Position: Kindergarten Co-Educator
Location: Ancaster Forest & Nature School (AFNS), Ancaster, Ontario
Age Group: 3.5–6 years
Class Size: Maximum 14 children with 2 educators
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (year-round, including summer)
Start Date: January 2027

About Ancaster Forest & Nature School

Ancaster Forest & Nature School (AFNS) 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, and nurturing educator who is passionate about early childhood education and supporting young children's learning, development, and transition into kindergarten.

This position offers a unique opportunity to work as a co-educator alongside an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT), supporting a group of children through meaningful, play-based experiences that connect the Ontario Kindergarten Program with nature-based learning.

At AFNS, we believe children learn through relationships, exploration, curiosity, and meaningful experiences. Our educators create opportunities for children to investigate their interests, develop new skills, build relationships, and develop a strong connection to the natural world.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will:

- Be a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE)
- 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.
- Enjoy collaborating with an OCT and fellow educators to create meaningful learning experiences.
- Demonstrate creativity, initiative, flexibility, and a collaborative approach to teaching.
- Support children's growing independence, confidence, problem-solving, and social-emotional development.
- Recognize children as capable, competent,



curious learners who actively contribute to their own learning.
- Be comfortable balancing children's interests with opportunities to explore the Ontario Kindergarten curriculum.
- Enjoy creating open-ended invitations and meaningful learning opportunities using natural materials, real-world experiences, and the surrounding environment.

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.
- Experience in kindergarten, preschool, or other early learning environments is an asset.
- Experience with nature-based or outdoor education is an asset.
- Explicit 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

- Collaborate with the OCT to support the implementation of the Ontario Kindergarten Program through nature-based, play-based, and inquiry-driven learning experiences.
- Support children's learning and development across the kindergarten curriculum, including literacy, mathematics, science, the arts, physical development, and social-emotional learning.
- Observe children's interests, questions, ideas, and emerging skills to inform curriculum planning.
- Create playful, open-ended invitations that encourage children to investigate, experiment, problem-solve, and think creatively.
- Use outdoor experiences, seasonal changes, natural materials,



and children's discoveries as meaningful opportunities for learning.
- Support children's independence, self-regulation, confidence, and positive relationships with peers.
- Document children's learning through observations, photographs, and other forms of pedagogical documentation.
- Build warm, respectful relationships with children and families.
- Support children's transitions, routines, and overall well-being throughout the day.
- Maintain a safe, welcoming, and thoughtfully prepared indoor and outdoor learning environment.
- Collaborate with co-educators to develop and extend children's learning through ongoing observation, reflection, and planning.
- 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 beginning in January 2027, offering an opportunity to build lasting relationships with children and support their growth throughout the kindergarten years.

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

At AFNS, we strive to create an environment where children feel a strong sense of belonging, develop confidence in their abilities, and experience the joy of learning through authentic, meaningful experiences.

Join Our Team

If you are a nurturing and creative educator who loves working with young children, values nature-based learning, and is excited to support kindergarten learning through authentic, everyday experiences, we would love to hear from you.

Pay: $52,000.00 per year

Application question(s):

- Are you an OCT or RECE?
- How many years of experience teaching kindergarten do you have?
- Have you worked within a school board as a DECE?
- Do you have experience with nature-based learning?

Work Location: In person

📌 JK Educator- Nature-based program (Ancaster)
🏢 Private School
📍 Ancaster