Early Childhood Educator

Lead Early Childhood Teacher | 1--2 Year Olds | $31K--$40K What if you could actually know every child in your classroom? At Fireflies Academy, we intentionally keep our classrooms small so teachers can do what great teachers do best: build meaningful relationships, notice the details, teach intentionally, and give each child the attention they deserve. We are looking for a Lead Teacher for our 1--2 year old classroom to join our small, passionate team in Athens, Ohio. Our toddler classroom has a 1:5 teacher-to-child ratio, and our program is built around high-quality teaching, intentional curriculum, strong relationships, and continuous growth. We are looking for someone who: - Genuinely loves working with young children - Brings character, integrity, work ethic, and a sense of purpose to their work - Is dependable, responsible, patient, and teachable - Can create a classroom culture of respect, warmth, curiosity, and learning - Enjoys observing children and using those observations to guide teaching - Can communicate professionally and warmly with families - Is comfortable working as part of a close-knit team - Wants to grow as an educator rather than simply work a childcare job What you'll do - Lead a small cohort of 1--2 year olds - Implement and thoughtfully adapt our curriculum based on children's developmental needs - Plan and facilitate meaningful learning experiences - Observe and document children's growth - Maintain individual student portfolios - Build strong relationships with children and families - Communicate regularly with parents and guardians - Maintain a safe, nurturing, and beautifully organized classroom - Complete classroom and administrative responsibilities accurately and on time - Collaborate with fellow teachers to maintain consistency across the program Why Fireflies? We are intentionally different from a large childcare center. We believe early childhood education should be both deeply relational and genuinely educational. Our teachers work with small group