Upper Elementary Educator (4th / 5th Grades)

Job Description

Job Description

About SOLFL

 

SOLFL is a new movement in conscious education dedicated to cultivating intellectual, emotional, and spiritual intelligence. Our first school, SOLFL עץ חיים, a K-12 Miami Torah Earth School, offers a rigorous, mutli-disiplinary curriculum that integrates hands-on, experiential learning with entrepreneurship, ecology, creative expressions and spiritual practice. Our goal is to move children away from traditional classrooms, desks and screens, into the real world. This is an irl (in real life) school aimed at cultivating the impact entrepreneurs of the future.

 

About the Role

 

We are seeking an exceptional Upper Elementary Lead Educator (Grades 4–5) with a

strong background in progressive education, inquiry-based learning, and child-centered

pedagogy.

 

The ideal candidate has experience in environments influenced by Bank Street, Project-

Based Learning (PBL), Expeditionary Learning, place-based education, and other

progressive educational models that emphasize active learning, deep thinking, and

authentic engagement.

 

This educator will lead a mixed-grade learning community where students pursue

meaningful questions, engage in interdisciplinary projects, develop academic mastery,

and cultivate the habits of thoughtful, responsible citizenship.

More than a classroom teacher, you are a designer of experiences, a facilitator of inquiry,

a mentor, and a builder of community.

 

Core Responsibilities

 

Design Meaningful Learning Experiences

• Develop and facilitate interdisciplinary units and projects that integrate literacy,

mathematics, science, social studies, ecology, entrepreneurship, and the arts.

• Create authentic learning experiences rooted in real-world questions, local

community connections, and meaningful student interests.

• Design curriculum that balances academic rigor with creativity, exploration, and

student agency.

• Connect learning to nature, place, culture, and current issues whenever possible.

Foster Inquiry and Deep Thinking

• Cultivate a classroom culture driven by curiosity, investigation, reflection, and

dialogue.

• Guide students through research, observation, questioning, experimentation, and

problem-solving.

• Support students in developing critical thinking, communication, collaboration,

and creativity.

• Facilitate meaningful discussions that encourage perspective-taking, empathy, and

intellectual risk-taking.

Support Diverse Learners

• Differentiate instruction using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles

and best practices.

• Create multiple pathways for students to access content, demonstrate

understanding, and engage meaningfully in learning.

• Use ongoing observation, assessment, and student feedback to personalize

instruction.

• Collaborate with colleagues and families to support each learner's growth.

Develop Independent Learners

• Teach executive functioning, self-management, organization, planning, and

reflection skills.

• Support students in setting goals, tracking progress, and taking ownership of their

learning.

• Help students develop confidence, resilience, responsibility, and self-awareness.

Build Community

• Foster a joyful, inclusive classroom culture where every student feels seen,

valued, and challenged.

• Develop strong partnerships with families through ongoing communication and

collaboration.
• Contribute positively to the broader life of the school and participate in

curriculum design, exhibitions, community events, and school initiatives.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's Degree in Education or a related field.

• Minimum of 5 years of elementary teaching experience.

• Demonstrated success teaching upper elementary students (Grades 4–5).

• Experience with inquiry-based, project-based, experiential, or progressive

educational approaches.

• Strong understanding of child development and constructivist learning theory.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to design interdisciplinary curriculum and authentic assessments.

Strongly Preferred

• Master's Degree in Education.

• Bank Street training, coursework, or significant experience in progressive

education settings.

• Experience implementing Project-Based Learning (PBL).

• Training in Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

• Experience supporting neurodiverse learners.

• Experience with portfolios, exhibitions, performance assessments, and student-led

conferences.

• Experience incorporating outdoor, environmental, or place-based learning.

The Educator We Hope to Find

You believe children learn best by doing, questioning, creating, and reflecting.

You see education as more than academic achievement—it is the cultivation of capable,

compassionate, thoughtful human beings.

You understand how to balance freedom with structure, inquiry with rigor, and individual

growth with community responsibility.

You are energized by building something innovative, collaborating with talented

colleagues, and helping create a school that prepares children not only for success in

school, but for meaningful lives of purpose, contribution, and impact.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.