Windy Hill School - Extended Day Teacher

Extended Day Team Teacher

Windy Hill School at Colby-Sawyer college is a living learning community where children ages 13 months–5 years are seen as capable, curious, and creative — co-constructors of knowledge and meaning. Rooted in the Reggio Emilia approach and nourished by the natural world, our program immerses children in open-ended, nature-rich experiences that honor the hundred languages of children.

As a college laboratory school, we are simultaneously a place of practice, mentorship, and ongoing inquiry. Team Teachers work alongside college students and faculty in a reflective, collaborative environment that benefits both children and the next generation of early childhood professionals.

Role Overview

The Extended Day Team Teacher is a hands-on, collaborative member of the classroom teaching team. You will help co-construct the learning environment, document children’s thinking and play, facilitate small-group outdoor exploration, and nurture a warm, responsive community grounded in respectful relationships.

This role is ideal for someone who finds wonder in the small things — a caterpillar on a leaf, a puddle after rain, a child’s theory about shadows — and who understands that the teacher’s role is to listen deeply, provoke thinking, and follow the child’s lead.

Environment & Curriculum

• Co-design indoor and outdoor learning environments that invite inquiry, sensory exploration, and connection with nature
• Contribute to emergent, project-based curriculum grounded in children’s interests and the Reggio philosophy

Child Observation & Documentation

• Observe and document children’s play, language, and theories through photos, anecdotal notes, and video
• Contribute to learning stories, pedagogical panels, and journey books that make children’s thinking visible
• Participate in bi-weekly team documentation review and reflective dialogue

Relationship & Community

• Build warm, trusting relationships with children, families, and colleagues
• Support daily routines — arrival, mealtimes, rest, outdoor time — with intentionality and care
• Communicate respectfully with families through informal daily exchanges

School Year Part Time Position as Extended Day Toddler Teacher: Hours 12:00-5:30, M-F.

Full time, 40 hours per week M-F as a team teacher in our 9-week summer program.

Other Responsibilities include participating in staff meetings, professional development, and reflection as an engaged member of the Windy Hill teaching team.

• Must meet state licensing requirements for early childhood staff (background check, health clearances, first aid CPR certification)
• Demonstrated commitment to responsive and equitable early childhood practice
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills — warm, professional, and clear
• Comfort in learning new technology systems
• Associate's degree or higher in Early Childhood Education or a related field (Bachelor's preferred)

Preferred:

• Minimum 2 years of experience in an early childhood setting, ideally in a lab school, Reggio-inspired, or nature-based program
• Familiarity with Pyramid Model Practices
• Background in nature-based education, forest school, or outdoor learning environments
• Familiarity with Reggio Emilia philosophy, documentation practices, and emergent curriculum