GENERAL TERMS & AWARDS OF AMS INTERNATIONAL TEACHING ASSISTANT

ASSISTANT DUTIES

The AMS ITA Program is a two-year commitment for the International Teaching Assistant (ITA) and AMS Sponsoring School.

ITAs are required to attend & successfully complete AMS Montessori Teacher Education coursework, assignments, and student teaching experience in their AMS sponsoring school. Upon completion of the academic and student teaching phases, the ITA will be awarded an AMS Montessori Credential.

During the school year(s) (approximately August - June), the ITA will assist an experienced Montessori teacher in a Montessori classroom environment and attend coursework. Duties will include assisting teachers with instruction of students, preparation of the environment including making materials, preparation of lessons, practicing presentations of lessons, attending parent education meetings & conferences, and documentation of student progress, as well as other duties related to running a Montessori classroom as specified by the supervising teacher, sponsoring school, and Teacher Education Center. Student teaching will occur during the first or second academic year (2nd year is more probable), to be determined by the Teacher Education Program Director, supervising teacher, and sponsoring school.

Montessori coursework schedules will vary depending on the Teacher Education Center. Usually, an AMS ITA will begin Montessori education coursework the first summer, continue classes throughout the first year while assisting in a Montessori classroom with an experienced Montessori teacher, and complete course work the second summer and/or year. Weekend, summer and/or academic year classes are possible. The School will be responsible for informing the ITA of exact dates.

The ITA will be expected to devote approximately 40 hours per week assisting in a Montessori environment and attending teacher education classes.

The ITA will be responsible for his/her international travel and expenses such as clothing, books, albums, personal travel and entertainment. In some cases, depending on the sponsoring school's stipend amount, housing & food may or may not be the responsibility of the ITA. The ITA will be responsible for housing, food, & local transportation only if the stipend is large enough to cover the cost of housing, food, and transportation to and from school in addition to coursework. The sponsoring schools financial support (Award) will be clarified in the schools application for the AMS ITA program.

SPONSORING SCHOOL INFORMATION

The sponsoring school will be responsible for providing a teaching assistant stipend, in US dollars.

OPTION A: The sponsoring school will arrange and place the ITA with a local family in a "Home Stay" arrangement. Housing & transportation to and from school during the school year and Teacher Education course work, will be the responsibility of the sponsoring school & Home Stay family. Each sponsoring school will specify the amount of stipend to be provided and the dollar amount of books & materials the ITA will need to cover, verify arrangements for home stay and transportation. ITAs Montessori Teacher Education tuition ($5,000-$7,000) will be provided by the sponsoring school. In OPTION A the tuition is not deducted from ITA's stipend. With OPTION A, stipends for ITAs will range from approximately $7,000-10,000 (net) or more per year, during the two-year period of the assistantship.

OPTION B: The sponsoring school chooses to provide the ITA with a stipend large enough for the ITA to pay for housing, board, and local transportation. The sponsoring school is responsible for locating & arranging affordable housing and transportation prior to the arrival of the ITA. Each sponsoring school will specify amount of stipend to be provided, amount for Montessori Education Coursework to be deducted from stipend, costs of housing & transportation (arrangements made by sponsoring school) and amount for books & materials the ITA will need to cover with the stipend provided. The stipend needed for OPTION B is at least $12,000 (net) plus insurance & Teacher Education costs.

APPROXIMATE COST OF AN INTERNATIONAL TEACHING ASSISTANT

PLAN A

• Provide Room and Board at no cost to ITA by arranging Home Stay with a local family
• Provide a monthly stipend of between $500-$700 (net)
• Provide full tuition for Montessori Teacher Education
• Provide transportation or transportation allowance to and from school and Education Center

PLAN B

• Provide the ITA a monthly stipend of at least $1,000 (net)
• Provide the ITA with insurance coverage
• Assist ITA in finding affordable housing/transportation (options arranged prior to ITAs arrival)
• School deducts cost of Montessori coursework from the stipend ($5,000-$7,000 over two-year period)