Quantitative Reasoning

Middle & High School

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.

About the Role

The Math Guide will lead tutorials in quantitative reasoning for our two oldest groups: 12 children ages 11–12 (middle school) and 14 children ages 13–15 (secondary). You will meet with each group four times per week for 80 minutes per session. Sessions will generally take place outside, weather and other practicalities permitting.

This is a part-time position that can be combined with Biology or Social Studies roles at the school. Our quantitative reasoning program is rooted in a conviction that children fall in love with mathematics when they “discover” it. Our curriculum leads learners to the kitchen, to entrepreneurship, and through some of the most powerful examples of mathematical thought that we have. Across both groups and both semesters, you will move between applied, hands-on quantitative reasoning and the close study of foundational ideas.

Mathematics Program

Middle School (ages 11–12)

The middle school math program centers on the Field Store project: a student-run social enterprise producing and selling small-batch pantry goods rooted in Dalmatian craft traditions. Mathematics arises naturally from the work of the enterprise throughout the year. More about the Field Store project here: fieldschoolhvar.org/field-store. The Math Guide have support in food preparation and youth entrepreneurship from the Foodways Fellow and Youth Social Enterprise Fellow, respectively.

Fall and spring sessions rotate among:

• Recipe math — scaling recipes up and down, unit conversion, ratio and proportion in the context of fermentation, pickling, and preservation

• Market and budget math — pricing, profit margins, multi-step transactions, and working with real budgets as the enterprise develops

• Estimation and data collection — graphing over time, basic statistics, and quantitative reasoning drawn from observations of the garden and natural world

Secondary School (ages 13–15)

The secondary math program moves between applied quantitative work grounded in the Field Store and the close study of primary mathematical texts — treating mathematics as a humanistic discipline with a history and a logic worth understanding on its own terms.

Fall semester (September 7 – November 28):

• First six weeks: Nature-based quantitative reasoning using algebra — estimating soil volumes, compost needs, and garden yields; Field Store budgeting and market exercises; estimation and data collection

• Final six weeks: Euclid’s Elements, Book I — working from a custom teaching edition adapted from the Green Lion annotated study edition, with discussion questions and guided practice designed for early high school learners. The goal is genuine engagement with mathematical proof, not rote geometry.

Spring semester (March 13 – June 5):

• First six weeks: Archimedes — likely the Method and Sand Reckoner, or another Roman-era primary mathematical text, approached in the same spirit as Euclid

• Final six weeks: Return to Field Store applied math — algebra for budgets, estimation, and quantitative reasoning from the natural world

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 strong foundation in mathematics and genuine enthusiasm for the subject

• Experience or interest in teaching math through applied, real-world contexts rather than textbook sequences

• Comfort working with primary mathematical texts — or curiosity to learn: Euclid and Archimedes will be new to most teachers, and that’s fine

• Experience working with middle and high school-age students

• Flexibility and creativity — the ability to find the mathematics inside a gardening problem or a small business budget

• Warmth and adaptability within a small, close-knit school community, including interest in engaging with the local Hvar 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: 12 children ages 11–12; 14 children ages 13–15

• 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 such as the Upper School Biology or Social Studies positions.

• 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)