Assistant Teacher for 2-Year-Old Feeling Friends Classroom

Job Description

Job DescriptionBig feelings. Big discoveries. Big personalities.

Two-year-olds are learning everything, how to use their words, wait for a turn, make a friend, do it themselves, and navigate some very big feelings in very little bodies.

Our Feeling Friends need an experienced Assistant Teacher who loves this wonderfully busy stage of childhood and knows how to bring patience, energy, structure, and a little humor along for the ride.

At Gainesville Empowerment Zone Family Learning Center, we're looking for someone who doesn't just supervise a classroom. We want an educator who gets down on the floor, joins the play, talks with children, notices what needs to be done, and works side-by-side with the Lead Teacher to keep a large, active classroom learning and moving forward.

Your Role

You'll be an active teaching partner throughout the day by helping create a classroom where children feel safe enough to explore, supported as they build independence, and understood as they learn to manage emotions and relationships.

You'll:

• Engage children through play, books, music, movement, conversation, and hands-on learning
  
  
• Support language, social-emotional development, and growing independence
  
  
• Help children navigate big feelings using positive, developmentally appropriate guidance
  
  
• Assist with learning activities, classroom routines, transitions, meals, toileting, and rest time
  
  
• Maintain active supervision and a safe, clean, organized classroom
  
  
• Observe children's development and support classroom documentation
  
  
• Build warm, professional relationships with children and families
  
  
• Work as a true partner with the Lead Teacher- seeing what needs to happen and jumping in
  
  

What You'll Bring

Required

• Experience working in an active 2-year-old classroom in a licensed early childhood setting
  
  
• Florida DCF 40-hour childcare training completed
  
  
• Current required childcare certifications
  
  
• Understanding of toddler development and developmentally appropriate practice
  
  
• Strong teamwork, communication, and reliability
  
  
• The energy and physical ability to be actively involved throughout the day
  
  

Preferred

• CDA, Florida Staff Credential, or related early childhood credential
  
  
• Current CPR and First Aid certification
  
  
• Experience with developmentally appropriate curriculum and child assessment
  
  

Who Thrives with the Feeling Friends?

Someone who knows that "Mine!", "No!", "I do it!", tears, giggles, hugs, and a sudden urgent need for the exact same toy can all happen within five minutes.

You stay calm. You help children find words. You redirect without shaming. You celebrate independence while knowing when a child still needs help.

And when the room gets busy, you don't wait for someone to hand you a task, you look around, see what your teaching partner and children need, and get moving.

Why GEZFLC?

We're building a community where children are known, families are valued, and educators work together to create meaningful early learning experiences.

If you genuinely enjoy two-year-olds and believe their big feelings, growing independence, and endless curiosity make this age more interesting, not more difficult, we'd love to meet you.

Come help our Feeling Friends learn what they're capable of.


We Grow Greatness.