Greenspring Montessori School is seeking a Part-Time Adolescent (Middle School) Guide for the 2024-25 school year. The ideal candidate is a dynamic, experienced, and mature member of a motivated and collaborative teaching team.
Following the Montessori philosophy and tenets, adults and students in the Adolescent Community function as a community of learners in an atmosphere of mutual respect and support. This position is approximately 18 hours (2 days) per week on Wednesdays and Fridays for the 2024-25 school year in addition to attending a weekly Thursday meeting from 3:30-5:00 pm. For the 2025-26 school year, this position will move to 24 hours (3 days) per week.
ABOUT GREENSPRING MONTESSORI SCHOOL
Greenspring Montessori School has been offering a Montessori education to students since 1962. Nestled on a 7-acre property that was originally a dairy farm, students ages 18 months through grade 8 thrive in our newly renovated buildings, state-of-the-art Montessori classrooms, and rich outdoor learning environments.
At Greenspring Montessori School, we value life experiences alongside professional training. We welcome and celebrate people of diverse backgrounds, histories, perspectives, identities, cultures, religions, and races. Our learning environment is strengthened and enriched through a community that reflects the nuances and beauty of an intricate and complex world.
We are guided by our Professional Values here at Greenspring, and we are searching for self-motivated, collaborative, coachable individuals with a passion for learning and growing within our community. Personal values around a reverence for human dignity and a commitment to social justice, honoring the spirit of each child, and a love of nature and our environment are strong indicators of a potential fit for our school.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Specific Curricular Areas of Responsibility:
- Responsible for the Science Curriculum
- Follow the curriculum as outlined for this year (physical science, weather, and climate change)
- Provide opportunities for adolescents to explore science through hands-on experiences, experiments, demonstrations, and research
- Support adolescents in note-taking
- Support adolescents in synthesizing information and supporting a conclusion with evidence
- In future years, plan a rich science curriculum that aligns with other curricular work
- Partner with other Guides and students to support the Student Economy curriculum
- With the other Adolescent Guides and students, plan student economy projects aligned with the goal of creating a sustainable community, supporting our economic circle, and learning together.
- Support projects such as planting and caring for seedlings, repairing bikes, making sustainable crafts, or cooking food for sale
- Shop for supplies, as needed, and prepare the environment for successful side-by-side work on projects
- Coach adolescents in leadership, teamwork, mission articulation, community interactions, and other skills associated with a successful business
The Classroom:
- Cultivate a nurturing, respectful, inspiring, empowering, and safe learning environment.
- Put the adolescent at the center of each moment. Always operate with the individual adolescent as your guide. What do they need? What are they telling me? What sensitive period are they communicating? How can I be the dynamic link to the environment to meet this adolescent’s unique needs?
- Know and honor each adolescent, cultivating and celebrating their strengths, and gracefully supporting areas of struggle and challenge.
- Develop instructional units and daily plans to ensure each adolescent’s unique science needs are being met with lessons that support and generate curiosity and wonder, a deep love of learning, and strong academic skills.
- Keep accurate records, updated weekly, on individual students’ development and needs.
- Provide supervision over the classroom community and students’ work, with keen awareness of the functioning of the whole while also paying attention to individual and small group needs.
- Strive to observe for at least 15 minutes a day, and record these observations.
- Follow the Student Support Protocol for students who present needs.
- Model and teach appropriate conflict resolution and problem-solving strategies.
- Provide and support deeply engaging learning experiences in accordance with authentic Montessori philosophy and practice.
- Cultivate and generate a student-led environment, filled with independence, concentration, wonder, and joy.
- Create a rich culture of grace and courtesy in the classroom.
- Collaborate with faculty and staff throughout the school to effectively develop, share, and participate in learning activities and community events.
- Create a beautiful and inspiring Montessori prepared environment, in complete adherence to these principles: Is it for the adolescent? Is it beautiful? Is it necessary?
- Assure that Montessori methods, classroom environment, and individual student needs are well addressed.
Student Family and Support:
- Ensure warm and effective connection between home and school, and support ongoing communication among the triad of parents, students, and the teaching team.
- Support parent understanding of the power of Montessori Education for the spiritual, academic, emotional, and social development of the adolescent.
- Attend parent-teacher conferences three times a year to provide feedback on students’ intellectual, emotional, and social development.
- Contribute to well-written, educational, and insightful progress reports and newsletters.
- Contribute to well-written, insightful updates to parents, using the school’s chosen program and adhering to the guidelines and schedule agreed upon by the Director of Education and Guides.
- Participate in inspiring parent education events.
- Respond to parent inquiries respectfully, effectively, and in a timely fashion.
- Build strong partnerships with parents.
- Support communication with parents according to school guidelines.
- Assist students as appropriate in the high school application process.
Professional and Personal Growth:
- Model lifelong learning and meet professional development requirements.
- Be a lifelong learner, taking full responsibility for your own self-awareness, spirituality, and growth and development.
- Be deeply committed to constantly deepening your understanding of authentic Montessori practice, and implementing the method rigorously and precisely in your classroom and beyond.
- Attend professional development workshops outside of school.
- Create yearly professional goals in partnership with the Adolescent Director to be supported by your professional development.
- Peer coach, as an observer and an instructor.
- Observe within the Greenspring community, and a school outside of the Greenspring community.
- Read at least one book a year to further your understanding of and practice in Montessori education.
- Be open-minded and work in collaboration with the Adolescent Director and outside consultants to best support students.
- Seek resources for those areas of instruction or curriculum that are not your strengths.
Administrative Responsibilities:
- Assist in the efficient and effective management of the school.
- Follow protocols for managing information (i.e., attendance, record keeping) and completing requests (i.e., purchase orders, supplies, personal days), etc., as further detailed in the Employee Handbook.
- Observe and meet all school deadlines (i.e. submitting classroom newsletters, preparing progress reports, etc.).
- Attend all required staff meetings and special events.
- Maintain open communication with administration and colleagues and voice concerns to and seek help from administration in a timely and positive manner.
- Respond to emails within 24 hours – weekends excluded. Copy Head of School and/or Adolescent Director (as appropriate) on concerning emails.
Community Leadership Responsibilities:
- Support the school community as a model and leader of Montessori principles and professionalism.
- Attend all level meetings, and participate fully, sharing your full intelligence and experience, and offering your full support to the success and well-being of the Greenspring Montessori School community. Ensure that each meeting has minutes generated that are shared with the Adolescent Director.
- Take full responsibility for creating a beautifully prepared classroom and well-organized curriculum to support student growth.
- Be a role model for Montessori to our students, staff and community at all times.
- Be an unwavering stand for Greenspring Montessori School, and who we are as a community and school, and our commitment to authentic Montessori practice.
Communicate openly, compassionately, and proactively. Always take the high road, coming to each conversation in partnership and with a sense of purpose towards common goals.
COMPETENCIES
- Adhere to American Montessori Society guidelines and standards as an accredited school, for the purpose of maintaining quality and excellence.
- Promote professionalism and ethical standards in all relationships in the school.
- Willingness to both receive and offer coaching. Specifically,
- Accepts coaching graciously and with an open mind
- Implements coaching received in a timely fashion and in the manner in which it was intended
- Willingness to work hard and as part of a team for a common goal
POSITION DETAILS
This is a 10-month, part-time position. Chaperoning two week-long overnight trips per year and attendance at occasional evening and weekend events (as job duties demand) is required. The salary is commensurate with experience. Benefits for part time employees including health insurance are available. Short-term and long-term disability, and life insurance are available at the employee’s own expense. Partial tuition remission for qualified dependents.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Required:
- BA/BS Degree
- Minimum of two years teaching adolescents
- Commitment to learning about Montessori Philosophy
- Commitment to work collaboratively with faculty to enhance whole school learning environment and community
- Outstanding communication skills – both written and verbal
- Commitment to professional development and best practices in education
- Commitment to meeting the needs of each adolescent
Preferred:
- Montessori Adolescent Teaching Credential (from an AMI, AMS, or MACTE-accredited program)
- Master’s Degree
Authorization to work in the United States is a pre-condition of employment at Greenspring Montessori School.