The Assistant helps the Directress in preparing and maintaining the Montessori environment. The Assistant is directly accountable to the Directress. Working with children requires a positive attitude and respect for the child. This concept should be demonstrated whenever the staff interacts with the children.
Year-round, full and part time positions available. Medical and dental health plans and PTO, paid holidays, and a 401k available for full-time employees. Pay is dependent on experience.
Teaching Assistant Responsibilities:
1. Class Preparation and Class Time
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- Practical life area: prepare snacks, wet sponges, pouring exercises, polishing supplies, replenish art supplies, sharpen pencils, etc.
- Check bathrooms for cleanliness and supplies, check cubie area and cozy corner.
- Share in playground duty.
- Assist in coat area as children arrive.
- Be present in the classroom at assigned times. Personal needs are to be attended to before assigned classroom starting time.
- Help maintain a calm and orderly work time.
- Demonstrate materials only when you are sure how to use it correctly, and only when your Directress has indicated.
- Scan classroom frequently. Be responsible for your assigned part of classroom management at all times.
- Discuss with the Directress on the length of individual lessons and understand she/he is responsible for and in control of the classroom.
- If not assisting with “line time,” begin cleanup of practical life areas.
- Help prepare snacks when needed.
- Meet weekly with the Directress and review children’s developmental progress.
- Change environment exercises and make materials when requested.
- Change practical life exercise monthly.
- Care for all animals and plants on a daily basis.
2. Clean Up may include some or all of the following; duties to be shared between classroom staff
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- Take snack dishes to the kitchen.
- Return all food and juice to the refrigerator.
- Wash all table tops, snack table, snack serving table, hand washing table, clothes washing, dish washing, food prep area, and counter area with mild disinfectant.
- Clean easel, polishing area and straighten aprons.
- Straighten and clean up Practical Life pouring, shelves, and art shelves.
- Wipe vinyl aprons clean, make sure the cleaning rack is straightened and that the mop is clean, sweep floor, tidy bathroom, check supplies
- Straighten and dust shelves in all the other areas of the classroom, and edge shelves, Sensorial, Science, Language, Math, and straighten books in the library.
3. Lunch
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- Help children with lunch duties.
- Oversee table preparation.
4. Other
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- Assistants may be required to attend Saturday functions, including, but not limited to, training programs, and outside seminars.
- Assistants may be required to assist in programs and/or classrooms other than the one hired.
- Review calendar dates for in-service days, parent meetings and other scheduled functions. Attendance at these functions is required. Attendance may also be required at unscheduled functions. As much
notice as possible will be given as to specific dates.
5. Minimum Physical Requirements – Teaching and supervising preschool children are a physically and mentally taxing profession
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- Must be able to lift and carry children up to six years of age (50 lbs. or more) as required.
- Must be able to carry and/or move shelving units, student tables and chairs as needed.
- Must be capable of sitting and/or kneeling on the floor for extended periods of time.
- Must be able to kneel and rise from a kneeling position on a continuous basis.
- Must be capable of bending and/or squatting to a child’s eye level on a continuous basis.
- Must be able to clean up children who have toileting accidents or are physically ill.
Required Qualifications
- Interest and curiousity in learning the Montessori philosphy
- Must be 18 years of age
- Must be eligible to work in the US
- Commitment to helping each child meet his/her individual potential.
- Ability to support the needs of each child in the classroom.
- Reliable, professional, and able to collaborate with coleagues
Additional Qualifications
- Montessori certification or previous knowledge of the Montessori method a plus
- Previous experience in a classroom setting or background in childcare
- Knowledge of the developmental and emotional needs of children ages 2.5-6 from different backgrounds.
Please email your resume to operations@montessoriatlonetree.com to apply.