Mathematics 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 patient, inventive educator to lead mathematics for our two younger school-age groups: Lower Primary (8 children ages 7 and 8) and Upper Primary (10 children ages 9 and 10). You will work with both groups daily during the morning skill-building block, meeting each in a focused session before the school transitions to lunch and afternoon programming.

Our elementary mathematics program is grounded in a conviction that children love mathematical reasoning when they encounter it purposefully — in a kitchen, in a garden, in a game. Sessions draw on a nature-based curriculum called Wild Math, supplemented by a weekly rotation of food-based and market math activities. Direct instruction is brief; most of the session is hands-on, applied, and playful.

Your classroom activities are not just student exercises. The recipes and business models that students hone in math class will form the repertoire of the Field Store, a school store celebrating island foodie heritage, while supporting student scholarships. You will be supported in craft elements of food production by the Foodways Fellow, and in elements of youth venture design by the Youth Social Entrepreneurship Fellow. Your role will be to curate and connect math topics with this hands-on work, so that our learners are advancing their quantitative skills as they develop their projects.

Math Program

Curriculum

Both groups work from the Wild Math curriculum (discoverwildlearning.com/wild-math/), which connects number sense, measurement, and early operations to the outdoor and natural world. Children work in skill-based small groups within each session, receiving a brief focused tutorial before moving into applied practice.

Session Structure

Each morning math session runs approximately 60 minutes. Within each session:

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

• Applied math activity drawn from the weekly rotation (see below)

Sessions take place inside the learning center or outside, depending on the activity and the weather.

Weekly Activity Rotation

Both groups rotate through the following activities each week, with content calibrated to each group's level:

Recipe math

Children scale recipes up or down, measure ingredients, and convert between units in the context of food preservation — fermentation, pickling, and drying. Lower Primary focuses on doubling and halving; Upper Primary works with fractions, ratios, and multi-step conversions.

Market game

A structured roleplay in which children buy and sell produce, make change, and negotiate quantities. Lower Primary develops comfort with coins and simple transactions; Upper Primary adds multi-step purchases, simple budgets, and working with running totals.

Estimation and data collection

Children estimate quantities — beans in a jar, the weight of a bunch of herbs, how long a ferment has been going — then measure and record. Upper Primary extends these activities into basic graphing and quantitative reasoning based on observations of the garden and 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:

• Ease with young children — the ability to maintain a patient, encouraging presence while keeping a small group on task

• Experience or strong interest in teaching mathematics through hands-on, real-world contexts rather than worksheets or textbook sequences

• Comfort with skill-based differentiation — meeting children at their current level and moving them forward

• Enthusiasm for food, gardening, and the natural world, and the ability to find the mathematics inside everyday activities

• Adaptability 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!