Elementary Educator (3rd Grade)

Kinterra | Ocala, Florida
Start Date: August 2026
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Compensation: Begins at $18/hour, with additional compensation based on education, certifications, experience, and specialized skills. As a growing school, we are committed to recognizing the unique strengths each educator brings to our community.

About Kinterra

There are many places where children are taught. Here at Kinterra, we are trying to build a place where children, families, and educators learn together.

Kinterra is a growing Reggio Emilia-inspired elementary school in Ocala, Florida, serving children through inquiry, relationships, and meaningful project work. Our open learning environment is designed to support curiosity, collaboration, creativity, and the belief that learning happens best when children have opportunities to investigate questions that matter to them.

We believe children are capable thinkers, researchers, problem-solvers, artists, scientists, storytellers, and citizens of their community. Rather than delivering information, our educators listen closely, document children’s thinking, and help ideas grow into long-term investigations that connect literacy, mathematics, science, the arts, and the world around us.

Just as importantly, we believe educators deserve to be researchers too.

Many teachers enter education because they want to inspire curiosity, nurture relationships, and make a meaningful difference in children’s lives. Over time, many find themselves constrained by scripted programs, pacing guides, and systems that leave little room for creativity or professional voice.

Kinterra was created for educators who want something different.

We are building a school where teachers are trusted as thinkers, collaborators, and innovators. A place where questions are valued as much as answers, where documentation drives decision-making, and where adults continue learning alongside children every day.

For the 2026–2027 school year, Kinterra will serve Kindergarten through 3rd grade as we continue growing our learning community.

We are seeking an educator who is curious about children and still curious themselves.

Perhaps you have experience with project-based learning, emergent curriculum, or Reggio Emilia-inspired education. Perhaps you are simply feeling that there must be another way to teach… one that allows for deeper relationships, meaningful inquiry, and authentic learning.

You do not need to have all the answers.

You do need to enjoy listening, wondering, documenting, collaborating, and embracing the unexpected directions that learning can take.

This position involves guiding a cohort of approximately 13–15 third-grade students while helping shape the culture of a young and evolving school community. As part of a small team, your ideas, observations, and contributions will have a meaningful impact on the daily life of the school.

If you believe children learn best when they are trusted, respected, challenged, and genuinely heard, we would love to hear from you.

Position Overview

The Elementary Educator serves as the lead teacher in the classroom, participating in the life of the learning community each day. In close collaboration with school leadership and colleagues, this role supports a safe, nurturing, and developmentally responsive environment grounded in a Reggio Emilia-inspired philosophy.

The educator engages in curriculum co-construction, documentation of children’s learning, facilitation of inquiry, and the cultivation of strong relationships with children and families. This role supports academic, social, emotional, and creative growth through meaningful experiences that emerge from children’s thinking, questions, and interests.

This role works in close collaboration with school leadership to support the mission and evolving practices of Kinterra.

Key Responsibilities

No two days at Kinterra look exactly the same. While responsibilities include planning, documentation, communication, and classroom leadership, the heart of this role is listening to children, making learning visible, and helping ideas grow.

Teaching & Curriculum

· Co-construct inquiry-based, interdisciplinary, and project-based learning experiences alongside children and colleagues

· Support the ongoing growth of literacy, mathematics, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving through meaningful, lived experiences

· Participate in the daily rhythms of the classroom, fostering a culture grounded in curiosity, respect, autonomy, and active engagement

· Create environments and experiences that invite exploration, creativity, communication, and discovery

Documentation & Assessment

· Engage in ongoing observation and documentation of children’s learning through written reflections, photographs, videos, and student work

· Use documentation and assessment as tools for reflection, inquiry, and guiding next steps in learning

· Collaborate with colleagues to support individualized learning pathways and responsive instructional decisions

Collaboration & Professional Culture

· Engage in reflective practice with colleagues and participate in the shared development of curriculum and school culture

· Contribute to a collaborative, evolving learning community through staff meetings, professional learning, and ongoing dialogue about teaching and learning

· Bring flexibility, initiative, and a reflective mindset to a dynamic and growing educational environment

· Participate in the collective life and ongoing inquiry of the school community

Family Communication

· Build meaningful, ongoing relationships with families in support of each child’s learning journey

· Participate in conferences, school gatherings, exhibitions of learning, and community experiences

· Communicate regularly with families and school leadership in ways that support connection and shared understanding

Safety & Shared Responsibility

· Participate in the daily care and shared responsibility of maintaining a safe, supportive learning environment

· Engage with children during transitions, meals, recess, carline, field experiences, and other shared moments of the school day

· Uphold school policies and state requirements related to the care, safety, and well-being of children

Qualifications

Required

· Bachelor’s degree in Education or a related field

· Teaching certification preferred, or willingness to pursue certification if needed

· Experience working with elementary-aged children, preferably upper elementary

· Strong communication, collaboration, and organizational skills

· Ability to balance instructional planning, documentation, and family communication in a dynamic environment

· Deep commitment to working with children and supporting meaningful, inquiry-based learning experiences

Preferred

· Experience with inquiry-based, project-based, emergent curriculum, or Reggio Emilia-inspired education

· Experience using observation and documentation to guide teaching and learning

· Bilingual in English and Spanish

· Strengths in art, music, design, or other creative disciplines

Benefits

· Paid time off and paid holidays

· Sick leave

· Professional development opportunities

· Compensation commensurate with experience and qualifications

How to Apply

Applicants should submit:

· Resume

· Cover Letter

· Three Professional References

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. Final candidates will be required to complete background and reference checks.

If you believe children deserve an education rooted in curiosity, relationships, creativity, and deep thinking, and if you are looking for a place where your own learning continues alongside theirs, then we invite you to apply!

We aren't simply hiring a teacher. We are building a learning community.

Pay: $18.00 - $21.00 per hour

Work Location: In person