Part Time Pre-K Teacher | Forest Fairy

Are you a little silly? Do you espouse a personal practice of living in the moment? Can you experience child‑like wonder? Do you want to work outdoors almost ALL of the time? Can you be reliable in your commitment to this work?

We're looking for a part‑time teacher who is willing to work between 9 and 14 hours per week and have at least one on‑call morning per week.

Fairy Forest is a Sanctuary for Childhood. We seek to provide trusted, compassionate care for children ages 3‑6 while scaffolding play experiences which encourage children to climb whichever mountains they want to climb.

Our teachers function as guides who fully integrate into the culture and intersubjective realities of the classroom. We see on‑ramps for new learnings, burgeoning passions and talents and use our resources to the best of our ability to create play laboratories to allow children to dive further into their interests.

For this role we are seeking someone who has experience working with young children, preferably someone who has experience and finds joy in working with 3‑6 year olds. Folks who have experience working in nature‑based settings are also preferred.

Our facility is located in a rural forest in Saco, Maine. Our buildings are domed yurts which allow staff and children to feel fully immersed in nature even when we are indoors. These are specially designed yurts that are engineered to create a safe and comfortable sanctuary for learning while providing all of the necessary tools, learning materials, and comforts of a modern teaching facility.

Childhood and the magic of play have been systemically devalued for most of modern American history as rigid pedagogies took the place of traditional tribe and community‑based childcare. We are unapologetically play based, this means no mandated writing practice, no standardized testing, no adult‑created/adult‑driven tasks or crafting projects that test children’s ability to follow rules and fall‑in‑line at the expense of deep child‑directed learning.

• Be reliable. Children deserve predictability and stability
• Have the well‑practiced ability to connect with their inner child
• Be a little silly
• Be unapologetically queer friendly
• Genuinely enjoy spending time with young children
• Have some sort of background working with children either in childcare, public or private school, online ed, summer camps, aftercare programs, etc. and be able to explain how that experience pertains to this opportunity
• Have confidence in their abilities
• Possess enormous patience and empathy
• Have a solid understanding of their self‑care routine necessary to support this type of work
• Confidently, effectively, and compassionately communicate with parents about their children
• Have the ability to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for families of all stripes
• Love being out in the woods
• Understand that ongoing training of at least 18 hours per year is a state mandated requirement for part‑time early childhood educators
• Have already completed or have the ability to complete Maine Roads to Quality Health and Safety Training and Mandatory Reporter training to employment
• Pass a state criminal background check prior to employment
• Have already completed or be willing to complete pediatric and adult CPR/First Aid course
• Willingness to attend monthly staff meetings
• Be passionate about creating an inclusive environment for families of all shapes, sizes, and configurations

• Have a BA/BS in ECE, Social Services, or a related field
• Or a BA/BS with 12 credits in ECE, Social Services, or a related field, and 3 years…