Montessori Coach (Contractor)

About Sankofa Montessori Sankofa Montessori is a tuition-free public charter school serving students in Kindergarten through 5th grade in Forest Park, Georgia. Our mission is to empower children with the knowledge, skills, and agency needed to lead purposeful lives. At Sankofa, we believe deeply in the power of Montessori education and in expanding access to Montessori through public education. We are intentionally building a model that honors the philosophy, principles, and practices of Montessori while thoughtfully responding to the students, families, and community we serve. Our school community is grounded in our core values of Love, Joy, Ownership, Purpose, and Reflection. We are seeking an experienced Montessori Instructional Coach who is excited to partner with us as we continue strengthening Montessori practice across our school. About The Role The Montessori Instructional Coach will serve as a partner and resource to our teachers and leadership team. The primary focus of this role is teacher learning, Montessori materials, lesson planning, and professional development. We want our teachers to develop a deeper understanding of Montessori philosophy while also becoming increasingly confident and independent in selecting, presenting, and sequencing Montessori materials and lessons. The coach will work directly with teachers to help them understand how to use Montessori materials, why and when particular materials are used, what skills they develop, and what lessons should come next. The coach will also serve as a thought partner to school leadership, providing feedback and recommendations about opportunities to deepen and strengthen Montessori practice across Sankofa. This is a supportive coaching and capacity-building role and is not a formal teacher evaluation or supervisory position. What You'll Do Lead engaging professional development on Montessori philosophy, principles, and instructional practicesHelp teachers deepen their understanding of how Montessori philosophy translates into daily classroom practiceProvide hands-on training on the purpose, presentation, sequence, and appropriate use of Montessori materialsModel Montessori lessons and material presentations for teachersProvide teachers with opportunities to practice Montessori presentations and receive supportive, actionable feedbackPartner with teachers to plan upcoming Montessori lessons and presentationsHelp teachers understand the sequence and progression of Montessori lessons and materialsSupport teachers in identifying appropriate lessons and materials based on student readiness and instructional needsHelp teachers understand what comes next within a Montessori progression so they can become increasingly independent in planning instructionSupport teachers in thoughtfully connecting Montessori materials and lessons with Sankofa's academic programProvide practical resources, lesson ideas, planning tools, and Montessori guidance that teachers can immediately use in their classroomsHelp teachers troubleshoot challenges they encounter when selecting, presenting, or sequencing Montessori materialsSupport teachers at different stages of their Montessori learning and developmentServe as a thought partner to the leadership team regarding Montessori implementationProvide leadership with feedback about strengths, opportunities, and practical next steps for strengthening Montessori practice across the schoolHelp identify future Montessori professional development, materials, resources, and training needsPartner with school leadership to determine Montessori learning priorities for the Flight CrewDemonstrate Sankofa Montessori's core values of Love, Joy, Ownership, Purpose, and Reflection What Success Looks Like Our goal is to build the Montessori knowledge and capacity of our Flight Crew. Success in this role means teachers become increasingly confident in: Understanding the purpose behind Montessori materials and lessonsSelecting the appropriate material or presentation for a particular skill or student needPresenting Montessori materials accurately and confidentlyUnderstanding the sequence and progression of Montessori lessonsPlanning upcoming Montessori instruction with greater independenceMaking intentional decisions about when and how to incorporate Montessori materials into student learningConnecting Montessori philosophy to their everyday classroom practices For our leadership team, success means having an experienced Montessori partner who can help us reflect on our current practices, identify opportunities for growth, and thoughtfully determine our next steps as a public Montessori school. Who We're Looking For We are looking for more than someone with Montessori expertise. We are looking for someone who wants to build alongside us - someone who believes deeply in Montessori education, sees the possibilities of expanding access through public education, and is excited to help our teachers and leaders continue developing a strong, authentic, sustainable, and innovative Montessori model at Sankofa. We value the foundation of Montessori and are excited about the opportunity to thoughtfully explore what is possible when Montessori is made accessible to more children through the public sector. We are also open to innovation, thoughtful experimentation, and continuous learning as we determine how to best bring that foundation to life within Sankofa's unique context. Our ideal partner: Has a deep respect for Montessori philosophy and practiceBelieves more children and families should have access to high-quality Montessori educationIs excited about the possibilities of public Montessori educationIs curious, flexible, collaborative, and open to innovationUnderstands that building a strong public Montessori model requires reflection, learning, and thoughtful problem-solvingCan honor foundational Montessori principles while helping us explore how those principles can thrive within our school communityApproaches teachers as learners and partners who may be at different stages of their Montessori developmentEnjoys teaching adults and can make Montessori concepts approachable and practicalIs willing to demonstrate, practice, explain, and revisit materials with teachers until they feel confidentCan provide leadership with thoughtful feedback while also being willing to listen, learn, and problem-solve alongside usIs excited about helping Sankofa continue to define and strengthen what Montessori can look like within the public sector Benefits Required Montessori credential from a MACTE-accredited teacher education programSuccessful experience as a Montessori classroom educatorStrong knowledge of Montessori philosophy, pedagogy, materials, and lesson sequencesAbility to accurately demonstrate and explain Montessori material presentationsExperience supporting, mentoring, coaching, or training other educatorsAbility to explain not only how to use Montessori materials, but their purpose, progression, and connection to student developmentStrong communication and relationship-building skillsAbility to provide supportive, practical, and actionable feedbackCommitment to expanding access to high-quality Montessori education Preferred Experience with Primary and/or Elementary Montessori environmentsPrevious Montessori coaching, teacher-training, or adult-learning experienceExperience facilitating professional developmentExperience supporting teachers with Montessori lesson planning and material sequencingExperience in a public Montessori, charter, or other innovative Montessori environmentExperience working with educators who are at varying stages of their Montessori training and development Contract & Compensation This is a contracted position and is not eligible for Sankofa Montessori employee benefits. Compensation will be based on the agreed-upon scope of work, schedule, experience, qualifications, and contract terms. The contractor will provide primarily on-site support at Sankofa Montessori through: Montessori professional developmentTeacher planning and coaching sessionsMontessori material demonstrations and practiceLesson sequencing and upcoming instructional planningConsultation and thought partnership with school leadership Specific days on campus, hours, deliverables, compensation, and other contract terms will be established prior to the start of services. Equal Employment Opportunity Sankofa Montessori provides equal opportunities to applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.