Associate Teacher

Strive Charter School • New York, NY

7d • $65,000 - $75,500 • Onsite

About The Position

Strive Charter School is opening its doors in Fall 2026 in a newly renovated historic school building at 604 East 139th Street in the South Bronx. Strive is built around a simple but radical belief: when children are given abundant time, meaningful choice, joyful relationships, and a rich environment for reading and play, they soar. We are an extended-time elementary school with a progressive, child-centered approach to teaching and learning. We see academic excellence and whole-child development not as competing priorities but as mutually reinforcing. Standardized tests matter—but so do deep curiosity, intrinsic motivation, social skills, and a love of learning. Our school culture is warm, friendly, relaxed, and rooted in positive discipline, genuine respect, and strong relationships. We believe school should feel like a second home: a place where children want to be, families feel welcomed, and educators can do the best work of their careers. The teaching position involves an eight-hour working day, with at least 2.5 hours for lunch, professional development, and planning, minimizing the need to take work home. Instruction begins at 9 a.m., with working hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The school is located in the South Bronx, near the Cypress Avenue #6 subway station. The dress code is relaxed, allowing comfortable attire appropriate for students' parents. The teaching philosophy is pragmatically progressive, blending traditional instruction with self-directed activities like reading, science kits, project-based learning, and educational games, aiming for a joyful and rewarding environment for both teachers and students. Teachers will have support from teaching assistants for lunch, recess, and classroom assistance, enabling small group instruction. Teachers will be treated with respect by students, parents, and administration. The position includes ten weeks of paid time off annually, encompassing holidays, vacation, and sick/personal days that can be converted to vacation days if unused.

Requirements

• BA Degree required
• No teaching experience is required for this position.

Nice To Haves

• If you have two or more years of experience teaching in an elementary or middle school, you should apply for our lead teacher position rather than this position.

Responsibilities

• Provide small group instruction with support from teaching assistants.
• Engage students in self-directed activities such as reading books of their choice, doing science kits, engaging in project based learning, and playing educational games.
• Support the school's progressive, child-centered approach to teaching and learning.
• Contribute to a warm, friendly, relaxed school culture rooted in positive discipline, genuine respect, and strong relationships.
• Collaborate with colleagues during dedicated planning time.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• 401(k) plan
• Ten weeks of paid time off annually including holidays, vacation, and sick/personal days that can be converted to vacation days if unused.
• Children of employees are welcome to attend our school.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level