaborative relationships with colleagues and families
• Commitment to contributing positively to a collaborative school community…