Early Childhood Teacher

Early Childhood Teacher

Mountain Home is seeking a Early Childhood Teacher (ECT) for its childcare program, Ariya’s Circle. The ECT is responsible for providing direct care to infants and toddlers ages 0-3 that is nurturing, developmentally appropriate, sensitive, and trauma-informed. The ECT meets the physical and emotional needs of infants and toddlers through purposeful interactions and play and maintains an enriching environment that promotes children's all-around development and changing needs. 

The ideal candidate has a passion and talent for helping children and families thrive. They have an ability to connect and empathize with individuals, including diverse and marginalized populations. They remain calm in high-stress situations and encounters and are trustworthy, dependable, relatable, and friendly. They have knowledge of the impacts that trauma has on a young child’s life and believe that quality, evidence-informed child care provides children with the best start in life. The ideal candidate has experience in providing direct care to children aged 0 -3, has a working knowledge of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma-Informed Care, and has received education in early childhood, social work, psychology, counseling, etc.

Who We Are

Mountain Home is a fast-growing Missoula nonprofit whose mission is to provide a safe home and nurturing community where young mothers discover their strengths, and children thrive. Since 2000, we have built an effective, holistic model of care which integrates supportive housing, mental health care,  employment and education support, trauma-informed childcare, and more. We work closely with young families, donors, and community partners to build brighter futures, two generations at a time.

Ariya’s Circle was established in 2021 and advances Mountain Home’s efforts in helping two generations at a time. The program is based on the beliefs that all relationships matter and early relationships matter most; community involvement is key; listening to the experts is essential and the experts in a child’s life include the child themself, their caregivers, as well as early childhood professionals; kids need to feel safe to grow and heal; children communicate and learn in many ways; early learning lays the foundation for the future.

What You’ll Do

The Early Childhood Teacher is responsible for the following:

• Providing nurturing, sensitive, and trauma-informed direct care to young children 0 -3
• Meeting the physical and emotional needs of infants and toddlers
• Facilitating purposeful and developmentally appropriate interactions, activities, and play
• Preparing food and feeding infants and toddlers individually or in groups
• Changing diapers/assisting with using the toilet, and monitoring nap time routines
• Maintaining cleanliness of childcare spaces, equipment, materials, and supplies
• Abiding by state childcare licensing rules and regulations
• Building rapport with parents while maintaining professional boundaries at all times
• Documenting dates, times, and  notes for children as required
• Meeting regularly with the Childcare Director and attending meetings and trainings
• Maintaining reliability and dependability through a commitment to schedule and tasks 
• Performing other appropriate duties as assigned

Who You Are & Keys to Success

To be successful in this job, you will excel in four areas:

Relationship-building: You have enthusiasm for caring for and interacting with children. You empathize with the families we serve, listen closely to understand needs and build authentic connections. You are welcoming and inviting, making children and caregivers feel comfortable and special. You want what is best for each individual child and understand that building individualized relationships with each child and family is critical. 

Excellent communication skills: You speak clearly, relatably, and professionally whether in person, on the phone, or over email. You communicate well with others, including children, caregivers, staff, and community members. You are honest and genuine. You ask for help when you need it and offer help when you see others needing it. 

Time Management: You are known for showing up for work on time and finishing your entire shift. You allocate appropriate periods of time for specific tasks and you prioritize tasks based on deadlines without sacrificing quality. You develop and/or follow routines for consistency, organization, and efficiency. 

Commitment to racial equity and social justice: You recognize the role of gender, race, income, age, and other identities in shaping our client’s needs. You recognize how your own identities show up in the work, and welcome, reflect on and act on feedback with an eye toward continuous learning about justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

What Else You Should Know

Mountain Home is an equal opportunity employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, or disability. We value having staff who come from communities of diverse perspectives and have lived experience. We encourage people of color, indigenous folx, members of the LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities to apply.

The hired individual will work 32 hours/week with an opportunity to increase to 40 if there is need in the future. The 32 hours/week will take place between 8am and 4pm Monday - Friday. This position reports to the Childcare Manager and/or Lead Early Childhood Teacher. This position is based onsite at Mountain Home in Missoula, Montana. This role does not require travel. The starting base wage for this position is $18 hourly. Available benefits include health, vision, dental, employee assistance program (EAP), opportunities for training and professional development and more. 

How to Apply

To be considered for this position, please complete the entire application. Please answer all questions honestly, a response that may seem less than ideal will not necessarily disqualify you from consideration for employment with Mountain Home. 

All offers of employment at Mountain Home are contingent upon clear results of a thorough background check. The following factors will be considered for applicants with a criminal and/or less-than-ideal driving history:

• The nature of the conduct/behavior and its relationship to the position

• The recency of and circumstances surrounding the conduct/behavior

• The age of an individual at the time of the conduct/behavior

• Societal/cultural conditions that may have contributed to the conduct/behavior

• The probability that an individual will continue the conduct/behavior
• The individual’s commitment to rehabilitation and changing the behavior

Salary : $18 - $23