Highlands Recreation District·San Mateo, California
The educator is responsible for creating a nurturing environment and implementing an emergent, play-based curriculum inspired by the Reggio-Emilia approach. They must also document child development, maintain classroom safety, and foster positive relationships with families.
Description Job Summary The Educator is responsible for caring for and educating young children aged 3 months to 2 years (infants) or 18 months to 5 years (toddlers/preschoolers).
The educator is responsible for creating a warm, nurturing relationship with each child, designing and maintaining an environment that stimulates curiosity, and using a dynamic “emergent” curriculum grounded in hands-on exploration and play, inspired by the Reggio-Emilia Approach.
The Educator documents each child’s growth and learning to make learning visible for children and families.
The Educator engages in highly reflective teaching practice based on child observation, which informs the planning of learning experiences aligned with their developmental level and the California Foundations for Early Learning and NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice.
Educators are expected to follow the principles of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct.
Essential Functions and Tasks The foundation of the learning environment at the Early Education Center is that relationships are the core of all experiences.
Develop and plan a developmentally appropriate curriculum that reflects children's needs, interests, and developmental stages.
Create and maintain a safe, clean, and organized classroom environment conducive to exploration, creativity, and problem-solving.
Implement and maintain a nutritious snack program that promotes healthy eating habits.
Conduct comprehensive observations of each child to document developmental progress, using this data to guide curriculum and lesson planning.
Provide a balance of child-initiated and teacher-initiated activities, ensuring a mixture of active and quiet learning opportunities throughout the day.
Plan and implement interest-based experiences and curriculum that support cultural diversity and promote physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional growth.
Utilize Reggio-Emilia philosophy and play-based learning to facilitate a rich learning environment.
Foster positive relationships with families, communicating through daily updates and tools such as Brightwheel, and facilitating annual conferences to discuss children's development.
Welcome parent participation and provide resources and support when needed to facilitate understanding of assessment results and child development.
Maintain consistent routines to support transitions and encourage self-help skills and independence in children.
Assist in creating a professional, collaborative, and respectful working environment by participating in team meetings, offering constructive feedback, and engaging in professional development opportunities.
Stay informed about licensing regulations and assist in compliance efforts with the director/assistant director.
Provide training and guidance to aides, substitutes, and volunteers in the classroom, ensuring they understand their role and the classroom expectations.
Regularly assess classroom supplies and materials, ensuring that everything needed for planned activities is available in advance.
Monitor and maintain the health and well-being of children in your care.
Assist with diapering, toilet learning, and hygiene practices for children, ensuring they are supported in developing good hygiene habits and independence in a positive and respectful manner.
Compensation - $26.00 - $34.00 / hour
Required Qualifications Prior experience working with children. High School Diploma or equivalent A minimum of 12 college-level units in Early Childhood Education, this includes the core course required by licensing. Child/Human Growth & Development Child/Family & Community Programs/Curriculum 3 Infant/Toddler college-level units required for Infant/Toddler Teacher Desired Qualifications CPR/First Aid qualified. Mandated Reporter Certification or completed within one month of hire.
Market context
In California, classroom teacher roles often stay competitive because licensed centers look for candidates who can show early childhood classroom leadership, lesson planning, and readiness to meet state compliance steps such as background checks and immunizations. This posting’s requirements and benefits are AI-summarized from the original job description, helping you review the role faster and save research time. If you are considering applying, confirm your 12 ECE units and recent classroom experience before submitting.