Spark Early Childhood Guide

Evergreen Academy: an Acton Academy; Norman (OK); On-site; USD 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Six weeks paid breaks

Wellness days

Professional development support

Retirement plan with 3% match

Paid time off during breaks

Job summary

Evergreen Academy is seeking a full-time Early Childhood Guide for 5-7-year-olds. This role focuses on fostering learner autonomy through Socratic dialogue and a prepared, Montessori-inspired environment.

You will work 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with additional hours as needed for projects and training. Compensation ranges from $35,000 to $45,000 per year, with up to $50,000 for exceptional qualifications.

Qualifications

• Background in early childhood education.
• Montessori background preferred.
• Criminal background check required.
• CPR/First Aid certification preferred or must be completed before start date.

Responsibilities

• Creates and executes a Montessori-inspired learning program for 5-7 year olds.
• Oversees a small group of children with daily supervision and safety responsibilities.
• Observes health, safety, and care regulations and adherence to policies.
• Prepares the learning environment including space, materials, routines, and schedule.
• Leads discussions and embraces Socratic methods with learners.
• Collaborates with the Evergreen team on classroom initiatives and milestones.
• Maintains an organized studio that encourages learners to create and think critically.
• Provides recognition and sets clear expectations for learner behavior.
• Attends staff meetings and school functions as required.
• Contributes to broader studio and school initiatives with leadership.
• Supports professional development and adheres to Employee Handbook guidelines.
• Shows curiosity and excitement about innovative learning practices.
• Takes ownership of personal and professional growth.
• Engages in seasonal goal setting and annual reviews with potential for leadership growth.

Skills

Child development

Socratic dialogue

Team leadership

Family communication

Self-directed learning

Adaptability

Safety supervision

Montessori aligned

Education

Bachelor's in Ed

Montessori Cert

Tools

Google Drive

Docs

Sheets

Canva

AI Tools

Job description

Are you interested in joining a team committed to helping children find their calling and change the world? If so, Evergreen Academy is for you! We are currently seeking a Guide for our 5-7-year-old learners.

Joining our team requires a love of children and their potential, commitment to an innovative approach, and willingness to work hard both independently and collaboratively. Through this position, you will have the opportunity to provide an incredible environment for each child to grow and thrive in their learning, assisting them in discovering their strengths and talents while equipping them with the skills needed in the world today.

Evergreen Academy is a private, nonprofit micro-school. We are one of over 300 international affiliate schools of the growing Acton Academy Learner-Driven Network. Evergreen is dually accredited by the International Association of Learner-Driven Schools with a Gold certification and Cognia.

Why This Role Exists

The Early Childhood Guide shapes a learner’s first experience with self-directed learning. This role lays the foundation for independence, character development, and joy in learning that will influence a child’s entire Hero’s Journey.

What This Role Is Not

This is not a traditional direct-instruction teaching role. Guides at Evergreen coach, observe, and facilitate rather than lecture, fostering learner autonomy through Socratic dialogue and carefully prepared environments.

Schedule:

• Monday through Friday School Day staff hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Expectation to work outside of these hours and during the summer as needed to fulfill responsibilities and project development goals
• Weekly meetings most weeks of the summer (typically one weekday per week) and staff in-service week the week prior to school starting

Job Type:

Full-time (Part-time start options available as needed, with paid training during onboarding)

Pay:

Competitive salary range of $35,000–$45,000 per year, with up to $50,000 available for exceptional experience and qualifications.

Attendance Expectations:

Because our studios operate with small, focused teams, consistent and reliable attendance is essential to learner safety and continuity. Guides carry significant responsibility for the supervision and security of young learners and are expected to adhere to the established work schedule. Regular, on-time attendance ensures continuity of learning, appropriate team coverage, and a safe, well-supported environment.

Physical Requirements:

Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs, sit on the floor for extended periods, move quickly to ensure child safety, and supervise outdoor activities in varied weather conditions.

Guide Training:

Guide Onboarding Training must be accomplished within the first year of employment and continuing credits earned annually. Onboarding and continuing credit expectations to be set with your supervisor at the beginning of each school year.

Reports to:

Lead Guide for day-to-day studio leadership and coaching; Head of School for performance evaluation and employment matters.

Skills and Experience

• Demonstrated understanding of children’s social and emotional needs, with the ability to respond to them thoughtfully, consistently, and appropriately.
• An entrepreneurial spirit and excitement about being a part of a team engaged in an innovative learning model
• Demonstrates leadership capacity, including the ability to take initiative, make sound decisions, and guide others when needed, while also supporting teammates with humility.
• Guides communicate regularly with families, facilitate conferences, and partner with parents to support each learner’s growth. Clear, professional, and timely communication is an essential function of this role.
• Ability to set seasonal goals and consistently follow through to achieve them.
• Ability to navigate a shared Google staff calendar, school calendar and personal calendaring to keep on top of important and/or established dates, deadlines and goals
• Ability to navigate shared Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Canva, AI Tools and more to accomplish work tasks
• Demonstrates steady presence, emotional regulation, and adaptability in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent communication skills, people skills, and high emotional intelligence
• Previous teaching/assistant teaching in an early childhood program OR relevant, related experience
• Able to consistently conduct tasks typical of guiding young learners such as responsibility for safety and security of learners (during learning and play), stressful situations, infrequent or inconsistent break times, volume and activity-level of student-led work environments, sitting on the floor for extended periods of time, bending, and light lifting
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to family engagement and the cultivation of collaborative partnerships within the school community.
• Demonstrated proficiency in the end-to-end planning, coordination, and execution of off-campus learning excursions; ensures rigorous safety protocols and logistical efficiency while prioritizing student engagement in real-world environments.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Socratic guiding techniques and play-based learning; committed to fostering student autonomy through experiential practice and process-oriented development rather than traditional direct instruction.
• Additional useful skills: Montessori training; experience supporting emerging readers, including comfort with phonics-based and learner-driven literacy approaches that honor agency and developmental readiness; strength in teaching foundational math and writing; professional development experience; art or studio instruction experience; coaching; enthusiasm for outdoor learning environments.

Background Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood or Elementary Education OR relevant field of study (preferred)
• Montessori Certification and/or experience in a Montessori setting (preferred)
• Familiar with Daily 5 Literacy Framework and/or Secret Stories (preferred)
• Must pass a criminal background check
• CPR/First Aid Certification (preferred OR must complete before start date; Evergreen will cover costs)
• Acton Guide Training (some must be completed before start date, the rest will be completed by setting completion goal milestones and dates with your supervisor)

This Job Is Ideal for Someone Who Is…

• Innovative - prefers working in unconventional ways or on tasks that require creativity
• A strong problem solver - when obstacles arise, you like to tackle them head-on and be an active participant in finding solutions
• Growth-oriented – actively seeks feedback, embraces challenge, and models a lifelong learner mindset.
• Dependable - more reliable than spontaneous
• People-oriented - enjoys interacting with people and working on group projects
• Adaptable/flexible - enjoys doing work that requires frequent shifts in direction
• Steady under pressure – maintains calm, thoughtful leadership in dynamic environments.

Guide Responsibilities – In addition to the above, the following are essential job functions for which Guides are responsible:

• Creates and executes a Montessori-inspired learning program, designing activities and utilizing guidance techniques to effectively facilitate physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of learners
• Is responsible for the overall supervision and daily functions of a small group of children (5-7 years)
• Observes all rules and regulations at Evergreen Academy and the local, state or national regulatory agencies pertaining to the health, safety and care of children
• Prepares the learning environment’s space, materials, routines, and schedule
• Leads discussions and embraces Socratic methods
• Assesses each child's developmental and learning needs on an ongoing basis
• Collaborates with the Evergreen team
• Maintains an engaging, organized studio that encourages learners to create, explore and make decisions with confidence
• Provides verbal recognition and acceptance to learners while providing clear and consistent expectations for the children's behavior
• Accepts responsibility for maintenance and necessary housekeeping duties of the studio and common-use areas
• Attends all required staff and school functions
• Contributes to broader studio and school initiatives as determined in collaboration with the Head of School or Lead Guide.
• Maintains overall professionalism and adheres to the guidelines in the Employee Handbook
• Is curious and excited about innovative learning practices
• Takes ownership of their own learning
• Is comfortable seeking and giving feedback and critique
• Guides engage in seasonal goal setting and a formal annual review process, with opportunities for leadership growth and expanded responsibilities over time, including the potential to grow into Lead Guide responsibilities as readiness and studio needs align.

Benefits and Time Off

• Compensation includes competitive pay, six weeks of paid session breaks, and up to five paid wellness days per year. Paid time off outside of scheduled breaks must be requested in advance and approved in accordance with Evergreen Academy policies. Guides are expected, whenever possible, to plan personal travel and appointments during session breaks.
• June and July are paid time off with an expectation for professional development as well as individual and collaborative work to prepare for the August learning cycle (Typically scheduled as a once-weekly collaborative work day)
• Professional Development Assistance
• Retirement plan with a 3% employer matching contribution, available after six months of employment.