Private Early Childhood Special Education Teacher

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.

Student Profile

You will work with a nearly five-year-old boy who has been diagnosed with autism. His parents describe him as gifted, highly capable, and full of potential. He benefits from significant one-on-one support and is especially attached to his mother, making the development of trust, independence, and confidence a central goal of this placement.

The family has intentionally chosen a highly individualized educational path and is looking for an educator who can help create a positive, structured, and engaging learning experience. Their goals extend well beyond traditional academics. They hope to see growth in communication, emotional regulation, social development, confidence, independence, and the establishment of strong daily routines that support long-term success.

Academic growth matters, but it must occur within a learning environment that is responsive to the student's developmental, sensory, and social-emotional needs.

What You'll Do

• 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

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role

• You have significant experience working with autistic children and understand how learning, behavior, communication, and regulation intersect
• You have substantial experience implementing ABA principles and interventions in educational settings; BCBA credentials are highly valued but not required
• You are equally comfortable functioning as an educator, interventionist, and developmental support professional
• You bring warmth, patience, and relationship-building skills while maintaining clear expectations and structure
• You are creative, engaging, and play-based while remaining highly intentional and organized
• You understand the importance of data collection, progress monitoring, and evidence-based decision making
• You communicate clearly, professionally, and proactively with families
• You are adaptable and able to adjust plans in real time based on student needs
• You are excited by the opportunity to invest deeply in one student's long-term growth

Credentials

• Bachelor's degree required; degree in Education or a subject-matter field strongly preferred
• State teaching certification or BCBA license required
• Candidates with equivalent demonstrated experience will be considered

Experience

• 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

Skills

• 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

Professional Standards

• 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

Compensation

• $40,000 - $45,000/yr, commensurate with experience, credentials, and placement scope
• Compensation is negotiated directly with the family; Thrive advocates for fair market rates on your behalf

Logistics

• Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
• Schedule: Tuesday–Thursday between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM
• Instructional Load: Maximum of 15 instructional hours per week plus planning time

• Benefits: Benefits offered through Thrive
• Start Date: January 2027

Work Environment

• One-on-one or small-group instruction -- no classroom management overhead
• Deep, ongoing relationships with students and families rather than high-volume throughput
• Schedule flexibility that mirrors the academic calendar you design together
• Opportunity to teach the way you believe learning actually works

Support

• Personalized matching -- Thrive vets families thoroughly before introductions, so your time is spent with qualified, serious clients
• Dedicated placement coordinator throughout the process
• Access to Thrive's educator network, resources, and ongoing placement opportunities
• Long-term career development: many of our educators build lasting careers across successive placements
  
  
  Thrive Education Partners is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and make hiring decisions based on experience, skills, and business needs, without regard to
  any status protected by applicable law.