Nature – Based Early Childhood Educator

Position Summary

The Nature-Based Early Childhood Educator supports Next Door’s mission to help young children and families build the foundation for a successful future by delivering high-quality, play-based, nature-centered learning experiences for children, their families, and the Next Door team of educators as they guide our children in their learning. This role serves children and educators across both Next Door sites (Capitol Drive and 29th Street) and serves as an instructional model for staff and families, supporting the integration of nature-based learning throughout learning environments—including classrooms, outdoor classrooms, natural play spaces, gardens, hallways, and playful learning landscapes.

The Nature-Based Educator designs, builds, and sustains outdoor learning experiences and environments, both indoors and outdoors, at both sites, as well as modeling nature-based instruction in our community early childhood partner sites, on occasion. Grounded in Head Start School Readiness Goals and Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF), this role fosters children’s curiosity, connection to the natural world, and growth across all developmental domains. In partnership with classroom teams, and program directors the Nature-Based Educator builds staff capacity through modeling, coaching, co-teaching, and collaborative planning to ensure nature-based learning is developmentally appropriate, inclusive for children’s varied learning needs, and aligned with Head Start expectations for high-quality early learning.

Key Responsibilities

1. High-Quality Nature-Based Instruction for Children

• Facilitate engaging, hands-on nature-based learning experiences in outdoor classrooms, natural play spaces, classrooms, and shared learning environments at both the Capitol Drive and 29th Street locations, with our ECE community partners, and in the community, as relevant.
• Design experiences that support Head Start School Readiness Goals, promoting children’s development across cognitive, physical, social-emotional, language, and approaches-to-learning domains.
• Integrate nature-based learning into daily routines and play, ensuring experiences are developmentally appropriate for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
• Support children’s emerging inquiry skills through observation, sensory exploration, questioning, experimentation, and reflection in natural environments.
• Document children’s learning using observation, photos, portfolios, and Next Door assessment tools (e.g., Teaching Strategies GOLD) to inform instruction and share progress with teachers and families.

2. Educator Modeling, Coaching & Support

• Model effective nature-based instructional strategies for teachers in both classroom and outdoor settings across Next Door sites and all programming.
• Occasionally deliver and model nature-based learning experiences in community early childhood partner sites, supporting alignment with Head Start and developmentally appropriate practices.
• Co-plan lessons and co-teach with classroom teams to embed nature-based learning into daily routines, learning centers, project work, and play experiences.
• Provide job-embedded coaching and actionable feedback that strengthens educators’ confidence and competence in outdoor and nature-based instruction.
• Collaborate with instructional coaches and education leadership to design professional development, workshops, and learning communities aligned with Head Start Program Performance Standards.
• Design and facilitate nature-based learning opportunities for on-going and event-based parent and family engagement events.
• Promote reflective practice and continuous improvement aligned with Next Door’s commitment to instructional quality.

3. Curriculum, Outdoor Environment & Materials Development

• Design, build, and maintain outdoor learning environments at the Capitol Drive and 29th Street sites that inspire exploration, inquiry, and play while aligning with our national Educare Network and Head Start learning goals.
• Ensure outdoor and nature-based environments are safe, well-supervised, and meet licensing and Head Start Program Performance Standards.
• Develop and prepare nature-based learning materials and resource kits to support classroom teams across age groups.
• Contribute to the development and alignment of nature-based curriculum tools, activity guides, seasonal planning resources, and project-based learning frameworks that support school readiness outcomes.
• Ensure all environments reflect educationally inclusive programming and practices so children of all learning readiness and abilities can participate.

4. Family & Community Engagement

• Partner with families by sharing strategies for nature-based learning at home, sending home ideas for outdoor exploration, and engaging families through workshops and learning events.
• Serve as a nature-based learning ambassador within the Next Door community, highlighting how early experiences with nature support long-term academic success, health, and well-being.
• Collaborate with community organizations (e.g., parks, nature centers, environmental organizations, gardens, museums) to expand children’s access to high-quality nature-based learning opportunities.
• Serve as the point person for our children’s field trips and instructional programming with partners such as the Urban Ecology Center and Schlitz Audubon Nature Center.
• As this program expands, possibilities exist to work with children from the community on Next Door’s wait list, in local foster care/adoptive/kinship circumstances, those experiencing homelessness, or other community needs that align with Next Door’s mission of ensuring all children have access to exceptional educational opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow.

5. Program Quality & Data-Informed Practice

• Use child outcome data, observations, and assessment results to refine nature-based instruction and ensure alignment with Head Start School Readiness Goals.
• Support program monitoring and evaluation efforts related to instructional quality, outdoor learning environments, and educator implementation.
• Participate in cross-departmental collaboration to support program-wide initiatives, including Educare nature-based play, playful learning landscapes, literacy integration, environmental stewardship, and family partnership goals.

Qualifications

Required

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or a closely related field.

• The incumbent must have access to a personal vehicle to use on a daily basis, maintain a valid driver’s license and automobile insurance with liability limits of $300,000 (bodily injury) and $25,000 (property damage for each occurrence).
• Experience teaching children ages 0–5 in a high-quality early childhood or Head Start setting.
• Strong understanding of developmentally appropriate practice, play-based learning, and experiential instruction aligned with Head Start expectations.
• Demonstrated passion for nature-based education and ability to engage young children in outdoor and environmental learning.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills; ability to build trusting, supportive relationships with educators, families, and community partners.
• Commitment to Next Door’s values of inclusive learning opportunities for all students’ needs and abilities and whole-child development.

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree or advanced training in nature-based early childhood education, environmental education, or outdoor education.
• Experience in educator coaching, modeling, or professional development.
• Familiarity with Creative Curriculum, Teaching Strategies GOLD, Head Start Program Performance Standards, and the national Educare Network.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills.

Core Competencies Aligned with Next Door’s Mission

• Child-Centered Practice: Supports school readiness through joyful, play-based learning experiences in natural environments.
• Cultural Awareness: Designs outdoor learning experiences and opportunities that honor children’s cultural knowledge, experiences, and communities.
• Collaborative Leadership: Builds educator capacity through modeling, coaching, and reflective dialogue across multiple sites.
• Innovation & Creativity: Develops engaging outdoor learning environments and experiences that evolve with children’s interests and seasonal changes.
• Family Partnership: Strengthens home–school connections and empowers families as partners in children’s learning.
• Continuous Learning: Engages in ongoing professional growth and contributes to a culture of quality improvement across Next Door.