What This Work Looks Like

Picture a five-year-old who has been working on the same puzzle for twenty minutes, getting it wrong, getting frustrated, trying again, while you sit nearby with your hands in your lap. Most adults would step in. We're looking for someone who wants to learn why we don't, and who already suspects, as we do, that children are capable of far more than most of us were ever taught to expect.

We say Guide rather than teacher on purpose. A Guide at Ascent rarely stands at the front of the room delivering a lesson. Most of the day you are watching closely, preparing the environment, asking a question instead of giving an answer, and trusting a child to find their own way through something hard (including a hard moment with a friend).

Who We Are

Ascent is a small school in Austin for learners ages 4 to 12, founded and led by Samantha Jansky and Janita Lavani and part of the worldwide Acton Academy network. Children learn in mixed-age classrooms rather than by grade level, move at their own pace, and show their growth through real work presented to their families rather than through report cards. Our campus is nearly two acres, kept intentionally wild, and the outdoors is part of the day rather than a break from it.

Our youngest studio, Spark, serves 20 to 25 learners ages 4 to 6. Spark draws on Montessori materials and principles, alongside the Hero's Journey and a lot of time outside. If you're Montessori trained there’s room to grow and stretch your work. If you're not, we'll pay for your Montessori certification. Ascent produces some of the strongest Socratic Guides; regardless of what you come in with, you will have extensive and ongoing training while on-the-job that will empower and carry with you as a full human.

What You’ll Do

As an Apprentice Guide, you'll work alongside the Lead Guide in Spark, learning the craft. That means:

• Supporting learners through the morning work cycle, outdoor time, lunch, and the rest of the day, keeping everyone safe while giving them real room to try

• Helping children work through conflict with each other, frustration with their work, and the small daily courage it takes to be part of a community

• Preparing and caring for the studio so it invites independence

• Learning our approach and materials, with the option of a paid Montessori certification

• Being coached, reflecting honestly on your own growth, and bringing ideas to a team that invites and celebrates feedback.

Who Thrives Here

You might have been a preschool or pre-K teacher, an assistant in a classroom, a nanny, a camp counselor, or someone with no formal title who has spent years around young children and kept wondering whether they could handle more. What matters more than your résumé:

• You deeply trust young people, and it shows in how little you rush to rescue them

• You have humility: you'd rather ask a good question than be the one with the answer, and you can take feedback without it becoming a crisis

• You are curious about children, about yourself, and about why things work or don't

• You want to work hard, because this work is demanding, and you'll pitch in on whatever the day needs, big or small

• You are adaptable and resilient, the most important durable skills we support young people in building

• You can set limits with warmth and calm rather than control

This Probably Isn't For You If…

You want a clear script to follow, you believe the adult's job is to fix things for children, you enjoy being in charge of a classroom and enjoy classroom management, or you're looking to arrive fully formed rather than to be changed by the work. We say this plainly because we'd rather you know now.

Where This Goes

We hire apprentices hoping they'll stay and grow. The apprenticeship typically lasts 6 to 12 months, after which you step into the Guide role, with a path to Lead Guide as your skill and experience deepen.

• Apprenticeship salary: $45,000–50,000, depending on experience

• Spark Guide salary after apprenticeship: $54,000–59,000 plus a health stipend

• Paid time off, ongoing professional development, and paid Montessori certification

The Practical Details

Full-time, in person, Monday to Friday: an 8-hour day plus an after-school staff meeting one day a week. Austin, TX 78723; you'll need to commute reliably or plan to relocate before starting. At least one year of experience with young children is preferred, and a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.

How To Apply

Our hiring process includes a Guide audition, so you can see the work and we can see you in it. Start at ascentacton.org/join-our-team. We review applications on a rolling basis.