Position: French-Speaking Preschool & Kindergarten Co-Educator

Location: Ancaster Forest & Nature School (AFNS), Ancaster, Ontario
Age Group: 3.5–6 years
Class Size: Maximum 12 children with 2 educators
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (year-round, including summer)
Start Date: January 2027

Ancaster Forest & Nature School is a small private forest and nature-based school offering an exceptional educational experience for children ages 18 months to 6 years. Situated within approximately 100 acres of Carolinian forest, our program blends meaningful relationships, emergent curriculum, outdoor exploration, and inquiry-based learning.

We are seeking a warm, creative, French-speaking educator who is passionate about early childhood education and helping young children develop an appreciation for the French language through natural, meaningful interactions.

This position offers a unique opportunity to grow alongside a group of children as they transition from preschool into kindergarten.

January–August 2027: You will work as a co-preschool educator, incorporating French naturally into daily routines, play, conversations, storytelling, songs, and outdoor explorations.

September 2027 onward: You will transition with the children into our kindergarten classroom, co-teaching alongside an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) while continuing to foster children's French language development through authentic, everyday experiences.

Our goal is to make French a living part of the children's day—not simply a scheduled lesson, but a language they hear, explore, and begin to use in meaningful contexts.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will:

- Be fluent in French and English, with confidence speaking French throughout the day.
- Enjoy introducing French to young children through natural conversations, play, songs, stories, and shared experiences.
- Be nurturing, relationship-focused, and responsive to children's developmental needs.




- Have a genuine connection to nature and enjoy working outdoors in all seasons.
- Value child-led, play-based, emergent, and inquiry-based learning.
- Demonstrate creativity, initiative, and a collaborative approach to teaching.
- Understand that young children develop language through repeated exposure, meaningful relationships, authentic communication, and opportunities to listen and participate without pressure.

Preferred Qualifications

- Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE), Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT), or equivalent qualification in early childhood or alternative education.
- Minimum two years of experience working with young children.
- Fluency in spoken French and English.
- Experience introducing or supporting French language acquisition in early childhood is an asset.
- Clear Vulnerable Sector Check completed within six months of the start date.
- Valid Standard First Aid and CPR Level C certification.
- Safe Food Handling Certificate.
- Familiarity with How Does Learning Happen?, the ELECT framework, and the Ontario Kindergarten Program.

Key Responsibilities

- Incorporate French naturally into everyday interactions, routines, conversations, and play.
- Support children's developing French comprehension, vocabulary, listening skills, and confidence in communicating.
- Introduce French through songs, storytelling, rhymes, games, movement, and meaningful conversations.
- Use outdoor experiences, seasonal changes, nature discoveries, and children's questions as authentic opportunities for language development.
- Model French naturally throughout the day, using gestures,



repetition, visual cues, and context to support understanding.
- Create playful, open-ended invitations that encourage children to explore language at their own pace.
- Collaborate with co-educators to integrate French into the broader nature-based curriculum.
- Observe and document children's interests, participation, and emerging language skills.
- Build warm, respectful relationships with children and families.
- Support children's overall learning, development, and well-being within the preschool and kindergarten programs.
- Maintain a safe, welcoming, and thoughtfully prepared learning environment.
- Participate in team planning, meetings, and professional development.
- Contribute to the year-round program, including July and August.

Position Details

This is a full-time, year-round position with an prospect to build lasting relationships with children and support their French language development as they grow from preschool into kindergarten.

We are particularly interested in an educator who understands that language learning happens throughout the day—while exploring the forest, preparing for lunch, building with friends, noticing a changing season, or sharing excitement over a discovery.

We want children to experience French as a natural, enjoyable, and meaningful part of their learning environment.

Join Our Team

If you are a fluent French- and English-speaking educator who loves working with young children, values nature-based learning, and is excited about nurturing language through authentic everyday experiences, we would love to hear from you.

Pay: $22.00-$25.00 per hour

Benefits:

- On-site parking

Application question(s):

- Do you have experience with nature-based learning?
- Are you a member with the College of Early Childhood Educators?
- Are you an OCT?
- Are you fluent in French?

Education:

- DCS / DEC (required)

Work Location: In person

📌 French RECE - Junior Kindergarten (January 2027) (Ancaster)
🏢 Private School
📍 Ancaster