Elementary Teacher in Taipei Montessori International School
About Taipei International Montessori School
Ms. Lam Montessori School was founded in 1984 as the first Montessori school in Taiwan. Over the past 35 years the school has grown significantly. Currently, we operate five primary schools and two ‘Mi Casa’ locations for toddlers. An exciting step in the life of our school came in Fall 2017, with our expansion into elementary education. Named ‘Taipei Montessori International School’ we provide a dual-language (Mandarin Chinese and English) program. In Fall 2020 we will grow to one Upper Elementary and four Lower Elementary classrooms, and we are seeking to hire two qualified English-speaking teachers to join us in August 2020.
About Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei, Taiwan is a vibrant city, melding rich Chinese tradition/culture with a modern vibe and conveniences. Taipei boasts a thriving food culture, historical and cultural attractions, and it is surrounded by green mountains – with hiking trails – on all sides. The city has a world-class mass transit system, and its healthcare system is rated as one of the best in the world. In October 2019, Business Insider reported that Taiwan was rated #1 in the world by expats, based on ease to make friends, work, and raise a family. Other surveys have named it, consistently, as one of the ‘world’s friendliest countries.’ Teachers from North America and western Europe will find the cost of living very affordable. With a subtropical climate, Taipei’s average temperature is 71F across the year.
Job Responsibilities
This is an exciting opportunity for English-speaking elementary Montessori teachers to lead a classroom along with Mandarin-speaking teachers. The teacher will collaborate with his/her teaching partner to create a dual-language learning environment, facilitating children’s spoken and written language development in both English and Chinese. Our school prides itself on providing an authentic Montessori environment while encouraging collaboration and innovation within that space.
Core teacher responsibilities
- Lead the classroom. Collaborate with Mandarin-speaking teacher to plan and deliver individual and small group lessons designed to meet individual students’ needs, according to Montessori pedagogy
- Provide a safe, effective, and nurturing classroom environment
- Ensure the physical classroom environment is neat, well-organized, and attractive, consistent with AMI standards
- Participate in weekly staff meetings and in school-wide planning to maintain continuity across classrooms and through the school
- Follow the school’s policies and procedures for lesson-planning, record-keeping and assessments
- Provide weekly lesson plans and record individual students’ development.
- Plan and execute classroom annual programs, such as field trips, holiday celebrations, overnight activities, etc.
- Provide opportunities for classroom observation to parents twice per year and for other visitors as per request of school administration.
- Provide conference reports and students’ progress reports
- Attend school functions such as Open Houses, PTA meetings, Workshops, New Class Introductions, and an annual all-school overnight trip.
- Communicate regularly with parents
- Provide Montessori workshop for parents
Qualifications
- The ideal candidate will have 2+ years of elementary Montessori teaching experience. Candidates with at least 2 years of other, relevant teaching experience (of a different level, system, or subject area) are also encouraged to apply. Please note: in order to be granted a work permit in Taiwan, candidates will need to provide documentation of at least two years’ relevant experience.
- A Bachelor’s Degree and Montessori Elementary Diploma are required (AMI or AMS with 6 – 12 year-old certification).
- Strong communication skills and demonstrated experience interacting with people of different cultures and backgrounds.
- Please note: no Mandarin Chinese skills are expected
Benefits
- ~$40,000 USD salary (100,000 per month New Taiwan Dollars)
- ~$8,000 USD housing stipend (20,000 per month New Taiwan Dollars – should be adequate to cover all or most rent expenses)
- Excellent healthcare coverage with minimal cost to teacher
- Annual round-trip airfare Taipei/home country
- Time off: 15 Professional Development Days (no students at school), Chinese New Year Break (2 weeks), Spring Break (1 week), and 6 Public Holidays. In the teacher’s first year of service, 2 weeks of summer vacation will also be provided; in subsequent years, teachers will receive 4 weeks of summer vacation.
- Annual professional development stipend (to be used at teacher’s discretion) plus seminar sponsorship.
To apply
Please send cover letter and resume to tafeljane@gmail.com. You are also welcome to call Jane Tafel at 715-456-8104 with questions or for more information. Applications will be reviewed when submitted, and hiring decisions will be made on a rolling basis.