Employment Type Full time

Location On site · Bryn Mawr, PA (Philadelphia area)

Salary $40,000 – $60,000 (USD) based on years of experience and specialized training

Team Faculty

Reports to & Collaborates closely with Founder & Executive Director

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Start August 2026 (possibility of starting over the summer part time if interested)

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Closing: This role has no specific closing date. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.​​

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About Fáilte Academy

Fáilte (fall-cha) is the Gaelic word for welcome and joy, and that's our promise. Fáilte Academy is a small nonprofit microschool in Bryn Mawr serving up to ten neurodivergent, twice-exceptional, and creative children in grades 1–6, many of whom haven't belonged in other schools or have experienced school trauma. Our work is grounded in Dr. Stanley Greenspan's Floortime model and blends Waldorf-inspired philosophy with modern, evidence-based literacy instruction. We don't use grades, tests, or forced participation. Children are invited to learn and they do. Fáilte is recognized by the Vela Education Fund and featured in Main Line Parent.

 

 

Position Summary

Fáilte Academy seeks a full-time teacher to join a three-adult teaching team — the founder, you, and an experienced assistant teacher — sharing a single mixed-age classroom of up to ten students in grades 1–6. Our teaching team co-plans and co-teaches across literacy, math, history, science, handwork, art, music, movement, and outdoor time, with each teacher leading small-group instruction at each child's pace. Classroom teachers build authentic relationships with every student, partner closely with families, and report directly to the founder. This is alternative education built around what is actually best for children, not what a system expects them to be.

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Responsibilities

• Co-plan and co-teach daily instruction across literacy, math, history, science, handwork, art, music, movement, and outdoor time

• Deliver small-group Science of Reading–aligned literacy and small-group math at each child's pace

• Apply Dr. Stanley Greenspan's Floortime model to follow each child's lead, support emotional regulation, and invite engagement instead of demanding it

• Build authentic, trusting relationships with every student in the cohort

• Hold a calm, predictable daily rhythm in partnership with the founder and assistant teacher

• Write narrative progress reports every 6 weeks and lead family conferences with founder

• Maintain warm, ongoing communication with families as partners in their child's growth

• Participate in weekly team planning and student support meetings

• Contribute to classroom culture, materials, and the upkeep of our learning space

• Fulfill other responsibilities as assigned by the founder

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You'll be the right person for this job if

• You want to work for a school that helps kids who haven't been supported elsewhere learn to trust adults, trust each other, and fall back in love with learning

• You see a struggling child where others see a defiant one — you understand that "won't" almost always means "can't right now"

• You bring a calm, flexible, regulated presence to children with big feelings, and you know your own nervous system well enough to stay grounded when a child cannot

• You have meaningful experience supporting children with special needs in any setting — classroom, clinical, therapeutic, camp, home, after-school, or similar

• You're genuinely comfortable with unconventional education — no grades, no tests, no forced participation, lots of handwork and outdoor time

• You believe connection comes before curriculum, and that children learn best when they feel safe and respected

• You communicate warmly and clearly with families, and you write narrative progress reports that capture a child honestly

• You hold a college degree by the position's start date

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A Note on This Work

We want to be honest about what this role asks of you. Many of our students have a PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance / Persistent Drive for Autonomy) profile and carry real wounds from earlier school experiences. There are days when a child cannot do what we've planned. There are days when supporting regulation matters more than delivering instruction. There are days when our hardest and most important job is to stay calm while a child cannot.

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And you don’t do this alone. We are a tight-knit team, we co-regulate and problem solve together.

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The teachers who thrive at Fáilte describe it as the kind of work they entered the profession to do and a setting where they can sustain that work because of the small class size and shared responsibility. If that resonates, please apply. If you're not sure, we'd still love to talk.

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Preferred experience

Any combination of the following is welcome. We hire for fit, not for a checklist.

• Training in Dr. Stanley Greenspan's Floortime model

• PA Instructional certificate (Elementary or Special Education)

• Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, LETRS, or other Science of Reading training

• Waldorf teacher training or experience

• Background as an OT, SLP, behavior specialist, or related-services provider transitioning into teaching

• Mixed-age or microschool experience

• Skill with handwork, music, art, baking, or outdoor education

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What You'll Benefit From

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• $40,000–$60,000 salary depending on experience and specialized training

• Paid personal and sick days

• Paid school holidays and protected breaks

• Paid summer programming

• A paid week in the classroom for finalists during the hiring process

• A small cohort of ten students within a three-adult teaching team — realistic class size so you can know every child

• Ongoing professional development, including Floortime coaching from a Floortime Specialist founder

• The supplies, materials, and curriculum resources you actually need

• Real autonomy, a real voice, and the chance to grow with a 501(c)(3) microschool as it expands

 

As a small nonprofit, Fáilte Academy does not currently offer health insurance or retirement benefits. We are transparent about that up front so candidates can make informed decisions.

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Required Clearances

PA Act 34, Act 151, and FBI Act 114 child abuse clearances current or obtainable before start date. Mandated reporter training completed before start.

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Application Process

To apply, email jennifer@failteacademy.org with:

1. Your résumé

2. A few paragraphs (not a formal cover letter) telling us about a child you supported through a hard moment — what you did, what you learned, and what you'd do differentl next time

3. Contact information for three professional references

 

If shortlisted, you'll be invited to a 30-minute Zoom conversation with the founder, followed by a half-day working visit on campus. Finalists are invited to a full paid week in the classroom —mutual, so we see how you work with our kids and you see whether Fáilte is the right place for you. References and offer follow.

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Fáilte Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Neurodivergent applicants and applicants from non-traditional teaching backgrounds are warmly encouraged to apply.​