You Might Be a Schoolhouse Teacher If…

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be A One-Room Schoolhouse teacher? Or have you ever thought about leaving institutional education and starting something that allows for more innovation and creativity? Maybe you have mused that someday you might want to start your own unique hybrid program? Maybe you have wondered if being a schoolhouse teacher is the right fit for you?

As we start looking forward to the 2023-2024 school year, I thought I would break it down. What does it take to be a schoolhouse teacher?

Our Current Staff

We have five fantastic schoolhouse teachers right now. We actually call them classroom directors. They are classroom directors because they do more than teach. They also guide and inspire a community of families working together to educate their children. Isn’t that cool? As I have watched these women grow as educators and learn a completely new way of teaching, I have noticed some common characteristics.

I have noticed the things that make these professionals successful. I have observed strengths, styles, and even mannerisms that help grow their classroom community.

You Might Be a Schoolhouse Teacher If:

• You have excellent organizational skills. I am talking top-notch, file folder loving, getting excited about your label maker, color coding… ORGANIZED. For example: For my 12th birthday I asked for (and got) a file cabinet. I kid you not. I painted it to match my bedroom. That is the kind of organizational love that we are looking for in a schoolhouse teacher.
• You have a passion for the outdoors. A schoolhouse teacher does not shy away from the cold, rain, snow, or sun. They live by the mantra, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing!”
• You already follow the #1000outside challenge. This is part of our soul at the schoolhouse. If you don’t have a deep-rooted understanding of the healing, life-giving, and educational benefits of unstructured time outdoors… you are probably not a schoolhouse teacher. If you are a farmer, gardener, climber, biker, runner, hiker, or all-around adventurer, then, yes, you might be a schoolhouse teacher.
• You love Jesus. Really, really, love Jesus. I don’t care where you go to church or what version of the Bible you read, I care that you love Jesus and want to live in a manner pleasing to Him.
• You love The Good and the Beautiful curriculum. You have used it, admire its purpose, and it fits your teaching style and values. Maybe you are like me and can’t help but buy their newest and best publications. Perhaps you have saved all four versions of Language Arts pdfs on your computer because you have been a fan for that long.
• You may also be a curriculum junkie. You are always on the lookout for the next great elective course that just fits your interests. You know what is out there in the homeschool curriculum and you love to talk about curriculum. If you consider yourself a walking curriculum fair, you might be a schoolhouse teacher.
• You live with passion and want to share these passions with children. You want to teach children cool stuff like how to care for a sheep, keep bees, survive in the wild, play an instrument, speak a language, or any other cool skill that you stand out in a crowd.
• You have AMAZING classroom management skills. Maybe you have been told that you “run a tight ship” or that your classroom “could run itself”. You understand setting clear, positive rules. You know how to use positive reinforcement to shape pro-social behavior. You know how to teach routines and expectations. By the fourth week of teaching, you can sit back, do what you love (teach), and your classroom clips along as it should. If you know what I am talking about, then you know… and you might just be a schoolhouse teacher.
• You are fed up with traditional education and you want to take back the joy of teaching. You are tired of paperwork, endless meetings, state standards, IEPs that don’t solve any problems, and NO support or thanks for what you are doing. Maybe it is time to rebel and try something new.
• You have already taken the plunge into homeschool land. Maybe you are homeschooling your own small band of educational rebels and you are ready to help lead a larger hoard of rebel educators. Maybe you have seen, and understand, that it is easier to teach 15 or 20 students than it is to teach three. Really, it is. And if you know that, you might just need to click on the button at the bottom of this post and apply. Maybe you are ready to get paid for what you are already doing.
• Maybe you are already a schoolhouse family and when you volunteer, you think, I could do this! Why am I driving an hour when I could totally do this?

If you’re still reading and want to know more, I also encourage you to check out my top 10 reasons why I started a hybrid homeschool program.

But, Don’t You Have to Be a Credentialed Teacher?

Well, yes and no. It is nice, sometimes it gives you the right set of skills! But, I have learned that most teachers need to “de-school” a bit when they become a schoolhouse classroom director. They need a reset as they detox from tradition and embrace something new. But, as a side note, I have seen that special education experience is VERY valuable.

Are You a Schoolhouse Teacher?

Why don’t you complete an interest form? We would love to talk to you. We are especially looking for teachers east of Pittsburgh and south of Washington.