Can you imagine helping teach twin girls (almost age 4) as we cruise and explore dream places around the world like French Polynesia, Seychelles, and spots in between? You might be in luck 🙂
We have identical twin girls who are completely amazing and would love a new mentor-teacher-friend to guide them in their daily journeys. We are launching a world schooling expedition and aim to have a superb full-time pre-school teacher aboard who appreciates Nature-led and Place-based learning (teaching experience not necessary, but very helpful). We run an adventure cooperative and host groups of 3-6 people, usually people we know, including families, couples and singles.
There is a 2 month minimum commitment. All expenses covered while aboard. Travel expenses covered if staying 3+ months, with potential stipends for very qualified individuals. We also accept couples if the second person has deckhand/mechanic/electrician qualifications, or if with high levels of teaching experience.
How to apply:
1. please read below, especially Parenting Philosophy and Qualifications
2. fill out our application
3. send us a simple intro video about yourself (selfie is fine, 2 min max) and resume (doesn’t have to be fancy, just a summary write up of your experiences is ok too). Send both the intro video and resume to greencocosailing@gmail.com
about us:
in 2015 we left our jobs in California and over the next 4 years, sailed south with our Green Coco sailing cooperative to Galapagos, and across the Pacific ocean to French Polynesia. We fell in love with the country and decided to stay, start a family and a business.
In 2020 our twin girls were born and we upgraded to a 46 foot catamaran, Selaví (pronounced C’est la vie). We continue to run trips that are focused on wellness and family friendly adventures. For example, we teach wholesome cooking, freediving, breathwork, yoga, meditation, and sailing. We’ve hosted families with babies as young as 8 months.
Late 2023 we will be in Marquesas, and in 2024 we move aboard our new 60ft catamaran in the Seychelles to begin a world schooling expedition back to California. We aim to have a full-time teacher for this period. Read about it on our blog: http://www.greencoconutrun.com
We live aboard the boat 24/7 and are never at a marina, always at anchor. We are really active with swimming, snorkeling, free diving, surfing, kitesurfing, and SUPing. We try to bring the twins along with us in activities whenever possible.
During the past years, we’ve cruised between Tahiti, Leeward Society Islands, and Tuamotus (a wild place with atolls where we will spend most of our time in 2022, see our schedule). See our latest newsletter for a sampling.
our parenting philosophy:
We feel that children are special beings that choose their parents to guide them in this life. As their guides, we do our best to lovingly & securely offer them choices so they can fulfill their highest potential.
We follow the RIE parenting model which focuses on treating infants with respect (ie. the golden rule… act like you would like to be treated yourself by a friend) and honoring their ability to make choices (based on their current level). This post offers a good summary of RIE.
Whereas some parents focus on “raising good kids” and “keeping their kids safe and comfortable”, our focus is to #1 respect and #2 empower our kids.
It might help to understand what we try to avoid:
- Saying No. Instead, we say: “we can’t let you do this, because it is unsafe for these reasons…”
- Being overprotective. Instead, we say ” this is dangerous, watch out”
- Serious injury or trauma.
- Being over-comforting. Instead of “you’re ok baby, don’t worry”, we say. “you look scared, what happened?” . We don’t dismiss their experience for the sake of comfort.
- Doing things mindlessly, without their consent. We act and communicate with presence.
- Sugar (white & brown), with the goal to promote wholesome nutrition
- Screen time, with the goal to promote creative imagination (the exception is engaged learning activities)
In a parallel way, RIE is for infants as Non-Violent Communication (NVC) is for adults. Both are methods for overcoming our judgments and instead focusing on observation, presence, and empathy. Learn more about NVC here.
As our onboard teacher and crewmember, we would ask you to practice RIE and NVC principles . It’s ok if you’re not familiar with these concepts. The most important thing is intention and interest in these principles. We will offer you further training in the form of basic materials to read beforehand, and more in-depth while onboard.
qualifications:
- pre-school teaching experience is not mandatory, but it is very helpful. Waldorf & Montessori particularly welcome.
- child care / nanny experience is not mandatory, but it is very helpful
- RIE / NVC knowledge is not mandatory, but interest is required and advance study before coming aboard.
- Characteristics desired: patience, supreme patience. Creativity, optimism, stoke, positive attitude, responsibility, autonomy, respect, compassion, self-starter, highly independent
- Skills desired: cooking for groups (up to 12 people with diverse diets); ocean competency (strong swimmer, confident in ocean); and being an amazing host/hostess.
expectations:
What can you expect from working as an onboard teacher on Green Coco?
- The work commitment is 8 hours per day, 7 days per week with 4 days off per month if you’d like to go on independent excursion on land (we are flexible and love empowering people to do things they are excited about).
- We’ll have “pre-school” hours such as 9-2pm and a few extra hours of helping around the boat or with the girls in the afternoon/evening, depending on activities of the day.
- In addition, we take turns cooking meals & cleaning, so you can expect to make one meal each day or every other day (depending on your activities, #of people aboard, etc) as your contribution to the meal schedule aboard the boat, about 1.5 hrs total.
- We work really hard and play hard. This is best suited for those super eager to learn to spend time in the ocean, learn sailing, and are able to play independently (go for a swim or paddle on your own to shore). You’ll be in some of the world’s most beautiful islands, but also expected to work just as hard as we do
- Time with the girls is more than just child care. To the extent possible, we allow them independent play time, during which time we also fold laundry, prep food, clean dishes, etc. We also try to include the girls in these daily activities of life. Like a parent, you’ll be juggling multiple things to get life tasks done.
- As we usually have other guests on board, you’ll be helping when possible as a crew member.
- You’re only on call during the day, not nighttime, except on occasional evening for date nights 🙂
accommodation
When there is space, you can sleep in your own cabin with private bathroom (labelled Aft Cabin below).
When there are guests aboard, you’ll take the single berth and share bathroom with the girls (labelled Single Berth below)
See a Boat Tour video here.
compensation:
Once you’re aboard the boat, all your costs are covered (food and accommodation, beer & alcohol not included).
The places we visit and take guests are world-renown and absolutely stunning. We try to include you in as many activities as possible so your stay can be super memorable.
As part of your stay, we offer you basic training in sailing, off-grid cruising skills, breathwork, and non-violent communication.
If you have experience as a chef, RIE parenting, or whole child teaching like Waldorf, Montessori, or Reggio Emilia, we may be able to offer you additional stipends.