Trellis: An Acton Academy · Vancouver, BC · In person

$30/hour · Full-time · Monday–Friday, seven-hour days

First-year contract through July 31, 2027, with intent to continue

Preferred start: October 5, 2026. Later availability will be considered.

Trellis is hiring a Founding Guide for our small, screen-free Vancouver Acton Academy studio for children ages five to eight.

We draw on Montessori materials and methods for reading, writing and math within the Acton Academy approach. Children work at their own pace, take on hands-on projects and gradually take greater responsibility for their learning. Adults provide thoughtful support and transparent boundaries.

Your work is to help children become more capable of doing things for themselves. That means knowing when to explain, when to ask a useful question, when to wait, and when to step in and hold a boundary. It takes an attentive adult, not an absent one.

What you will do

You will help establish the routines, expectations and relationships of a recent studio. The work includes:

- Preparing the workplace and materials for reading, writing, math, hands-on projects and discussions.
- Observing children’s work, noticing where they need support, and helping without taking ownership away from them.
- Supporting the whole group through disagreements, transitions and daily routines, with clear boundaries and consistent attention to safety.
- Taking care of the practical day: outdoor time, materials, preparation, follow-through and getting the studio ready for the next morning.

Some progress will be easy to see. Some will be a child trying again instead of waiting for you,



asking a peer for help, or taking responsibility after a disagreement. You need to notice those changes without losing sight of the work that still needs doing.

What you bring

Montessori training or experience is a strong plus, not a certification requirement. Experience with forest-school or Reggio approaches is also valuable. No particular education credential is required; sound judgment and how you work with children matter more.

You can describe real situations in which you have been responsible for children: what you noticed, what you did and what you learned. That experience may come from a learning environment, camps, outdoor programs, coaching, a homeschool community or another setting. The responsibility you carried matters more than your title.

You can be warm without giving up a boundary, stay steady through frustration and notice the quieter children. You prepare, follow through, take a useful next step when something needs doing, and ask for help when it matters.

You also need to reflect honestly on your decisions, use feedback and change an approach that is not helping. You do not need an answer for every situation.

This role is unlikely to suit someone who prefers to direct every activity and provide every answer.



It is equally unsuited to treating independence as a reason to stand back when a child needs support.

What you can expect from us

You will work with a small group over time, get to know the children well and help shape the everyday culture of the studio. This is an opportunity to do thoughtful, hands-on work with children and see what they gradually become able to do for themselves.

You do not need previous Acton experience. You do need to be willing to study the approach, put it into practice and examine what is working.

Saba, one of Trellis’s founders, will work alongside you as needed while you learn and develop your practice. Her support will respond to what you and the studio need, rather than end on a fixed handoff date.

Practical requirements

You must be legally eligible to work in Canada and able to work full-time in person in Vancouver. Required vulnerable-sector criminal record clearance and current first aid certification must be in place before working with children.

October 5 is our preferred start date, not an automatic cutoff. Tell us your actual availability in the application.

How to apply

Read the full role description and select Start your application at:

https://trellised.ca/guide The first step asks about your availability, experience and judgment in everyday situations with children. A résumé is optional. Specific, candid examples are more useful than polished statements about your philosophy.

Questions about the role: [email protected]

Pay: $30.00 per hour

Work Location: In person

📌 Montessori-Inspired Educator — Mixed-Age Studio (Ages 5–8) (Vancouver)
🏢 Trellis Academy
📍 Vancouver