The posting
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 practices.
- Help teachers deepen their understanding of how Montessori philosophy translates into daily classroom practice.
- Provide hands-on training on the purpose, presentation, sequence, and appropriate use of Montessori materials.
- Model Montessori lessons and material presentations for teachers.
- Provide teachers with opportunities to practice Montessori presentations and receive supportive, actionable feedback.
- Partner with teachers to plan upcoming Montessori lessons and presentations.
- Help teachers understand the sequence and progression of Montessori lessons and materials.
- Support teachers in identifying appropriate lessons and materials based on student readiness and instructional needs.
- Help teachers understand what comes next within a Montessori progression so they can become increasingly independent in planning instruction.
- Support teachers in thoughtfully connecting Montessori materials and lessons with Sankofa's academic program.
- Provide practical resources, lesson ideas, planning tools, and Montessori guidance that teachers can immediately use in their classrooms.
- Help teachers troubleshoot challenges they encounter when selecting, presenting, or sequencing Montessori materials.
- Support teachers at different stages of their Montessori learning and development.
- Serve as a thought partner to the leadership team regarding Montessori implementation.
- Provide leadership with feedback about strengths, opportunities, and practical next steps for strengthening Montessori practice across the school.
- Help identify future Montessori professional development, materials, resources, and training needs.
- Partner with school leadership to determine Montessori learning priorities for the Flight Crew.
- Demonstrate 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 lessons.
- Selecting the appropriate material or presentation for a particular skill or student need.
- Presenting Montessori materials accurately and confidently.
- Understanding the sequence and progression of Montessori lessons.
- Planning upcoming Montessori instruction with greater independence.
- Making intentional decisions about when and how to incorporate Montessori materials into student learning.
- Connecting 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 practice.
- Believes more children and families should have access to high-quality Montessori education.
- Is excited about the possibilities of public Montessori education.
- Is curious, flexible, collaborative, and open to innovation.
- Understands that building a strong public Montessori model requires reflection, learning, and thoughtful problem-solving.
- Can honor foundational Montessori principles while helping us explore how those principles can thrive within our school community.
- Approaches teachers as learners and partners who may be at different stages of their Montessori development.
- Enjoys teaching adults and can make Montessori concepts approachable and practical.
- Is willing to demonstrate, practice, explain, and revisit materials with teachers until they feel confident.
- Can provide leadership with thoughtful feedback while also being willing to listen, learn, and problem-solve alongside us.
- Is 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 program.
- Successful experience as a Montessori classroom educator.
- Strong knowledge of Montessori philosophy, pedagogy, materials, and lesson sequences.
- Ability to accurately demonstrate and explain Montessori material presentations.
- Experience supporting, mentoring, coaching, or training other educators.
- Ability to explain not only how to use Montessori materials, but their purpose, progression, and connection to student development.
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to provide supportive, practical, and actionable feedback.
- Commitment to expanding access to high-quality Montessori education.
Preferred
- Experience with Primary and/or Elementary Montessori environments.
- Previous Montessori coaching, teacher-training, or adult-learning experience.
- Experience facilitating professional development.
- Experience supporting teachers with Montessori lesson planning and material sequencing.
- Experience in a public Montessori, charter, or other innovative Montessori environment.
- Experience 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 development.
- Teacher planning and coaching sessions.
- Montessori material demonstrations and practice.
- Lesson sequencing and upcoming instructional planning.
- Consultation 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.
