Our Teachers
What a Montessori teacher actually does
The job looks strange from the doorway. A Montessori teacher spends most of the morning watching, kneeling beside one child at a time, and deliberately not intervening — and the quality of a Montessori school is almost entirely the quality of that watching.
The work
Four things the adult in the room is doing
- Observing, constantlyThe teacher is building a running picture of every child: what they have mastered, what they are avoiding, what they are ready for. Presentations are chosen from that picture, not from a schedule.
- Giving precise, individual lessonsA Montessori presentation is short, exact and usually silent — the material is shown rather than explained. Then the child is left with it.
- Maintaining the environmentEvery material complete, in order, at child height, in good repair. The room does much of the teaching, so keeping it right is teaching.
- Deciding when not to helpThe hardest part of the job. A child struggling productively is doing the work; an adult who steps in takes it away from them.
On your tour
Questions worth asking about teaching — here and everywhere
These are good questions for any school, and a school that answers them crisply is telling you something.
- Where did this teacher train, and for which age range?Montessori training is age-specific. The answer should name a training program.
- How long has the lead teacher been in this room?Continuity matters more to a three-year-old than almost anything else.
- How many adults are in the classroom, and what does each do?Ask to see it during the work cycle rather than being told a number.
- What happens when a child is struggling?The answer tells you how closely anyone is actually watching.
Questions
What parents ask about our teachers
- What training do Montessori teachers have?Montessori training is separate from a state teaching credential and is specific to an age range — a teacher trained for ages three to six is trained for a different classroom than one trained for elementary. Ask any school you visit where each lead teacher trained and for which age range, and expect a specific answer.
- Who leads my child’s classroom?Ask on your tour and you will meet them. We would rather introduce you to the person who will teach your child than describe them on a web page. Call the office at 650-616-9000 to arrange a morning.
- How long do teachers stay?Continuity of adults matters enormously to young children, and it is a fair question to ask any school directly. Ask how long the lead teacher in your child’s room has been there.
- Who is the director?Simin Fallah is the Administration Director and is generally the person you will speak to first.
Meet them in person
Tours run during the school day — you will meet the teachers while they are teaching.