Assistant TeacherAt — Garden of Glory

The Assistant Teacher supports the Lead and Co-Teachers in daily classroom activities, helping provide a joyful, nurturing, and safe environment for children to learn and thrive.

Tasks:

Designing and leading small-group instructional activities under supervision, including literacy, early math, social-emotional learning, and Bible-based instruction.

Observing, documenting, and analyzing children’s developmental progress using structured assessment tools and anecdotal records.

Supporting classroom management through the application of positive behavior guidance strategies consistent with best practices and the program’s faith-based philosophy.

Collaborating with lead teachers to adapt curriculum and instruction to meet diverse developmental needs.

Preparing instructional materials and learning centers aligned with curricular goals and child development standards.
Communicating professionally with families through supervised written communication, newsletters, or conference preparation.

Reflecting on instructional practices through written reflections and mentor discussions that connect field experience to academic coursework.

Training:

Initial Orientation: A comprehensive onboarding process introducing the student to the preschool’s mission, faith-based philosophy, policies and procedures, health and safety protocols, licensing requirements, and professional expectations.

Mentorship and Supervision: Weekly scheduled one-on-one meetings with a designated mentor teacher or site supervisor to review progress, provide feedback, discuss observations, and connect practical experiences to academic theory.

Job Shadowing and Gradual Release of Responsibility: Students will begin by observing experienced teachers to understand classroom routines, instructional strategies, behavior guidance approaches, and faith integration practices. Responsibilities will progressively increase to include lesson support, small group facilitation, and supervised instructional leadership.

Instructional Planning and Curriculum Training: Guided instruction on lesson planning, developmentally appropriate practice, faith integration, and assessment methods. Students will review curriculum materials and receive exemplars of lesson plans, observation records, and family communication tools.

Assessment and Reflection: Ongoing formative feedback, structured reflection assignments, and evaluation meetings to assess growth in professional competencies and alignment with internship learning goals.

Learning Outcome:

By the end of the academic internship, the student will be able to design and implement developmentally appropriate instructional activities that integrate faith-based principles with early childhood education best practices.

By the end of the academic internship, the student will be able to apply evidence-based classroom management strategies that foster a positive, inclusive, and spiritually nurturing learning environment.

By the end of the academic internship, the student will be able to assess and document children’s developmental progress using systematic observation and reflect on instructional effectiveness.

By the end of the academic internship, the student will be able to demonstrate professional and ethical conduct in accordance with early childhood education standards and the mission of a faith-based educational institution.

By the end of the academic internship, the student will be able to critically reflect on the integration of faith and pedagogy, articulating a personal teaching philosophy informed by both academic theory and practical experience.