Contact Person: Leanne Gambee

Job Location:
The Discovery Center
4102 W. Michigan Ave.
Kalamazoo MI 49006

Job Description:

Assistant Teacher 3-year-old preschool classroom
The Discovery Center
Full-time starting end of August 2026
Hours 8:00 -4:00, M-F

The Discovery Center has been a standard of excellence for childcares in the Kalamazoo area for 50 years! We were voted Best of Kalamazoo 2026, and Best of Michigan 2026.

MISSION STATEMENT
The Discovery Center mission is to provide a nurturing “home base” that gives children the emotional security and creative freedom to explore the world around them with joy and wonder.

PHILOSOPHY
The Discovery Center philosophy is that true discovery only happens when a child feels safe and seen. Our philosophy centers on the “Whole Child”, ensuring that social and emotional stability acts as the launchpad for cognitive and physical exploration. We follow the child’s lead, turning their natural interests into deep learning experiences.

The purpose of this role is to assist and manage a high quality, developmentally appropriate, preschool classroom for our three-year-old learners in alignment with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE). The assistant teacher ensures that a warm, nurturing, safe, inclusive and loving environment is provided to all learners. The assistant teacher ensures that independence is encouraged, individuality is respected, and social and emotional needs are met.
Required Qualifications: Associate’s degree (AA) in early childhood education or child development or the equivalent; or a valid Center-based Preschool CDA credential. You are able to obtain this over a one year period.

Preferred Qualifications:
-Experience working with preschool children
-Familiarity with Creative Curriculum and TS Gold
-Familiarity with CLASS Assessment
-Ability to be self-directed and take initiative when given a variety of tasks and responsibilities
-Familiarity with Active Supervision
-Certification in CPR and First Aid (if not certified we have classes).
-Strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively interact with learners, parents, and co-workers
-Ability to work well with diverse families
-Outgoing, caring personality

Responsibilities:
Work as a team member in providing a quality educational preschool program
Assist in planning, implementing, and monitoring curriculum and assessment
Assist in establishing parent involvement activities. Able to work flexible hours as needed for family involvement activities, including home visits, conferences, open houses, and recruitment events
Assist in all daily operations of the program
Work with individual and small groups of learners
Support children’s emotional and social development, encouraging understanding of others and positive self-concepts
Work collaboratively and communicate with the classroom teacher to implement lesson plans, activities, classroom tasks, and anecdotal notes
Assist teacher with monitoring behavior and supporting the educational process
Observe learners’ performance and record relevant data to assess progress
Collect and document data regarding the learner(s)
Maintain and complete learner records
Provide a welcoming and supportive climate to establish and reinforce acceptable child behavior, attitudes, and social skills
Create an effective and stimulating work environment for learning that meets the standards outlined in the CLASS Assessment
Implement and maintain standards set forth by the “Great Start to Quality” (GSQ) initiative
Know and follow all State of Michigan licensing guidelines
Conduct and evaluate Early Childhood Screener (Ages and Stages) twice a year
Participate in staff and team meetings
Assist learners with personal hygiene practices
Participate in daily debriefs with Lead Teacher
Spend significant time outdoors with children during all seasons, interacting, and guiding them at their physical level. Apply developmentally appropriate practices to all interactions with children, including reflective listening, modeling social/emotional norms, and promoting self-regulation
Observe and record children’s learning using notes, assessments, portfolios, and documentation that illustrates physical, social/emotional, linguistic, and cognitive development. Share professional observations with families with learning stories
Participate in training and ongoing professional development
Set personal and professional goals, seeking opportunities to develop skills in focus areas
Perform other duties as assigned

Closing Date for Job:  09/30/2026