Career OpportunitiesNature Walk Montessori School

200 Footpath Lane - Round Lake, ILwww.naturewalklearning.com

www.facebook.com/naturewalklearning

Lower Elementary (6-9) Lead TeacherStart date: January 6, 2020

Nature Walk Montessori School is dedicated to the Montessori philosophy and methodof teaching with a strong focus on environmental education and sustainable living. Ourmission is to provide a complete and authentic Montessori program which considersthe emotional, intellectual, physical, and social development of the total child byaddressing the uniqueness of each in a nurturing, emotionally secure and academicallyexcellent setting. The environmental focus encourages students to participate increating and maintaining healthy spaces for learning and living. We nurture children'sinnate love of learning while fostering respect and a caring attitude to nature and allliving systems. Students benefit from a sense of belonging, purposeful learning, andopportunities to develop as leaders, stewards and responsible citizens.

We are proud to offer an exceptional education program with a strong environmental component. Our 10 acre campus, consisting of conservation land and two buildings specially designed to meet the needs of our students, allow us to provide a natural, safe, and stimulating learning environment.

As an eco-school, Nature Walk promotes the children’s close interaction with their natural surroundings so they may develop a strong social and environmental consciousness. In our school children enjoy nature walks in our own trails to observe and appreciate natural life, play in our forest playscape, practice responsible disposal of waste by recycling and composting, collect water in rain barrels to use in our flower and vegetable gardens, participate in meaningful community projects such as the creation of our rain and pollinator gardens, pick apples from our own orchard, and many more. By learning to connect with nature, our students learn to respect, protect,understand, and enjoy the natural world.

We currently offer three sessions of our Parent-Infant class (birth to 36 months), two Children’s Houses (3 to 6) a Lower Elementary Community (6 to 9) and an Upper Elementary and Adolescent Community (9 to 14).

We are seeking:

- A qualified and experienced Lower Elementary Lead Teacher to start immediately. The Lower Elementary Teacher will be responsible for leading a mixed-age first through third grade classroom and will work in collaboration with our Upper Elementary and Adolescent Teacher under the supervision of the Head of School

Hours are Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 4:00pm.

Skills and Qualifications:

AMS or AMI Montessori Certification in the Elementary (6-9 or 6-12) level. Minimum of Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in the areas of Education, Environmental Sciences, or related. Three years experience as an Elementary Teacher in a Montessori setting. Three Professional/Personal references.

Fingerprint and Background Check. Adult and Infant CPR/First Aid certification. Willing to embrace Earth education and stewardship. Availability to accompany students to sleep away camp one week in March (Upper Elementary). Punctuality, dependability, patience, and an eagerness to learn.

Responsibilities as a Lead Teacher:

Develop and implement individualized/differentiated learning plans in order to meet the cognitive, social, emotional and spiritual growth of each child in the class. Implement strategies and accommodations to support student learning. Provide students with timely, clear and constructive feedback. Work with students of all abilities assigned to their classroom, including those with learning disabilities, and participate in meetings, trainings, and planning sessions to meet any special needs students' requirements. Build meaningful, respectful relationships with each child while fostering a nurturing and stimulating non-competitive environment. Role model social skills and classroom behavior expectations appropriate to the age group. Help students through self-directed activities, allowing them to develop at their own pace. Prepare and maintain a clean and orderly Montessori environment. Create, rotate, edit and introduce materials to meet the needs and interests of the students. Maintain complete and ongoing written, anecdotal records of observations and lessons, student portfolios, photos, videos, assessments and progress monitoring for each child in your class. Supervise and/or guide outdoor activities in all kinds of weather.

What we offer:

Health, dental and vision insurance Paid time off 50% tuition discount for children Ongoing professional development A network of supportive peers and mentors Career growth First Aid and CPR

If you love nature and would like to work in a supportive environment, consider sendingyour resume to careers@naturewalklearning.com