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Why Work for Wonders Early Learning + Extended Day?

Play isn't just fun, It's fundamental! Children need playtime, it is crucial for healthy development. Children learn about the world by exploring ideas, manipulating objects, investigating creative materials, and problem-solving with others. Using imagination and creativity, children take on new roles and test new concepts. Wonders teachers use observation and planning to create learning experiences that are intentional and provide meaningful context for children to practice skills and express ideas.

Join the Wonders family of caring, dedicated, and fun educators!

About Wonders

Our Mission - To cultivate curiosity, resilience, and social responsibility in children by fostering high-quality, nurturing, and inclusive educational communities led by skilled professionals

Since our inception in 1976, our goal has been to provide non-profit, quality child care to working families. Over the years, we have grown from a single center in the basement of All Saint's Church in Chevy Chase, Maryland to multiple accredited early learning, extended day, and summer camp programs across the DC Metropolitan Region.

Our programs support today's workforce, while growing the workforce of tomorrow.

Benefits & Compensation

Our benefits package includes paid time off, holidays, winter break, medical with HRA, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, critical illness, accident insurance, 403(b) retirement savings plan, Wonders tuition discounts, and professional development training. Benefits eligibility is dependent on job type status.

We provide paid pre-employment background checks, fingerprinting, medical exams, & drug screens as well as paid New Hire Orientation.

Wonders values its educators and leaders and we invest in our workforce by prioritizing compensation and nurturing meaningful careers. Our educators are regularly engaged in efforts towards continuous improvement in their skills and knowledge in the classroom. Approximately 80% of our annual budget is directed to staff compensation.

Job Summary

The Early Learning Teacher plays a dynamic role at Wonders Early Learning + Extended Day in providing quality childcare services in our ECE programs. The Assistant Teacher helps with creating a developmentally appropriate learning environment that stimulates, nurtures and leads children's' social, emotional, physical and academic growth.

The Teacher, as part of a team, helps implement Wonders' policies, procedures and practices in an organized and thorough manner. Teamwork is a critical component of this position. Teachers regularly meet with the team, other staff, and the Program Director to help develop programs that follow the Wonders curriculum and promote the Wonders philosophy and ideals.

The Teacher, along with the Lead Teacher, is responsible for program spaces, and must ensure that the spaces are safe, interesting, engaging, and reflect the diversity of our society. The Teacher participates in planning learning activities that are balanced in all areas and include: active/quiet, long/short, group/individual, cognitive/physical, large group/small group and child initiated/teacher directed. Attention is given to the children's ideas and curiosities in influencing the direction of daily activities.

Essential Functions

• Meet with the team to plan and implement a developmentally appropriate program based on Wonders Early Learning + Extended Day philosophy and mission statement
• Participate in regular meetings with your Program Director, staff and team
• Maintain open communication with the Lead Teacher regarding children, families and team members
• Assist in orienting and training new team members for classroom responsibilities.
• Share teaching responsibilities with all team members
• Plan and participate in special events for children and families
• Ensure that all spaces used by the program are: physically and emotionally safe / interesting and engaging for children / clean and organized
• Reflect and support the lives and work of the children present
• Introduce children to the diversity of our society
• Recognize and demonstrate understanding of typical and atypical development of infant to five-year-old children, help manage atypical or disruptive behaviors of children by collaborating with team
• Communicate with families on a regular basis to: inform them of classroom curriculum and activities and solicit information about their child's development and family events
• Assist Lead Teacher in preparing for conferences with families
• Participate in accreditation and re-accreditation processes for your site
• Maintain children's classroom records as defined by your Program Director
• Attend a minimum of 18 hours of MSDE/OCC approved staff training yearly
• Maintain Pediatric First Aid and CPR certification
• Maintain a clean, sanitary, healthy and a friendly classroom environment following NAEYC guidelines
• Follow NAEYC Ethical Code of Conduct
• Recognize and report signs of illness, child abuse and safety hazard to appropriate authorities
• Help to develop behavior management strategies based on Wonders Early Learning + Extended Day policy in collaboration with team members, Program Director, parents and childcare professionals / therapists across disciplines
• Become familiar with and abide by all Wonders Early Learning + Extended Day policies, including those in the staff handbook, parent handbook and terms of employment
• Other duties or responsibilities as assigned.

Core Competencies

• Creative, nurturing, and fun
• Dependable and detail oriented
• Thrives in a high-pressure environment
• People oriented - enjoys interacting with people and working on group projects
• Adaptable - enjoys doing work that requires frequent shifts in direction
• Innovative - prefers working in unconventional ways or on tasks that require creativity

Qualifications

• Minimum of AA in Early Childhood Education, or 90-hour Preschool Course (if degree is not in ECE), or CDA credential
• 9-hour Communication course (if candidate does not have a college degree or college units)
• Must qualify as Maryland State Senior Staff
• A minimum of 1 year of classroom experience with children
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

EEO Statement

Wonders provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, citizenship, current or future military status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or familial status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

ADA Compliance

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of Wonders to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact Human Resources.

Additional Information

Job Type: Full-time / Exempt

Program Length: School Year 26-27 / 12 months

Work Schedule: 8:00a to 5:00p / 9:00a to 6:00p

Work Location: Bethesda, MD