Lead Teacher, Early Childhood

Overview

Big Dreams Child Care is a licensed early childhood education center serving families in southern Brooklyn from our Avenue U location. Our program spans infants through Pre-K, and we are building a teaching team defined by professionalism, consistency, and high expectations for both children and adults.

We are hiring Lead Teachers who are able to effectively lead a classroom and be held to a professional standard. The role carries real responsibility: you set the tone for your room, lead the assistant teachers assigned to it, and serve as a point contact for the families in your care. In return, you will work within a transparent environment, receive direct support from our Educational Director focused on classroom quality, and have a defined path for advancement within the organization.

This position is based exclusively at our Avenue U center.

Job Description

The Lead Teacher is responsible for the safety, development, and daily experience of every child in the assigned classroom; the quality and consistency of the educational program; full compliance with NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Article 47 regulations; the relationship with each enrolled family; and the direction and performance of the Assistant Teachers assigned to the room. This is a non-exempt, full-time position reporting to the Educational Director.

Responsibilities

Classroom leadership and instruction

• Plan and deliver a developmentally appropriate daily program for the assigned age group, aligned to the center's curriculum framework, with structured routines, small-group instruction, and purposeful play
• Establish and maintain classroom routines, transitions, and behavior expectations that create a calm, predictable environment for children
• Differentiate instruction and care to meet the individual needs of each child, including children with developmental or behavioral support needs

Health, safety, and compliance

• Maintain required staff-to-child ratios at all times and manage coverage transitions with the Educational Director
• Complete daily attendance, health checks, incident reports, and all required documentation accurately and on the same day
• Keep the classroom inspection-ready under Article 47 standards, including health, hygiene, allergy, and safe-sleep protocols where applicable
• Serve as a mandated reporter and follow all center policies regarding child protection

Assessment and family engagement

• Conduct ongoing developmental observations and complete periodic assessments for each child as directed
• Communicate with families daily through Brightwheel and in person at drop-off and pick-up
• Respond to family questions and concerns the same day, and escalate to the Educational Director when appropriate
• Represent the center professionally in every family interaction

Team leadership

• Direct the daily work of one to three Assistant Teachers: assign responsibilities, model expectations, and provide real-time feedback
• Contribute to the performance evaluations of assigned Assistant Teachers
• Ensure the classroom operates to standard during your planning time, breaks, and absences by preparing your team accordingly

Professional conduct

• Maintain reliable, punctual attendance in accordance with the center's attendance and call-out policy. Children and colleagues depend on your presence, and this expectation is fundamental to the role.
• Participate in staff meetings, required training hours, and scheduled performance reviews
• Adhere to the employee handbook and all center policies

Qualifications

Required

• NYC Article 47 group teacher qualified: NYS Early Childhood (Birth to Grade 2) certification, or a bachelor's or associate degree in early childhood education or a related field with an approved study plan toward certification
• Minimum of one year of experience as the lead teacher of a classroom in a licensed early childhood program
• Ability to obtain and maintain all NYC DOHMH clearances, including fingerprinting, Statewide Central Register (SCR) clearance, medical clearance and immunizations, CPR and First Aid certification, and mandated reporter training
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English
• Proficiency with classroom management technology (Brightwheel or comparable platform)
• Physical ability to lift up to 40 pounds, sit on the floor, stand for extended periods, and respond quickly to children's needs

Preferred

• Two or more years of lead classroom experience
• NYS Early Childhood certification or a master's degree in early childhood education
• Experience with infant or toddler classrooms
• Bilingual proficiency (Russian, Spanish, Mandarin, or Hebrew)

Performance standards. Lead Teachers are evaluated each September and January. Results determine placement within the pay scale and eligibility for advancement. New hires complete a 90-day introductory period with structured check-ins at 30, 60, and 90 days.

Our standard. We hold Lead Teachers to the highest standard of professionalism in early childhood education, and we are deliberate about who we hire. A Lead Teacher at Big Dreams is a model of our mission and vision, in and out of the classroom: in how you prepare, how you speak to children, how you lead your team, how you present yourself to families, and how reliably you show up. Families entrust us with their children on the strength of the people we put in front of them, and every Lead Teacher is expected to be worthy of that trust every day. We look for teachers who take ownership without being asked, hold themselves accountable before anyone else has to, treat the standard as a source of pride rather than a burden, and raise the level of the people around them. If that describes how you work, you will find a center that backs you, invests in you, and rewards you for it.

Big Dreams Child Care is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.