Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC)·Prior Lake, Minnesota
The Early Childhood Curriculum Coach provides hands-on, classroom-based support to teachers to enhance developmentally appropriate practices and curriculum implementation. They collaborate with staff to design engaging learning environments and use assessment data to improve instructional planning and child development outcomes.
In this role, you’ll partner closely with educators, working alongside them in learning spaces to share ideas, offer guidance, and support nurturing, play‑driven experiences for infants and toddlers.
Through collaboration, mentoring, and creative problem‑solving, you’ll help strengthen classroom practices, learning environments, and teacher confidence.
If you enjoy supporting educators, building strong connections, and making a meaningful impact on children and the adults who care for them, this is your chance to do just that.
Enjoy weekly pay, on-site clinics, and health benefits.
Whatever your career goals may be, let SMSC help get you there!
The Early Childhood Curriculum Coach (Infants, Toddlers & Twos) provides hands-on, classroom-based coaching and support to teaching staff to strengthen developmentally appropriate practice, deepen implementation of Creative Curriculum, and enhance high-quality learning environments for our youngest learners. This role focuses on building strong relationships with teachers, modeling best practices, and offering practical, creative strategies that support play-based learning, child development, and responsive caregiving. Working in close collaboration with the Early Childhood Curriculum Support & Training Specialist, this position supports classroom layout and environment design, curriculum implementation, professional development, and classroom material needs. A strong understanding of infant and toddler development, Creative Curriculum, and relationship-based approaches (including Conscious Discipline) is essential.
Create Your Path: The Work You’ll Do:
Classroom-Based Coaching & Support
Provide consistent, hands-on coaching in infant, toddler, and two-year-old classrooms.
Model developmentally appropriate teaching strategies, interactions, routines, and learning experiences.
Support teachers in implementing Creative Curriculum with fidelity and flexibility for infants, toddlers, and twos.
Offer real-time feedback, encouragement, and practical strategies to strengthen classroom practice.
Help teachers plan and adapt experiences that keep young children engaged in meaningful play and learning.
Support teachers in capturing authentic documentation during daily routines and play, helping them recognize meaningful learning moments that can be used for Teaching Strategies GOLD observations.
Curriculum & Instructional Support
Collaborate with the Early Childhood Curriculum Support & Training Specialist to support curriculum implementation, classroom goals, and instructional planning.
Assist teachers in understanding child development and using that knowledge to guide daily practice.
Support teachers in documenting children’s learning through Teaching Strategies GOLD, including capturing meaningful observations through photos, videos, and written documentation.
Provide guidance on aligning documentation with GOLD objectives and indicators to ensure accurate and developmentally appropriate assessment.
Help teachers review and analyze GOLD data to identify strengths, growth areas, and emerging skills within the classroom.
Support teaching teams in using assessment data to make informed curriculum decisions, adjust learning experiences, and plan intentional activities that support children’s development and engagement.
Support integration of social-emotional learning and relationship-based practices (including Conscious Discipline strategies when applicable).
Help identify training needs related to curriculum, child development, and teaching practices.
Learning Environment & Classroom Design
Support teachers in creating warm, engaging, developmentally appropriate classroom environments.
Assist with classroom layouts, interest areas, material selection, and environment updates.
Provide creative ideas for using classroom materials to extend play, exploration, and learning.
Help ensure environments reflect best practices for infant and toddler care, safety, and engagement.
Collaboration & Professional Growth
Build trusting, supportive relationships with teaching staff.
Work collaboratively with leadership and support staff to align classroom practices with program goals.
Support a culture of reflection, growth, and continuous improvement.
Participate in planning and delivering curriculum-related training and professional development as needed.
Knowledge of or training in Conscious Discipline.
Experience with classroom environment design and material selection for early childhood settings.
Experience in coaching, instructional support, or curriculum leadership roles.
Enjoy competitive weekly pay, outstanding benefits and advancement opportunities. Generous benefits include medical, dental, life and disability insurance, onsite medical clinics and pharmacy, 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off, wellness programs and more. Plus, take advantage of perks like discounts on childcare, fuel, bus passes and fitness membership, free uniforms, free uniform cleaning and tuition reimbursement.
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community contributes both time and financial resources across the region, state, and country. The SMSC has donated more than $400 million to organizations and causes, provided $500 million in economic development loans to other tribes, and contributed millions more to support regional governments and infrastructure. The SMSC's Native Green initiative annually diverts hundreds of tons of waste from landfills, has implemented compostable containers throughout our properties, and restored hundreds of acres of prairie land. Team members are eligible to participate in SMSC Gives, a community outreach initiative that organizes various opportunities in the local community. To empower its team members to take part in the Dakota tradition of giving, the SMSC provides paid hours to team members to volunteer at events. Learn more at shakopeedakota.org
Market context
In Minnesota, early childhood curriculum coach roles for infants, toddlers, and twos are typically sought by programs focused on developmental quality, teacher support, and curriculum consistency. These positions are competitive because employers often want both infant-toddler expertise and coaching experience, along with familiarity with Creative Curriculum and a collaborative approach to mentoring teachers. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to quickly compare fit, then tailor your application to specific infant-toddler coaching examples and classroom support outcomes.
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