Teachers & Pods
Our Founder & Lead Teacher
Jessica Smalls
Founder & Lead Teacher
Jessica was born and raised homesteading, which included quilting, hunting, fishing, sewing, baking, cooking and growing. Her passions include energy medicine, herbs, healthy eating, and being the best leader she can be. Jessica is also a Medicine Woman, medical intuitive, clinical herbalist, published author, musician, singer/songwriter and empowerment coach.
Our 2026-27 school year is shaping up to be an incredible year of learning. Our students will range in age from 4 years to 14 years. We will be utilizing a community approach to learning and break out pods for Sprouts, Seedlings & Saplings.
Our smaller pods are supported by teachers enrolled in our Teacher Training Program. This program ensures TSOP teachers have the necessary skillsets to support individualized instruction and course creation for students, adequately manage their own energy and emotions to have capacity to guide students in managing theirs, and put our observational assessment and feedback system to work to provide real time effectiveness for each student's educational program.
Student Teachers 2026-2027
Pamela Reid
Educator 2026-2027
Pamela is a creative and passionate individual who holds a lifelong commitment to learning. She has a background in environmental sustainability and socio-cultural anthropology. Her well-rounded skill set includes teaching, research, program coordination, and community engagement. In alignment with our program, Pamela brings extended knowledge of sustainable gardening practices and healthy eating to our students. Pamela is the mother of one of our 2025 graduates and has worked for The School of Purpose as both the Outdoor Teacher and as an Occasional Teacher.
Emma Ritchie
Emma is a wellness coach, nurse, camp leader, and lifelong learner who is passionate about helping young people build self-awareness, confidence, empathy, and connection.
Her background includes Indigenous health leadership, community wellness, coaching, and over five years of summer camp leadership. Beyond her professional work, Emma's experiences with communities abroad have deepened her appreciation for holistic wellness, community, and learning through relationship and experience.
When she's not working, you'll find her gardening, hiking, playing soccer, volunteering, practicing yoga or aerial arts, crocheting or sewing, learning about robotics, traveling, surfing, or spending time in nature.
Adriana Hammer
Born in Mexico, Adriana brings over 10 years of combined experience working with homeschoolers, families, and communities. Her work is rooted in connection, curiosity, and care, with a deep passion for learning and continual personal growth. She also leads a children’s yoga practice, creates community workshops, and offers empowerment coaching.
Adriana is deeply committed to creating nurturing learning environments where children feel safe, seen, and inspired to grow. She strives to empower children to stay connected to their curiosity and build a strong, resilient mindset. She believes in learning that honors the whole child and supports their unique way of discovering the world. Outside of her teaching practice, she finds joy in painting, writing, exploring the world through microscopes, energy healing, and spending time in nature.
Hiring for the 2026-27 School Year
Hiring has ended for September 2026/27 at our East London Location.​
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Our NEXT HIRING wave will begin October 13th and end October 16th, 2026.
This hiring will be in preparation for additional micro school locations within Canada.
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If you are passionate about this style of education and wish to open your own micro school in your area with TSOP curriculum and foundations at it's core plus your extra twist,
reach out to schedule a PARTNERSHIP CALL today
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Our ideal teacher candidates have experience supporting ages 4-14 years in a learning setting for four and more years, have a thirst for learning new things, a strong holistic mindset, and a passion for supporting students in the ways that best suit them.
All applicants are required to submit a resume and cover letter and completed vulnerable sector screening. If selected, completion of a training program called Personal Mastery will be required to be considered for the program.
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TSOP Pods
Sprouts
4 - 8 yrs
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Students in this pod explore all of the magic subjects outlined in our curriculum package, with an emphasis on literacy and math basics. In a centre-based scenario, students learn about the magic behind letters and numbers that will allow them to read, write and further explore the world around them. A variety of other inquiry based lessons will be taught, both indoors and out. Students will have the opportunity to make their first drum, explore daily breathwork and movement activities, build a foundation for their emotional intelligence, learn business basics and much more.​
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The ages outlined above are used as guidelines to place students when entering our school. Children will graduate to the next pod when they are developmentally ready.
Seedlings & Saplings
8 - 14 yrs
With basic reading, writing and numeracy underway, students in these pods will dive deeper into the “why” behind our magical subjects and explore a variety of research projects directed by student interests. These projects allow them to work towards earning badges - which are tokens of accomplishment that demonstrate the work they have completed to date. A stronger emphasis is placed on our business program in this pod, as students create and operate their own business and support its growth and expansion throughout the years.
Sapling students move more into skill building where their passions allow, and are provided the opportunity to create lessons and teach younger students with guidance and support from our Lead T teacher, fostering the flow of student-led learning and the value of community connection within our school. Saplings also develop a website for their business and take the lead on demonstrating positive examples of our foundational teachings within the daily community.
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