Overview
We are searching for a child educator, who has a passion for nurturing young minds and a love for outdoor learning that will inspire children to explore, discover, and grow through hands-on activities. This position offers a unique opportunity to combine education, childcare, and outdoor work in a dynamic environment dedicated to childhood development.
Details:
We are looking for a head teacher for our outdoor learning program for the Fall '26 semester. Classes will meet on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday from 10am-3pm at our farm. Teachers arrive onsite by 9:30, and finish up anywhere between 3:15-3:30ish. The shift turns out to be approx. 5.75-6 hrs max per day (depending on activities, clean up, etc.)
Fall 2026 Dates: August 24-Decemebr 18 (Candidates must be available for virtual training the first week of August.)
The Program
Farm to Table is a multiple grade level, homeschool-support program that includes core education subjects, plus animal care and farming. Farm to Table is an outdoor, drop-off, Homeschool Support + Farm program for children in grades K5-5th (like a farm school).
Our daily homeschool support program includes Language Arts (Reading, Writing, Phonics, Grammar, and Penmanship), Math, History, Science, Nature Studies, Art, and cumulative group projects. You can check out our site here:
https://www.carpchildrensfarm.org/farm-to-table
Our ideal Candidate:
- You are an experienced teacher and are creative to make learning fun.
- You are experienced with the outdoors and with outdoor education.
- You love to garden and are comfortable on the farm. Experience in this area is a huge PLUS!
- You are patient and capable of guiding young children toward exploration.
- You are able to handle weather with positivity and a fun attitude!
- You have 3 references who will validate your track record of being trustworthy, safe, consistent, and nurturing.
- You are available Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:30 am-3:15 pm.
Duties & Responsibilities for the Head Teacher Position:
- The teacher will be responsible for teaching and managing their class as well as communication with directors, assistant teachers, admin staff, and parents as needed.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Making sure students are checked in and picked up by a parent or adult listed on the students’ pickup form.
- Striving to create a safe, nurturing space for the students to be kids and enjoy learning together.
- Carrying out the day’s lesson plans (welcome, morning circle time, book, facilitating curriculum lessons, guided exploration, overseeing playtimes, etc).
- Continually checking for understanding and being attuned to the emotional needs of students.
- Being creative on-the-spot to make the most of learning moments for students to learn, understand, have fun, and appreciate the farm, animals, plants, and one another.
- Using passion and joy to facilitate exploration and curiosity.
- Exercising emotional intelligence to get to know your students.
- Using assertive and kind communication and logical discipline to manage the class smoothly and effectively.
- Maintaining a positive attitude and demeanor even when weather or challenging circumstances could arise on the farm.
- Regularly communicating in a respectful, professional manner with Lanterns Global directors and other staff at monthly check-ins and as needed.
- Greeting parents and students warmly at drop off and pick up, communicating with parents as needed (i.e. being intentional to talk to a parent when a student is behaving in an unusual way, when a student gets injured, etc).
- Following the Farm to Table curriculum list.
- Following the Farm to Table daily schedule.
- Guiding students through ELA (Reading, Writing, Spelling, Handwriting, Phonics), Math, History, Science, Art, and nature studies.
- In the afternoons, working alongside students to create projects based on the group’s interests in scientific subjects (i.e. identifying the many wildflowers around the Carpinteria bluffs, creating a giant poster research project on harbor seals in Carpinteria, etc).
- Working with and leading the children with farm projects.
- Farming, gardening, etc.
Core Values we embrace as a team:
Initiative Taking. We generate ideas, share them, and implement them so that our programs can be continuously improved each day at each location.
Nurturing Influence. We go beyond the lessons, and we use emotional intelligence to nurture our students to be their best selves.
Ultimate Responsibility. We are personally committed to the long-term success of our programs/company and embody this to our parents.
Joyful Flexibility. We embrace change, weather, ambiguity, and conflict with joyful hearts and with steady hands.
Outdoorsy Grit. We love nature in all of its countless elements, and we inspire others with this love.
Passionate Lifelong Learner. We have our own interesting worlds of intrigue, hobby and expertise which we use to inspire others.
Our Farm to Table Enrichment provides experiential schooling and exploration to students between kindergarten and third grade.
Compensation:
- Head teacher $25-$28 (DOE)
Pay: $25.00 - $28.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
