Position Overview 

La Scuola International seeks experienced and passionate Atelierista for the upcoming school year.

The Atelierista is a teacher with an artistic background, responsible for the design and development of learning environments for children, the upkeep of the atelier, the execution of projects and research, and the documentation to make children's learning processes visible.

The Atelierista brings deep expertise in visual arts, materials, and creative processes to support children’s learning through inquiry, expression, and research. Grounded in the principles of the Reggio Emilia approach, the Atelierista collaborates closely with teachers to design environments, provocations, and long-term investigations that honor children’s theories, 100 languages, and ways of knowing. They hold a high image of the child and are experts in documentation. 

The Atelierista is not a “specialist” teacher, but a co-researcher and collaborator who supports the integration of aesthetic, symbolic, and material exploration throughout the curriculum.

Core Role & Responsibilities

Atelier & Learning Environment 

• Design, curate, and maintain the atelier and other creative learning spaces across campus.
• Select and organize open-ended, high-quality materials that invite intentional exploration, transformation, and sustained inquiry.
  
• Collaborate on classroom environment design to ensure spaces function as a “third teacher.”

Pedagogical Collaboration

• Partner with classroom teachers to co-plan, co-research, and reflect on long-term projects, learning outcomes, units of inquiry and emergent curriculum.
• Support educators in deepening their use of materials, visual languages, and documentation as tools for learning.
• Participate in pedagogical meetings, reflective practice, and professional learning communities.
  
  

IB Curriculum Development & Integration

• Collaborate with pedagogical leadership and teaching teams to integrate Reggio-inspired inquiry, documentation, and visual languages within the IB framework.
• Support the design and refinement of Units of Inquiry through material exploration, conceptual provocations, and project-based research.
• Align documentation and assessment practices with IB learning goals and Approaches to Learning.
• Contribute to curriculum mapping and reflection to ensure coherence between emergent curriculum and IB standards.

In the Classroom

• Work directly with children individually, in small groups, and in project work to support investigation, expression, and meaning-making.
• Observe children closely to identify emerging interests, hypotheses, and symbolic languages.
• Respect children as capable protagonists in their own learning, supporting—not directing—their creative processes.

Documentation & Research

• Collaborate with teachers on pedagogical documentation that makes learning visible.
• Use documentation as a reflective and interpretive tool to inform curriculum development.
• Contribute to school-wide exhibitions, displays, and publications that communicate learning to families and the broader community.
• Work with staff to interpret and document children’s work to encourage student reflection on their own learning and to understand the learning strategies children use.
• Guide integration of exploration through visual arts to learning and hypothesis testing.
• Participates in internal and external  professional development opportunities 
• Present and prepare materials at various events as needed throughout the year including Admissions open houses, Spotlight series and other events as needed
• Develop and curate the end of year School Exhibit
• Produce display documentation, booklets and films on projects and learning experiences that happen in the classroom.
• Communicating and presenting to others and influencing others regarding all of the above, as required
• Managing the Digital Atelier with support from other members of staff using technology as an extension of the creative process

Qualifications

• Master of Arts, Arts Management, Arts Psychology or other related degree required. 
• Minimum of 24 months of experience with Reggio Emilia Approach (or equivalent) and familiarity with the International Baccalaureate framework. 
• Bilingual and bi-literate in Italian and English with native or near-native Italian proficiency.
• The ability to reflect critically on ongoing learning and integrate individual projects with larger projects.

Preferred Traits

• Deep respect for children as competent, curious, and capable learners.
• Comfort with ambiguity, emergent curriculum, and long-term project work.
• Strong collaborative mindset and ability to work across roles and disciplines.
• Reflective, research-oriented approach to teaching and learning.

About La Scuola International

La Scuola International School founded its preschool, La Piccola Scuola Italiana, in 2002 and has earned awards and accolades for its work with Reggio Children in Italy as a leading example of the Reggio Emilia pedagogy in North America. In 2012, the school expanded its curriculum through grade 8 and is the only school in San Francisco to offer the International Baccalaureate program for the elementary and middle school years as well as the only school in the world to offer a program that blends Reggio Emilia, the International Baccalaureate and Italian language immersion. The three campuses are joyous places where the learning and community is palpable. It is clear that the school culture revolves around human connections. The families come from a wide range of backgrounds and speak more than 34 different languages, and the breadth of that global community is the foundation of our school experience. Faculty and staff are the heart of La Scuola, creating inspiring learning experiences for students every day. La Scuola attracts talented individuals from around the globe who are drawn to the unique blend of International Baccalaureate, Reggio Emilia, and Language Immersion ...philosophies. Together nearly half of our team (48%) holds advanced degrees in their area of specialization, and each contributes a distinct perspective to our students, families, and colleagues. Representing over 14 countries including Italy, Peru, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Syria, India, Brazil, Ghana, Albania, Chile, Brazil, Turkmenistan, and El Salvador, 45% of the staff is of international origin with over 17 languages spoken. La Scuola International School is an independent non-profit school accredited by NAIS, CAIS, WASC and CIS and is one of two Italian schools recognized by the Italian government in the United States.

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Connections working at La Scuola International