Montessori Assistants

Job description

Immediately available.

Fiore Montessori School in Vienna, VA is seeking full-time Assistants (Both English and English/Spanish immersive positions are available). Working hours dependent on position (7:30/8:00am-4are 7:30 am to 4:00/5:30pm, Monday – Friday.

Past experience with children not required, although a plus. Candidates from all backgrounds / work experience welcome. Strong preference is given to individuals who are gentle in their movement, soft spoken, patient and graceful in their interactions with others. We will offer training to candidates to be successful in the classroom.

The assistant works directly with the lead Montessori Teacher to manage children ages 3 months to 6 years old. Their role is to maintain a beautiful environment (classroom), support the teacher as needed, and assist the children as directed by the teacher. Many of our assistants are bilingual and speak only Spanish in the presence of the children to create an immersive bilingual environment.

Our ideal candidate will have the following skills:

- Communicates comfortably in English (native Spanish speaker with strong English skills is a bonus)

- Gentle, soft-spoken, humble, graceful in movement, positive attitude

- Curious and open to Montessori philosophy and training

- Interested in understanding and working with young children and looking to make a long term commitment to this job

- Able to work well with a team of dedicated professionals

- Physical Aptitude required: Applicants must be able to lift from 5 to 30 pounds on occassion, be able to stand for long periods of time, stoop, bend, flex between sitting and crouching positions on a daily basis with or without reasonable accommodation..

- Driver’s license required; must have proof of citizenship or work permit

Responsibilities include:

• Daily preparation of the classroom environment (including, for ex., organizing and restocking papers & supplies, recording observations, caring for and maintaining the cleanliness of furniture and materials, making materials as directed)
• Supervising the students for safety, noise level, and guidance of social interactions in the classroom or outdoor areas as they work freely on independent choices of work
• Preserving a respectful, work environment for the other children while the lead teacher gives lessons to one child at a time
• Overseeing baking, cooking and art projects
• Attending all-school functions and meetings as requested
• For Spanish-speaking individuals, creating an immersive Spanish environment by speaking only Spanish whenever students are present, and introducing elements of Spanish-speaking culture through song, stories and lessons under the direction of the lead teacher

We offer excellent benefits and a wonderful working environment. Our staff members have a great respect for the child and appreciate the opportunity to gently guide children as they develop naturally. Fiore offers regular, on-the-job training for our assistants, as well as professional development and a respectful working environment. We are looking for long term commitment and reliability. If the candidate is a good, long-term fit, they may be offered an opportunity for formal training to become a Montessori teacher after their first full year of employment. Salary range is commensurate with experience, education and role/responsibilities. Benefits include health, 401k, professional development.