Do you dream of sailing tropical islands on an amazing boat with a stellar group of people, while running an innovative, nature-based education program?
We are a sailing cooperative called Green Coco. We have a 60 foot catamaran, hosting families and adventurers in 7-14 trips while we sail around the globe. We launched this Expedition in 2014, starting in the Seychelles Islands, as a world schooling voyage. We are a family of 4 with twins age 6 (very soon!)
We operate like a world schooling hub at sea: with a liveaboard teacher (3-6 month contract) we host co-op members and visiting families and kids. The focus range for teaching purposes is 5-9 years old, but we welcome guests of all ages.
We have space for a teacher in the Caribbean through the Panama Canal to Galapagos (November 2026 through March 2027) and then in Hawaii (April 2027 through July 2027). See our Rough Gameplan.
Interested in coming aboard as a guest? Have kids? Please check out our pricing options for guests in this post.
THE POSITION: EXPEDITION TEACHER
We are looking for a teacher who is:
- passionate & enthusiastic, dynamic and is excited to turn travel experiences into teachable moments.
- Emotionally attuned and very present
- Has experience with kids aged 4-10, and embraces a whole child approach (à la Montessori, Waldorf, experiential learning style)
- Loves the outdoors and teaching using the natural world
- Preference for native speakers of French, Spanish and English.
How to Apply: 3 steps.
- Please read below: Parenting Philosophy, Qualifications, Expectations Aboard.
- Fill out our application
- Email to expedition@greencoco.org a simple intro video about yourself (casual selfie is fine, 2 min max) and a basic resume (list of your relevant jobs, education, experiences, references).
Read below for more details on the positions, and check out all the posts from all our previous teachers.
Compensation: depends on the duration of stay.
- 3 month commitment: we cover all costs aboard*, and we give you a travel stipend of $800 USD.
- 4+ month commitment: we cover all costs aboard*, travel stipend of $800, plus an additional living stipend of $300/month starting on the 4th month.
* All cost aboard means cabins, food, and internet. Not included: alcohol or personal items you need, or excursions outside the boat (although we try to cover a few of these, subject to our discretion).
ABOUT US
Green Coco is an adventure cooperative hosting a wide arrange of members, from families with kids to single travelers to elders. Our common thread is a love for authentic adventure, learning through nature, and the joy of exploration. We love cooking wholesome food and practicing mindfulness as we navigate the beauty of the world.
Kristian & Sabrina (aboard 60ft Nesi) just sailed from East Africa to Brazil to the Caribbean. They have twins girls age 6 and love to kiteboard, wing, snorkel & long distance swim, surf, freedive, scuba, and practice yoga & breathwork. The girls have grown up aboard since six months of age, and we’ve been hosting visitors in international sailing expeditions for over 10 years and 12 different countries.
See www.greencoco.org / or instagram @greencocosailing
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 children with respect (ie. the golden rule… act like you would like to be treated) 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:
- We avoid saying No. We rarely say no. Instead, we say: “we can’t let you do this, because it is unsafe for these reasons…”
- We avoid being overprotective. Instead, we say ” this is dangerous, watch out, do you have a spotter?”
- We avoid any potential serious injury or trauma. We act decisively if there is a very dangerous situation.
- We avoid being over-comforting. If kids get hurt, instead of saying “you’re ok, don’t worry”, we ask. “can you tell me what happened?” . We don’t dismiss their experience for the sake of comfort.
- We avoid doing things mindlessly, without kids’ consent. We act and communicate with presence.
- We avoid sugar and processed when possible, and promote wholesome nutrition.
- We avoid screen time as a personal distraction. Our goal is to promote creative imagination and screens can often stifle this. One exception is using educational programs.
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 or videographer, 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
- Characteristics desired: patience, creativity, optimism, positive attitude, autonomy, respect, compassion, highly independent.
- Additional Skills desired: enjoy cooking, have ocean competency (strong swimmer, confident in ocean); enjoy hosting people.
- Teaching experience is in this specific age group is not mandatory, but it is very helpful. Whole child approaches such as Waldorf & Montessori are particularly welcome.
- Child care / nanny experience is not mandatory, but it is very helpful.
Expectations Aboard:
What can you expect from working as an onboard teacher or videographer on Green Coco?
- The work commitment is 7 hours per day, 7 days per week with 3 days off per month for independent time or excursion on land.
- Typical work hours are 9am-2pm and 5-7pm or similar.
- Domestic chores are separate — we take turns cooking meals & cleaning, so you can expect to make one meal each day or every other day, about 1.5 hrs total.
- We work hard and play hard. This is best suited for those super eager to learn to spend time in the ocean, learn sailing,
- Ability to play independently is important. You need to be able to go for a solo swim, paddle, or hang out on your own.
- As we often have other guests on board, you’ll be helping as a crew member, and learning the ropes.
- You’re only on call during the day, not nighttime, except on occasional evening for date nights 🙂
Accommodation
When there is space aboard, you can sleep in your own cabin with private bathroom.
When there are guests aboard, you’ll take the single vberth bunk and shared bathroom (see floor plan below).
Our Previous Teachers
We are happy to connect you with any of our previous teachers so you can learn about the experience firsthand. As part of your onboarding, you’ll be added to a WhatsApp group with all the previous teachers to get tips, and normally (schedule-permitting) we’ll give you one week overlap onboard with the most recent teacher for training purposes.
Libby
Libby is a Montessori trained pre-school teacher from Texas who joined us in French Polynesia in 2023 for 3 months, read about her experience and favorite kid activities.
Zoe
Zoe is from Corsica and is a trained French teacher who joined us in French Polynesia, California, and Seychelles in 2024 for 3 months, read about her experience and favorite kid activities.
Joelie
Joelie is a Steiner trained teacher from Western Australia who joined us Seychelles & Madagascar in 2024 for 4 months. Read about her experience and favorite kid activities here.
Ian
Ian worked with outdoor kids’ education in Santa Barbara, California. He joined us for 6 months in Madagascar, South Africa, Namibia, and the Atlantic Crossing to Brazil in 2024-2025. Read his blog post and lessons learnt with the kids.
Tess
Tess is a primary school teacher from Colorado & Australia. She joined us for 2.5 months in Brazil in 2025. Read about her experience and favorite activities with the kids.
Meggane
Meggane is an outdoor educator from France and she joined us for 3 months sailing from Brazil to the Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago). Check out her experience and favorite activities with the kids in an upcoming blog.
Thanks for your interest!
If you’d like to join one of our Green Coco trips, have a look at http://www.greencoco.org or email us: expedition@greencoco.org
Cheers- Kristian & Sabrina