Language Arts Guide

Elementary

Starting September 1, 2026  ·  Jelsa, Croatia  ·  Ongoing

About The Field School of Hvar

The Field School of Hvar is an independent enrichment program located in Jelsa, on the island of Hvar, Croatia. We bring together children ages 3 through 15 from around the world for a year-round academic program grounded in experiential learning, close reading, and deep engagement with literature, history, and the natural world. Small groups, meaningful work, and genuine community are at the heart of everything we do.

Our curriculum is organized based on a chronological story of Western human development. In the 2026-27 academic year, we will be centered in pre-history, Ancient Greece, and Rome. All of these civilizations had significant presences on island Hvar and left vibrant traces of their culture. In year two, we will inhabit the Middle Ages and early Renaissance; in year three, the Modern era; and in year four, the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. Elementary learners encounter this history through read-alouds, hands-on projects, and meaningful encounters with Hvar's historic landscape.

About the Role

We are looking for a reader, storyteller, and close observer of language to lead Language Arts for our two younger school-age groups: Lower Primary (8 children ages 6–7) and Upper Primary (10 children ages 9-10). You will work with both groups daily during the morning skill-building block.

Elementary Language Arts at the Field School combines structured phonics and decoding practice through a nature-based curriculum called Wild Reading with daily read-aloud and a weekly rotation of literary activities: poetry memorization, drama games, and creative writing. This fall, all literary content circles around The Odyssey, with texts carefully chosen for each group's age and reading level.

Language Arts Program

Curriculum

Both groups work from the Wild Reading curriculum (discoverwildlearning.com/wild-reading/) for phonics and decoding instruction. Each session pairs a brief skills-based tutorial with a read-aloud from the year's primary literary text and a short daily writing activity.

Primary Texts

Lower Primary (ages 6–7)

• Gillian Cross, The Odyssey — a vivid, age-appropriate retelling for young readers

• Copywork drawn from the text

Upper Primary (ages 8–9)

• Rosemary Sutcliff, The Wanderings of Odysseus

• Dictation exercises drawn from the text

In spring, the literary focus follows the school's chronological arc into the Roman world. We are currently planning for both groups to work with an adapted version of Apuleius' The Golden Ass — a wonderfully strange and vivid story set at the fringes of the Roman Empire, whose episodic structure lends itself well to read-aloud and creative response. The specific adaptation and supporting materials are still being finalized; the Language Arts Guide will collaborate with the Academic Dean during the winter period to confirm the spring text and approach.

Session Structure

Each morning language arts session runs approximately 60 minutes. Within each session:

• 15-minute tutorial from Wild Reading, delivered to a skill-based small group

• 15-minute read-aloud from the primary text, with brief discussion

• Copywork (Lower Primary) or dictation (Upper Primary) — a short, daily writing practice

Weekly Literary Rotation

Both groups rotate through the following activities each week, calibrated by age and reading level:

• Poetry memorization — short, engaging poems connected to the Odyssey or the natural world

• Creative writing games — activities that invite children to generate stories, descriptions, and dialogue in response to episodes from the text

• Drama games — movement and improvisation exercises rooted in scenes and characters from the story

These activities will culminate in a Homeric recitation at the end of the fall term, and in a similar dramatic performance at the end of the spring term. More information on the Homeric performance here. Note that you will be supported by a drama or vocal performance teacher for this project!

Schedule and Responsibilities

Teaching Days

The school day runs 9:00am–4:00pm. Math and Language Arts take place in the morning, from 9:00am–12:00pm, followed by a faculty hour from 12:00–1:00pm. During the faculty hour, teachers manage assessment documentation, communicate with the administrative team, and prepare materials for the following day.

On Fridays, you will help students prepare and present a brief summary of the week’s work for parents. This is a valued part of how we keep families connected to their children’s learning.

Non-Teaching Day

One day each week (equivalent to one day in five) is reserved for non-teaching work, divided among three activities:

• Planning and administration — curriculum preparation, collaboration with other guides and specialist fellows, and coordination with the administrative team

• Workshop for local children — a free or low-cost offering for children from the Jelsa community who are enrolled in Croatian public school and cannot participate in the full program

• Workshop for community adults — open to Field School parents and local adults, connecting the school’s activities to a wider audience

Assessment and Documentation

There is very little formal grading. Instead, you will be expected to:

• Maintain ongoing observational notes on each student’s development

• Issue a brief weekly summary of work covered with each group

• Contribute to ongoing program assessment — what’s working, what needs adjustment

The administrative team manages parent communication, disciplinary matters, and family concerns. Teachers are not expected to interface with parents beyond the Friday presentations, community workshops, and everyday pleasantries. Our communication policies are described in detail in the staff handbook.

Annual Calendar

• Fall program: September 7 – November 28

• Winter: December through mid-March — equivalent to summer break at most schools. Teachers take their 20 days of mandated leave during this period; the remainder is used for planning, curriculum development, and preparation for spring.

• Spring program: March 13 – June 5

• Summer: Teachers work through the summer in support of the school’s summer programming and ongoing operations.

About You

We are looking for someone who brings several of the following:

• A passion for reading and language, and the ability to pass that love on to young children

• Experience or strong interest in teaching early literacy — phonics, decoding, fluency, and comprehension — within a structured but playful framework

• Confidence reading aloud expressively to a group and facilitating the conversation that follows

• Enthusiasm for story — myth, epic, and narrative — and comfort using it as a springboard for vocabulary, grammar, and writing

• Adaptability and warmth within a small, close-knit school community

Fluency in English is required. Croatian is not required but warmly welcomed.

Position Details

• Start date: September 1, 2026

• Duration: permanent (neodređeno) or from September 7 - November 28, if candidate prefers short-term contract

• Location: Jelsa, Hvar, Croatia (in-person)

• Groups: 8 children ages 6–7 (Lower Primary); 10 children ages 8–9 (Upper Primary)

• Schedule: Part-time — 4 teaching sessions per week per group, 80 minutes each, plus one non-teaching day per week. Can be combined with other part-time roles at the school (Biology or Social Studies).

• Hours: 9:00am–1:00pm on teaching days

• Salary: €1,500 per month gross (bruto) plus 20% tuition discount

• Leave: 20 days, taken during the winter period (December – mid-March)

• Employment: Through FSHvar, Ltd. (Croatian entity)

Please apply through the form on our Careers page. We look forward to meeting you!