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Montessori Makers Institute Residency

Montessori Makers Residency

Become a Mentor Guide

A Mentor Guide is the person on site with a resident: watching them work with children, and telling them the truth about it. Some Mentor Guides host a resident in their own classroom. Others travel to the school where the resident is working. Either way, you are the adult in the room.

What Mentor Guides Do

As an MMR Mentor Guide, you are the on-site clinical guide for a developing Montessori educator. Your role bridges the gap between coursework and classroom practice, ensuring residents develop not just technical skill but a deep understanding of how children learn in a prepared environment.

There are two ways to serve, and both are real Mentor Guide work:

  • Host. The resident does their practicum in your classroom, and you guide them in the environment you have prepared.
  • Travel. The resident works at their own school, and you come to them to observe and give feedback.

In either case, your responsibilities include:

  • Observing the resident at work with children, in person
  • Providing direct feedback on the resident's teaching at least bi-weekly
  • Recording observations and structured feedback through the Mentor Guide portal
  • Meeting regularly with your resident for reflection and coaching conversations
  • Completing mid-year and end-of-year evaluations of your resident
  • Collaborating with the resident's Cohort Guide and program instructor on progress

Time Commitment

The Mentor Guide role requires approximately 4-6 hours per month of dedicated work, in addition to the time the resident spends in your classroom (or the time you spend getting to theirs). This includes:

  • Bi-weekly feedback observations and coaching conversations
  • Mid-year and end-of-year formal evaluation forms
  • Weekly check-in conversations with your resident (15-30 minutes)

Stipend

MMR Mentor Guides receive a stipend of $1,500 per candidate per practicum year in recognition of the significant time and responsibility involved in guiding a candidate toward certification. The stipend is paid at the end of the practicum year upon completion of all evaluation forms and attendance at the Mentor Guide orientation. This is a professional role, not a volunteer position.

Qualifications

  • Hold a recognized Montessori credential (AMI, AMS, or equivalent)
  • Minimum 3 years of lead Montessori classroom experience
  • Currently teaching or recently retired from a Montessori classroom
  • Able to host a resident in your classroom, or to travel to the school where a resident is working
  • Committed to equity, anti-bias practice, and culturally responsive education
  • Willingness to complete the MMR Mentor Guide onboarding process