Nature Preschool Teacher

Introduction:

At Every Child Outdoors (ECO), children spend their days exploring, playing, and learning with nature. We encourage curiosity, build community, and nurture care for one another and the earth. 

Position Details:

• Location: Boston, MA (Roslindale)
• Start Date: September 2026
• Preschool Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
• Schedule: Full-time or part-time (we are open to different scheduling arrangements and welcome conversation with interested candidates. The position description below reflects a full-time role.)
• Compensation: $18–33/hour
• Benefits:  Employees with children enrolled are eligible for tuition remission.  Professional development assistance available.

Responsibilities:

Teaching & Learning:

• Create a welcoming, safe, and joyful learning environment for children ages two through five 
• Trust children’s play as meaningful work, protecting time and space for sustained, child-directed exploration and discovery
• Listen to children’s questions and theories, co-creating a nature-based curriculum that emerges from their curiosity and lived experiences
• Guide children in building a relationship with the land, encouraging a growing awareness of their role within a larger ecological community
• Approach behavior as communication, supporting children in navigating conflict through dialogue, reflection, and problem-solving
• Observe children and gather documentation to inform family communications and progress reports 
• Work alongside children in everyday moments of play and conflict to explore fairness, identity, and belonging, while reflecting on how power and bias shape the classroom community
• Cultivate joy and wonder as central elements of daily life, recognizing that curiosity, laughter, and the arts are essential to a good life
• Engage in reflective practice with colleagues 

Health, Safety & Daily Care:

• Attend to children’s well-being while guiding them to build resilience, risk awareness, and confidence in outdoor environments, including during challenging weather conditions
• Support children with daily care routines, including mealtimes, toileting, and transitions
• Maintain required health and safety supplies and licensing forms 
• Conduct fire drills

Documentation & Family Partnership:

• Engage in documentation as a reflective practice, collaborating with colleagues to make children’s learning visible and to sustain meaningful dialogue with families
• Communicate with families regarding their child’s development and daily experiences 
• Lead parent-teacher conferences twice per year
• Welcome new and visiting families 

Professional Practice & Collaboration:

• Represent ECO with professionalism and integrity
• Respond to communications within one business day
• Supervise Assistant Teachers, Interns, and/or Volunteers
• Make visible the thinking and intentionality behind your work through written and/or video documentation 
• Set professional goals and meet regularly with your supervisor
• Attend staff meetings, professional development, and special events
• Host visiting educators 
• Obtain required EEC credentials, including Family Child Care Certified Assistant qualification 

Qualifications:

• Experience working with young children in nature-based, forest school, Reggio Emilia, Montessori, Waldorf, or other child-centered educational settings
• Excited to work outdoors in all seasons and weather conditions
• Experience working with children with and without disabilities 
• Ability to work collaboratively and engage in reflective practice
• Ability to meet physical demands of outdoor early childhood education, including hiking and carrying supplies 
• Willingness to obtain EEC Family Child Care teaching credential
• Spanish language skills preferred

Additional Information:

• Hiring is rolling. Please apply at your earliest convenience.
• Successful reference and background checks are required. 
• Candidates who add to our diverse community are encouraged to apply.