Gifted Education Teacher in Lakeland, Florida at MI ESCUELA MONTESSORI INC

Location: Mi Escuela Montessori | #BartowFL

Schedule: Full-Time | Follows the School Calendar

Projected Start: 2026–2027 School Year (Our Inaugural Year at the New Facility!)

Reports To: Principal and Executive Director

Language Requirement: Fluent in English (Bilingual Spanish/English preferred)

As we prepare to move into our brand-new, state-of-the-art campus in Bartow, Mi Escuela Montessori is seeking a visionary, dynamic Gifted Education Specialist. In our public charter "Lab School," we believe that educating the whole child means providing continuous, high-level cognitive extensions for our advanced learners.

This role is designed for an innovative educator who rejects "more of the same" worksheets and instead thrives on designing deep, conceptual, and creative challenges. You will serve as the champion for gifted and high-achieving students across our PreK-8th grade community, blending advanced academic rigor with the independent, inquiry-based spirit of the Montessori method.

Multidisciplinary Advanced Enrichment: Design and implement high-level, open-ended curriculum tailored to specific profiles of giftedness:

Mathematical Giftedness: Facilitate advanced conceptual frameworks, mathematical modeling, and abstract problem-solving that challenge students far beyond grade-level constraints.

Language Arts Giftedness: Lead Socratic seminars, creative writing labs, advanced linguistic studies, and deep textual analysis for students with exceptional verbal and literacy talent.

Twice-Exceptional (2e / Double Gifted) Advocacy: Expertly identify and support students who are "double gifted"—possessing high cognitive ability alongside learning differences or neurodiversities (such as ADHD, ASD, or dyslexia).

Targeted Social-Emotional Supports: Recognize and address the unique asynchronous development, perfectionism, and overexcitabilities common in gifted and 2e children. Provide dedicated space, mentorship, and strategies for emotional regulation and social connection.

Hybrid Service Delivery Model: Design and implement a multi-tiered approach to gifted services:

Pull-Out Enrichment: Lead high-interest, interdisciplinary enrichment classes that focus on critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and socio-emotional growth.

Inclusion (Push-In) Support & Consultation: Partner directly with classroom Guides (teachers) to differentiate the core environment, compact curriculum when mastery is demonstrated, and co-present advanced materials.

Academic Team Leadership: Coach, manage, and expand our school's extracurricular Academic Teams (such as Odyssey of the Mind, Sunshine State Quiz Bowl, Science Olympiad, or Robotics), preparing students for local and regional competitions.

Gifted Compliance & EP Management: Lead the screening, referral, and identification process for gifted services. Write, monitor, and update Educational Plans (EPs) in compliance with Florida Department of Education standards.

Required:

Certification: Valid Florida Professional Educator Certificate with a Gifted Endorsement (or immediate eligibility to obtain the endorsement).

Montessori Alignment & Growth Mindset: A strong desire and willingness to complete school-sponsored Montessori training to integrate the method's philosophy of child-led, independent discovery into your gifted programming.

2e & SEL Expertise: Demonstrated understanding of the social-emotional needs of gifted learners and proven strategies for scaffolding twice-exceptional (2e) students.

Academic Coaching: Proven desire or experience leading and coaching student academic teams or competitive academic clubs.

Classroom Agency: Exceptional ability to manage fluid schedules and design original, project-based curriculum without relying on a rigid district script.

Preferred:

Bilingualism: Proficiency in Spanish to deeply engage and support our dual-language families.

Montessori Alignment: A deep respect for student autonomy, individualized pacing, and the multi-age classroom structure.

Sponsored Montessori Training & Scholarship: For candidates who lack a Montessori credential but are the perfect pedagogical fit, we provide a structured, heavily subsidized pathway to international Montessori certification through our on-site, MACTE-accredited training center.

Comprehensive Benefits Package: Employer-sponsored health insurance, employee supplemental insurance plans, and a dedicated retirement savings program.

The Bartow Campus Advantage: Teach in a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility featuring premium materials, extensive outdoor learning spaces, and a high-tech STEM discovery lab perfectly suited for advanced research.

A Collaborative Ecosystem: Work alongside a robust support team, including specialized coaches (Reading and Math/STEM), instructional guides, and a clinical ESE team.

Work-Life Balance: Follows the standard school-year calendar with flexible summer hours.

If you are an educational innovator ready to lead an advanced academic and social-emotional culture from the ground up in our new Bartow home, we want to hear from you. Please apply through our ADP Career Portal.

Mi Escuela Montessori is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate cognitive diversity, linguistic fluency, and the boundless potential of every learner.