“All work is noble, the only ignoble thing is to live without working” – Dr. Maria Montessori
Do you have a passion for working with children? Do you want to help them reach their limitless potential as courageous, creative, and resilient contributing members of the community? If so, we’d love to hear from you!
Lions Gate Montessori, located in downtown Vancouver within close proximity to the city’s beaches, museums, art gallery, and Stanley Park, offers the rewards of working in a dynamic and diverse environment.
Committed to providing supportive leadership that fosters professional and personal growth, staff at our school receive competitive salaries, benefits packages as well as development opportunities.
Montessori Lead Teachers must have:
- Association Montessori International (AMI) diplomas
- Bachelor Degree and eligibility for Independent Teaching Certification or Letter of Permission (Candidates currently in training may apply)
- BC Early Childhood Education Licence (for the Primary Preschool candidates)
- First Aid Certification
- Medical clearance to work with children
- Successful Criminal Record Check
- The ability to communicate using English or French effectively, both verbally and in writing
- A genuine delight in working with children!
Benefits for full-time staff to start alter a mandatory 3-month Probationary Period and include paid sick days, Professional Development Credits, Medical & Dental benefits, Travel & Life Insurance, and Employer matching RRSP.
Ideal candidates will have the willingness to create and maintain exceptional environments. Imbued with a deep sense of care for your students, you must also possess a thorough understanding of your role as an educator in compliance with the professional boundaries and standards required by our the Teachers Regulation Branch, the province’s governing body and Early Childhood Education Licensing Authority (if working with preschool students).
Due to Canadian Employment Standards, offers of employment must be extended to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or candidates with fluent French language or Express Entry to Canada as a first priority.
OUR VALUES: We are committed to maintaining a learning and working environment in which everyone’s human rights are respected and do not discriminate or permit any discrimination on grounds of the basis of race, colour, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
Our ideal candidates are positive, open-minded, and dedicated individuals who enjoy the company of children and working in a team environment.
We hold high standards for those whom we invite to join our family of dedicated staff members. We’re not merely looking for someone who has done X, Y, or Z and is searching for a “job” but rather someone who wishes to join a community that aligns with his/her personal passion and vision of Montessori education.
LGMS is a very special place. It’s a community that our staff looks forward to participating in each and every day – and we make sure each student can say the same thing! If you have the passion and dedication to the Montessori approach as we have established, then we’d love to meet you.
We work with our staff the way we expect our staff to work with our students – making our expectations clear and providing helpful guidance. So, please keep the following points in mind:
1. BE PREPARED
In the words of Maria Montessori, “The real preparation for education is the study of one’s self. The training of the teacher is something far more than the learning of ideas. It includes the training of character; it is a preparation of the spirit.”
Whether you are applying for a position as an Assistant, Support Staff, or Teacher (Director/Guide), do a little homework before meeting with us. Learn about our school by exploring our website and Facebook pages, take the time to observe and be well-versed in Montessori education as well as the code of conduct, standards, and guidelines expected of you as a professional working with children entrusted to us by their families.
2. BE HONEST
Honesty, integrity, and trust are at the core of the value system at LGMS. Trust is everything when working with students and their families. Working with students is complex. We take very seriously, how our attitudes and actions can affect each and every child. With so much on the line, we expect our candidates to be completely honest when answering our questions.
Note that you will be probed as to why a previous job didn’t work out. It’s okay if you were laid off or even fired! Be honest. If it wasn’t the right fit or if mistakes were made, tell us why and how you’ve grown since. Doing so is far more honourable than being deceptive about why something happened and not taking ownership for your actions. Everyone makes mistakes but we need to know that you are a person who is self-reflective and has the potential to grow from your mistakes. We need to have confidence that you are able to do the job required of you at the level of our expectations, and you need to trust that we will support you: We can only do that if you are honest about your shortcomings.
“Not words, but virtues, are her main qualifications.” – Dr. Maria Montessori, Discovery of the Child
3. UNDERSTANDING THE JOURNEY
It’s all about the process – the journey of helping each child incarnate. It’s not about checking off a list of presentations, lessons, and activities. Instead, it’s demonstrating that you understand how to apply the Montessori approach so as to inspire, motivate, and guide students towards achieving their personal best with patience, creativity, and joyful discipline.
All new staff must undergo a probation period. Successful candidates are able to show me that they value the process of helping students reach their full potential in an open-minded and compassionate manner. If you are a new teacher and not yet adept at applying the theory, we expect you to have the humility to ask for help and accept guidance from senior staff and supervisors. It’s a journey for you as well!
4. ASK QUESTIONS
There is no such thing as an irrelevant question. We are taking the time to get to know you and want you to make the most of our interview to get to know us!
5. JOIE DE VIVRE
“It is not enough for the teacher to love the child. She must first love and understand the universe. She must prepare herself, and truly work at it.” Dr. Maria Montessori
Show us you love working with children, love learning with them, and most of all, have a love for life. Teachers provide the emotional and psychological environment for our students to flourish. If we want them to lead fulfilling lives for themselves, we need to ensure that they see this in us – as dedicated, joyful professionals.
We are interested in those who are interested in us. We are not going to force a fit. So show us why you want to be on our team. Fulfilled and successful staff at our school enjoy expressing themselves at their full capacity because they love what they do!
To apply, kindly submit your resume with three references, cover letter, and copies of diploma(s) and certification(s) by email to principal@lionsgatemontessori.org