Private Early Childhood Special Education Teacher

Thrive Education Partners•Knoxville, TN

17h•$40,000 - $45,000•Onsite

About The Position

A family in Knoxville is seeking a highly skilled private educator to work one-on-one with their young son in a deeply personalized, in-home learning environment. This role combines homeschooling, early childhood education, autism support, and ABA-informed practice in a way that is difficult to find in traditional educational settings. The family is focused on finding the right long-term educational partner and is willing to be flexible on timing for an exceptional candidate. This is an opportunity to help shape a child's educational journey from the ground up. The family is seeking an educator who can thoughtfully design and lead a highly individualized learning experience while helping a bright young learner develop greater independence, communication skills, emotional regulation, social confidence, and readiness for learning. The ideal candidate understands that meaningful growth extends beyond academics. Success in this role requires balancing relationship-building, skill development, data-driven decision making, and thoughtful instructional planning in a way that supports the whole child.

Requirements

Significant experience working with autistic children and understand how learning, behavior, communication, and regulation intersect
Substantial experience implementing ABA principles and interventions in educational settings
Comfortable functioning as an educator, interventionist, and developmental support professional
Warmth, patience, and relationship-building skills while maintaining clear expectations and structure
Creative, engaging, and play-based while remaining highly intentional and organized
Understanding of the importance of data collection, progress monitoring, and evidence-based decision making
Clear, professional, and proactive communication with families
Adaptable and able to adjust plans in real time based on student needs
Excited by the opportunity to invest deeply in one student's long-term growth
Bachelor's degree required
State teaching certification or BCBA license required
Candidates with equivalent demonstrated experience will be considered
Minimum 3 years classroom teaching, private tutoring, or homeschool instruction experience
Proven ability to teach across multiple subjects and grade levels (all K-12 subjects considered)
Experience working with diverse learners, including students with learning differences, gifted learners, or nontraditional educational backgrounds
3+ years of early childhood education experience
3+ years of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) experience
Curriculum design: ability to select, adapt, or build lesson plans from a variety of frameworks (classical, Charlotte Mason, project-based, or traditional)
Differentiated instruction: comfortable adjusting pace, depth, and method to match the student
Assessment and progress tracking: ability to set measurable academic goals and report progress clearly to parents
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Proficiency with digital learning tools, educational platforms, and standard productivity software
Current background check (required; Thrive facilitates)
Verifiable references from prior teaching or tutoring roles
Professionalism, discretion, and adaptability -- you are working inside someone's home

Nice To Haves

BCBA credentials are highly valued but not required

Responsibilities

Design and lead a highly individualized homeschooling program tailored to the student's strengths, interests, and developmental profile
Select, adapt, and integrate curriculum and instructional resources across subject areas
Create engaging, hands-on lessons that bring learning to life through play, exploration, and meaningful experiences
Provide instruction in early literacy, communication, foundational math, and school-readiness skills
Use ABA-informed strategies and autism-specific best practices to support learning, behavior, communication, and independence
Create structured, predictable routines while remaining responsive to the student's regulation, sensory needs, and engagement levels
Collect meaningful data, monitor progress, and make instructional decisions based on student outcomes
Support the development of communication skills, emotional regulation, social awareness, and independence
Partner closely with the family to ensure consistency and alignment around goals and expectations
Communicate regularly regarding progress, observations, and recommendations
Collaborate with Thrive to refine instructional approaches, monitor growth, and support long-term educational planning