Infant & Toddler Teacher (Relationship-centered and RIE-inspired program)
Seedlings Playschool is seeking a warm, grounded Infant Teacher to join our RIE-inspired infant program in Northeast Portland.
At Seedlings, we believe babies deserve respect, trust, and thoughtful care. We see infants as capable, competent people from the very beginning. Our work is rooted in relationship: slowing down, paying attention, and creating an environment where babies can explore, develop, and grow at their own pace.
Seedlings Playschool is deeply committed to Continuity of Care. You will begin with a small cohort of infants ages 3–7 months and remain with the same group of children through age two. This allows teachers to build deep, meaningful relationships with children and families while developing a rich understanding of each child's unique development over time.
At a glance
Pay: $20–$25/hour
Schedule: Full-time — 40 hours/week
Cohort: Infants ages 3–7 months at the beginning of the cohort (children and teachers remain together until age 2)
Location: 5717 NE Sumner St, Portland, OR
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Matching 401(k)
- Paid time off
- Paid holidays
- Planning time
- Paid training and professional development support
Paid Breaks/Closures: Over 30 paid holiday and closure days per year
The role
You'll spend your days:
- Providing respectful, relationship-based care through feeding, diapering, sleep routines, and other caregiving moments
- Observing and responding to development through careful observation and attuned interactions
- Creating a nurturing environment that supports movement, exploration, and independent play
- Protecting uninterrupted play and trusting children to learn through self-directed activity
- Building partnerships with families through thoughtful communication about children's experiences and development
- Engaging in reflective practice through ongoing training, professional development, and collaboration
What it's like to work here
At Seedlings, we offer:
- Excellent ratios and a supportive, collaborative team
- A relationship-centered approach that values slowing down and being present
- Paid training, planning time, and professional development support
- Competitive pay with opportunities for growth
- Matching 401(k)
- Healthcare benefits for full-time employees
- Over 30 paid holiday and closure days each year
Who we're hoping to meet
We're looking for a teacher who:
- Sees infants as capable, competent people
- Values connection, observation, and respectful care
- Finds joy in building deep relationships with children and families
- Is patient, grounded, reflective, and collaborative
- Enjoys observing children's development and thoughtfully supporting emerging skills and interests
- Wants to grow with a small team and contribute to an environment built on trust and respect
Requirements
- Experience working with infants and young children
- Alignment with RIE, respectful caregiving, relationship-based care, or other child-centered approaches
- CPR/First Aid certification (or willingness to obtain)
- Ability to complete Oregon's Central Background Registry process
- Completion of required Oregon child care safety trainings (or willingness to obtain)
If you're newer to RIE specifically but deeply aligned with respectful, relationship-based care, we still encourage you to apply.
We can't wait to meet you.
Pay: $20.00 - $25.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
Application Question(s):
- Please describe your experience with or understanding of the RIE Educaring approach, and why you would like to work in a program that embraces this approach. (If you're unsure what RIE is, look up RIE Educaring, Respectful Care, Janet Lansbury, Lisa Sunbury, or Magda Gerber)
- A 10-month-old has been crying on and off for about 20 minutes. They've been fed, changed, and don't seem sick. Another child wants you to come play with them. What would you do?
- What do you think fostering independence looks like in an infant classroom? Can you give some examples?
- Tell me about a time you completely changed your mind about something related to working with young children. What caused you to change your thinking?
Work Location: In person
