Lead Teacher - Early Childhood Educator

The Acorn School LEAD TEACHER will implement Whole Child, play pedagogy by designing and delivering an emergent curriculum and nature education to ensure children are well resourced with a developmentally appropriate classroom that promotes exploration, discovery, learning, health, safety, and joy in relationship with kind and caring adults. 

Reporting directly to the Acorn School site director, the LEAD TEACHER demonstrates:

• Expertise caring for young children ages 0-5 years

• Expertise teaching in a licensed childcare center

• Respectful communication: assumes best intentions, responsive listening, problem-solving, initiates crucial conversations

• Strong understanding that children’s learning and development occurs in the context of meaningful relationships, builds on children’s strengths, incorporates multiple approaches to learning, and respects the cultural and linguistic experiences of the children.

About the Work Unit:

Vanderbilt Child & Family Center (VCFC) provides support and resources to the community of Vanderbilt families across the spectrum of life from new parent support to early childhood education, family life resources, and elder care. VCFC values and upholds the university’s commitment to the education of the whole person and the cultivation of lifelong learning.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

• Attentive to health and safety policies, to include: hand-washing practices, cleaning rotation, sanitization of toys and surfaces, incident reports, and Well Child strategies.

• Supports children’s feelings, perceptions, behaviors, and interactions, and seeks to understand them utilizing as resource and guide: The Acorn School Philosophy of Discipline and the Pyramid tools for children’s social emotional development.

• Values play as essential to young children’s cognitive, physical and social-emotional development, and support the cultivation of self-care and personal safety skills and judgment in children.

• Values the inclusion of families as active participants in learning about children’s strengths and needs, and developmentally appropriate expectations for their health, safety, and nutrition routines, by engaging proactively in various strategies for professional verbal and written communication, including through the Brightwheel app, a monthly email newsletter, and Fall/Spring parent-teacher conferences. 

Supervisory Relationships:

This position does not have supervisory responsibility; this position reports administratively and functionally to The Acorn School SITE DIRECTOR (Management M2).

Education and Certifications

• CDA or AA/AS in Child Development (or related field) is required

• BA/BS or master’s degree is strongly preferred

• Possession of or ability to become Infant-Child First Aid/CPR certified is required

• Nature Based Teacher certification is preferred

Experience and Skills:

• Two or more years teaching children ages 0-5 years in a licensed childcare center is required.

• Ability to pass a Child Care Background Investigation (per State of TN DOE/DHS licensing and Vanderbilt Protection of Minors) is required.

• Ability to meet State of TN childcare licensing requirements for this position (includingmust have a documented physical exam on file within 10 calendar days of employment confirming they are physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of caring for children) is required.

• Ability to lift and carry 30 pounds is required.

• Ability to reach, run, sit, squat, stoop, and walk is required.

• Knowledge of blood-borne pathogens, and ability to implement safety procedures (including for diapering/toileting, nutrition, First Aid) is required.

• Knowledge of Brightwheel is preferred.

• Knowledge of Pyramid tools for social emotional development is preferred.