Early Childhood Teacher

Job Details

• Job Location:
  
  Omaha Zoo - Omaha, NE 68107
• Position Type:
  Full Time
• Job Category:
  Education
• Job Title:
  
  Early Childhood Teacher
• FLSA Status:
  Non-exempt
• Classification:
  Full-time
• Hours:
  
  Monday – Friday (year-round; some weekends, evenings, or holidays may be required)
• Pay Rate:
  Range starts at $18.62/hour

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium is seeking an enthusiastic, reflective, and collaborative Early Childhood Teacher to support the development and implementation of Little Lions Preschool, a nature- and inquiry-based early childhood program inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach. The Early Childhood Teacher will help create an inclusive, nurturing, safe, and engaging learning community for children and families while advancing the mission, vision, and educational goals of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium and the Wildlife Safari Park.

The Early Childhood Teacher implements meaningful, developmentally appropriate learning experiences that encourage young children to explore, investigate, question, collaborate, communicate, create, and develop a sense of wonder about the natural world. This role reports to the Manager – Schools.

• Plan, implement, facilitate, document, and evaluate developmentally appropriate learning experiences for preschool-aged children in accordance with Nebraska DHHS licensing requirements and current early childhood best practices.
• Implement Little Lions Preschool's Reggio Emilia-inspired philosophy, including an image of the child as capable, competent, curious, and an active participant in learning.
• Integrate the Zoo, nature, animals, conservation, ecology, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, literacy, the arts, movement, and social-emotional learning into meaningful preschool experiences.
• Design learning experiences that are responsive to children's developmental levels, strengths, interests, abilities, cultures, languages, and family backgrounds.
• Support children's development across physical, cognitive, language and communication, social-emotional, and creative domains.
• Prepare and maintain daily routines, lesson plans, classroom materials, learning environments, attendance records, and food-program documentation.
• Use positive, responsive guidance and relationship-based practices to support children's self-regulation, independence, problem solving, and social competence.
• Maintain a learning environment that reflects children's work, thinking, questions, theories, and investigations.
• Provides instructional support in Formal Education programming as needed to ensure program continuity.

• Maintain accurate and confidential records in accordance with program policies and applicable regulations.
• Use observations to understand individual development, interests, strengths, relationships, and learning.
• Use observation and assessment information to inform curriculum planning, classroom environment, and teaching strategies.
• Lead parent-teacher conferences and communicate appropriately regarding children’s development and learning.
• Follow program procedures for developmental screening, referrals, and communication with families and support teams when concerns arise.

• Provide active supervision of children at all times and maintain a safe, clean, inclusive, and engaging learning environment.
• Follow all applicable Nebraska DHHS Child Care Licensing requirements, Zoo policies, health and safety procedures, emergency procedures, and program policies.
• Maintain current CPR and First Aid certification as required by the program and applicable licensing standards.
• Maintain required staff-to-child ratios and follow…