The Emerging Leaders Fellowship Experience: Notes from the Field

• Published in: Montessori life Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 36 - 39
• Main Authors: Barger, Heather Brown, Fennig, Tiffany, Kitchen, Katie, Scholl, Liza, Silverstone, Michael, Van Fleet, Stephanie, Wexler, Abbie
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York American Montessori Society 01.07.2019
• Subjects: Accreditation; Accreditation (Institutions); Advisory Committees; Coaching (Performance); Communities of Practice; Community Relations; Conferences; Donations; Education; Educational Change; Educational Improvement; Emotional Intelligence; Empowerment; Faculty Development; Fellowships; Instructional Leadership; Leaders; Leadership Styles; Leadership Training; Learning; Meetings; Mentors; Montessori Method; Networks; Opportunities; Philosophy; Preschool Teachers; Private Schools; Professional Associations; Professional development; Professional Training; Program Descriptions; Public Schools; Racial Differences; Schools; Self Efficacy; Students; Succession planning; SWOT analysis; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Certification; Teacher Morale; Teachers; Woodworking; Young Children
• ISSN: 1054-0040

In 2015, AMS Board members suggested that the board create a program that would meet the need for more AMS-credentialed leaders, to assist with succession planning for both AMS and Montessori schools. An advisory committee was created to oversee the program and ensure that its mission was upheld. What came out of this work was AMS's Emerging Leaders Fellowship Program, a professional development initiative that provides a year of structured learning, mentoring, and networking opportunities for Montessori-credentialed teachers who aspire to deepen their level of involvement in the Montessori community. Each fellowship cohort includes 12-16 individuals, who engage both online and in person for a year of intensive learning and professional development. Each fellow is paired with an experienced mentor, who offers individualized mentorship and coaching. The program kicked off in 2017, with a first cohort of 14 fellows. Cohorts 2 and 3 have each had 16 fellows. It has been a competitive process; more than 50 candidates have applied each year, resulting in cohorts of highly qualified individuals. In this article, several fellows from cohorts 1 and 2 share their experiences with the program.