Lilac City Harvest Farm School Teacher; Part-time (Spokane Valley, WA)
Lilac City Harvest Farm School, a play-based, all-outdoors school located in Spokane Valley, WA is seeking an enthusiastic candidate to join our teaching team. Our program’s philosophy is inspired by the belief that all young children have the innate capacity to wonder, create, and develop their gifts through self-directed play and time in nature.
Start Date: September 1st, 2024 with potential paid training hours during the Summer months.
Hours/Week: Mondays & Wednesdays, 8:30am-1:30 pm from September thru May. Will include additional flexible hours for planning and events. Some evening or weekend hours may be required for training, reflective consultation, and other parent/child/community events throughout the school year.
Salary: Commensurate with education and experience. Starting pay is $18.00/hour.
Description/Responsibilities:
Alongside co-teachers, plan and implement a dynamic early learning program for children ages 3-6 and their families.
Ensure the safety of all children including but not limited to nature play, hiking, climbing trees, or while in close proximity to such things as fire, standing water, streams, and other terrain.
Ensure the daily preparation of our nature classroom, project areas, and meals.
Assume overall responsibility for program tools and equipment, to include safety, use, and year-round maintenance.
Plan, prepare, and co-create seasonal projects.
Implement classroom strategies which are individually focused and age appropriate, with an emphasis on home-to-school collaboration.
Communicate with parents effectively, in person, by phone, or e-mail regarding the program and the progress of their child or children.
Qualifications:
AA degree in early childhood education, elementary education, child development, child psychology, sociology, human services, environmental sciences, or the fine arts. BA preferred.
Experience working with young children ages 0-5 in an early care setting, preschool, or childcare.
Physically capable of performing teaching duties with enthusiasm regardless of the weather (rain, sleet, snow, heat) including the ability to walk distances and over uneven terrain, carry a backpack and supplies, and lift up to 50lbs.
Knowledge and interest in the Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, and Waldkindergarten approaches to early childhood education, with an appreciation for intrinsic/emergent learning philosophies.
Understanding of the benefits of risk taking, movement, and physical development in the early years.
Familiarity with the local flora and fauna, to include poisonous plants and their location, or be willing to seek outside training or self-study.
First Aid/CPR certified within 30 days.
Qualities:
Flexibility, positivity, and curiosity.
Self-starter; commitment to on-going personal and professional development as it relates to the care and nurturing of young children in our community.
Personal warmth, patience, tolerance, empathy, and understanding.
Keen observer of children and families; both individual and group dynamics and processes.
Practiced and enthusiastic collaborator.
Strong creative will and interest in the creative arts.
To apply, please email a resume and letter of interest to Hope Helms @ hope@greenplaynw.org.