Interested in becoming a Chisholm Creek Academy Guide?

Chisholm Creek Academy: An Acton Academy Affiliate is looking for a guide for our Primary Studio. We are a private school that is learner led and project based. We focus on Socratic discussions, the Hero’s Journey, and entrepreneurship. Our learners work at their own pace, in mixed age studios striving for mastery instead of test scores or grades.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about inspiring a love of learning in children. The position requires flexibility, the willingness to try multiple solutions, and the ability to constantly learn and grow. An ideal candidate enjoys a bit of chaos, does not mind being constantly covered in a little paint or glitter, and believes in our core philosophy of “teaching children HOW to think, not WHAT to think.” They would be comfortable allowing children to discover at their own pace, learn from their failures,  and take responsibility for their own space. This is not a traditional teaching position, guides are coaches, game makers, and observers. Primary Studio Learners are four to seven years old.

Primary Studio Guide responsibilities include:

  • Engaging, encouraging, and inspiring learners

  • Creating meaningful discussions centering on characteristics such as honesty, curiosity, kindness, responsibility, conflict resolution, and creativity.

  • Facilitating exploration of learner interests and instilling a sense of wonder

  • Fostering a growth mindset and an independent problem solving in learners

  • Working with the other guides to create interesting and challenging unit studies (Quests) for the other studios

  • Observing the studio for challenges they can address to strengthen each other

  • Helping learners hold each other accountable to the studio rules

  • Understanding how young children learn through play and valuing that play

  • Encouraging learners to set challenging goals for themselves

  • Being an innate critical thinker and problem solver willing to innovate solutions

  • Not answering questions, but guiding learners to find answers

  • Being prepared to experience the discomfort of learners exploring a little risk, making choices that may lead to failure, and allowing the natural consequences of those choices

  • Equipping learners with reading skills

  • Setting up the studio so learners can be as independent as possible with self-directed activities to work on 

  • Tracking learner progress through learning arcs

  • Supporting learners in communicating their progress to their parents

  • Allowing learners to take accountability and ownership of their learning

  • Preparing learners for the Elementary Studio

  • Reading, learning, and continuing on their own Hero’s Journey


Prefered Experience and Skills:

Experience managing, coaching, or mentoring mixed ages of children, a belief in changing education, solid communication skills, ability to be tough minded and kind hearted, a curiosity and love of learning, an entrepreneurial spirit, familiarity with Montessori, Reggio-Emilia, and/or play based learning are a plus.