Elementary Teacher

The San Francisco Schoolhouse is conducting a search for a highly motivated, enthusiastic, and collaborative teacher to join our new and growing school community. 

Do you have the leadership skills to work with students who love to learn, and who have a high sense of social responsibility?

The Schoolhouse is a growing, independent, K-8 school located in the Richmond District of San Francisco. The School’s intentionally small size, experienced and passionate teachers, experiential curriculum, and active parent participation model provide a unique opportunity for families seeking a community-minded progressive education that challenges and supports their child. Founded in 2011 by a small and dedicated group of teachers and parents and two students, the Schoolhouse now enrolls 81 students.

Lead teachers at the Schoolhouse teach mixed-grade classes. Currently the school is configured with a combined Kindergarten/1st grade class, 2nd/3rd grade class, stand alone 4th grade class, and classes with a combination of 5th-8th grade students. 

Why we value progressive education

We believe children are naturally curious, creative and highly divergent in their thinking. The goal of SF Schoolhouse’s approach is to engage students in actively influencing the content and direction of the curriculum. This student-centered pedagogy supports a dynamic and engaging process of education and provides professionals with a unique opportunity to utilize knowledge and understanding of the learners as a basis for program design and implementation. 

Progressive  education allows students and teachers to dig deep into experiences and open-ended materials from many perspectives, and cultivates both their critical thinking skills and their abilities to learn, relate, and understand. Our goal is to provide a dynamic education that supports and develops a child’s natural love of learning, creativity and problem-solving through an authentic, relevant, hands-on curriculum that meets the needs of each child.

At the Schoolhouse, we view teachers as lead learners alongside a group of children. A successful Schoolhouse teacher views themselves not as givers of knowledge but as learners with more experience who have insights to share. We have found that adults who are adept at  serving as lead learners, demonstrating skills of observation and inquiry, and who love to collaborate, facilitate, guide, coach and mentor children as they learn and play, are best suited for teaching at the Schoolhouse.

Our lead teachers are responsible for:

• Teaching in a multi-age classroom.
• Team teaching with other lead teachers.
• Co-constructing academic and social-emotional learning goals with each student, and supporting students as they show progress toward meeting these goals.
• Adapting teaching methods, projects and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
• Regularly using the amazing resources of our neighborhood and city to create educational experiences that are relevant and real.
• Collaborating with other teachers and the Head of School in the development, evaluation, and revision of the school’s evolving curriculum.
• Incorporating the school’s commitment to SEL along with diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) and social justice into all facets of learning and teaching.
• Communicating with parents through a variety of means including weekly emails or social media updates, meetings to discuss a student’s individual progress, and by hosting regular student-led celebrations of learning.
• Participating in daily teacher team meetings, weekly faculty meetings, and occasional evening meetings and presentations.