Infant Lead Guide

Job Description

Job Description

Infant Lead Guide

Position Summary

The Infant Lead Guide is responsible for creating and leading an authentic Montessori infant community that nurtures each child's natural development from birth through approximately 18 months. The Lead Guide thoughtfully prepares the environment, observes and responds to each infant's individual needs, partners with families, and mentors classroom staff while fostering independence, secure attachment, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning.

The Infant Lead Guide serves as the instructional and organizational leader of the classroom, ensuring that authentic Montessori philosophy and the school's mission are reflected in every aspect of the environment and daily practice.

Essential Responsibilities

Lead the Prepared Environment

• Design, prepare, and maintain an authentic Montessori infant environment that is peaceful, orderly, beautiful, and developmentally appropriate.
• Ensure classroom materials are complete, inviting, clean, organized, and accessible to support each child's stage of development.
• Regularly rotate Montessori materials and learning experiences based on careful observation of each child's developmental needs, interests, readiness, and emerging skills.
• Observe the effectiveness of the prepared environment and thoughtfully make adjustments to best support each child's growth and independence.
• Maintain classroom inventory, learning materials, plants, classroom spaces, outdoor environments, and class pets.
• Create an environment that promotes freedom of movement, concentration, exploration, independence, and confidence.
• Ensure the classroom consistently reflects Montessori principles and the school's mission.

Guide Infant Development

• Observe each infant daily to understand developmental progress, sensitive periods, interests, and individual needs.
• Develop individualized learning experiences that support cognitive, language, physical, social, emotional, and practical life development.
• Foster secure attachment through responsive, respectful caregiving and consistent relationships.
• Support each infant's growing independence during feeding, diapering, dressing, movement, sleep, and daily routines.
• Model rich language throughout the day through conversations, songs, books, and meaningful one-on-one interactions.
• Prepare engaging opportunities for movement, sensory exploration, music, practical life, outdoor experiences, and early language development.
• Maintain accurate developmental observations and use those observations to guide curriculum planning and material selection.
• Support language development through meaningful conversations, storytelling, songs, books, and rich vocabulary. 

Classroom Leadership

• Lead all daily classroom routines while ensuring consistency, organization, and professionalism.
• Supervise, mentor, and coach Assistant Guides by modeling authentic Montessori practices and respectful caregiving.
• Delegate responsibilities effectively while fostering collaboration, accountability, and teamwork.
• Ensure classroom schedules, routines, and transitions remain calm, predictable, and child-centered.
• Maintain classroom records and developmental observations that support individualized planning.
• Communicate classroom successes, concerns, and children's progress with administration in a timely manner.

Family Partnerships

• Build trusting, respectful relationships with families through open, consistent, and professional communication.
• Conduct parent conferences and share meaningful observations regarding each child's development and classroom experiences.
• Partner with families to promote consistency between home and school while supporting each child's developmental journey.
• Welcome new families and help them understand Montessori philosophy, infant development, and the classroom environment.
• Maintain confidentiality while communicating with professionalism, empathy, and compassion.

Foster a Positive Montessori Community

• Create a calm, nurturing classroom where every child feels safe, respected, valued, and loved.
• Model kindness, patience, empathy, and respectful communication in every interaction.
• Encourage children's growing independence while providing thoughtful guidance and support.
• Build meaningful relationships with children, families, coworkers, and administration.
• Foster a classroom culture built on respect, collaboration, responsibility, curiosity, and joyful learning.

Collaboration & Professionalism

• Collaborate with administration and fellow Lead Guides to ensure consistency throughout the school community.
• Participate in staff meetings, professional development, school events, and parent education opportunities.
• Demonstrate leadership, initiative, flexibility, professionalism, and a growth mindset.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding children, families, and school operations.
• Embrace authentic Montessori philosophy and actively contribute to the school's mission, vision, and culture.
• Continue to grow professionally through ongoing study of Montessori philosophy, infant development, and best practices.

Health, Safety & Supervision

• Ensure the health, safety, and well-being of every infant throughout the school day.
• Maintain active supervision during classroom activities, movement experiences, outdoor exploration, feeding, naps, diapering, and transitions.
• Follow the school's health, safety, sanitation, and emergency procedures.
• Monitor children's health and promptly communicate concerns, illnesses, injuries, or incidents according to school procedures.
• Maintain a clean, organized, healthy, and welcoming classroom environment that supports each child's development.