Assistant Teacher - Therapeutic Classroom

Come join the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community at our early education center, Playworks as an Assistant Therapeutic Teacher! In this role you will support the teachers in the classroom in the emotional, mental, and knowledge growth of our young minds, ages 3-5. The ideal for this opportunity is someone who is passionate about working with children, patient, has positive communications. Enjoy weekly pay, on-site clinics, and health benefits. Whatever your career goals may be, let SMSC help get you there!

Job Overview: Monitors the wellbeing and safety of the children, contributes to the sales and retention, through positive communication, with families, and assist in the planning, preparation, and implementation of developmentally appropriate curriculum. Ability to work in a Team Environment. Enjoys working with children.

Create Your Path: The Work You’ll Do:

• Supervises children while providing care and support to children. Responsible for the care, hygiene, learning, and developmental activities, specialized programs, and redirection of children. Promotes positive child interactions.


• Organized activities and smooth transitions are planned and implemented.


• Assists the Teacher with developing weekly curriculum involving the following areas: Physical, Cognitive, Social, Language, and Cultural/Gender appropriate. Prepares the environment to provide developmentally appropriate activities along with meeting learning objectives for the curriculum.


• Uses a variety of teaching strategies to enhance children’s learning and development. Makes sure the classroom environment is appropriate.


• Records information on department sheets, ensuring appropriate language and format is used on every form when communicating to families. Passes on information or concerns to Supervisor. Communicates information to families.


• Working with a Teacher, completes biannual Family conference and informal conferences when needed, and sets up goals with families on individual child.


• Is calm and patient with children. Uses Playworks behavior guide techniques. Asks supervisor for help when needed with behavior concerns. Aware of all special needs of each child in the program.


• Recognizes injuries/incidents and completes forms using appropriate language. Communicates to families and Supervisor with confidentiality being a priority.


• Communicates effectively with children, customers and employees in a variety of ways keeping high quality customer service and confidentiality a priority.


• Keeps work environment safe for children and employees. Maintains classroom records, cleanliness, and orderliness. Sanitizes equipment regularly.


• Assist in evacuation and emergency procedures.


• Ensures the release of children to authorized people only.

Job Requirements:

• Must be at least 18 years old.


• Must meet qualifications & experience requirements from the MN Rule 3 guidelines for the Assistant Teacher category.


• Must have worked a minimum of one year in an early childhood classroom.


• CPR/First Aid certification required.


• Pass background check, work physical and drug test.


• Valid Class D driver’s license may be required with a good driving record.


• Ability to move in a variety of motions including bending, squatting, crawling, kneeling, twisting, pulling, and/ or pushing.


• Capacity to handle and lift up to 50 lbs. as needed.


• Have the physical abilities to perform the required job duties with or without accommodations, including on feet 80% of time. 

Outstanding Benefits & Awesome Perks: Enjoy competitive weekly pay, outstanding benefits and advancement opportunities. Generous benefits include medical, dental, life and disability insurance, onsite medical clinics and pharmacy, 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off, wellness programs and more. Plus, take advantage of perks like discounts on childcare, fuel, bus passes and fitness membership, free uniforms, free uniform cleaning and tuition reimbursement.

Who We Are: The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community contributes both time and financial resources across the region, state, and country. The SMSC has donated more than $400 million to organizations and causes, provided $500 million in economic development loans to other tribes, and contributed millions more to support regional governments and infrastructure. The SMSC's Native Green initiative annually diverts hundreds of tons of waste from landfills, has implemented compostable containers throughout our properties, and restored hundreds of acres of prairie land. Team members are eligible to participate in SMSC Gives, a community outreach initiative that organizes various opportunities in the local community. To empower its team members to take part in the Dakota tradition of giving, the SMSC provides paid hours to team members to volunteer at events. Learn more at shakopeedakota.org