Poster Presentation- Public Montessori Teachers’ Experiences with Professional Growth: A Pilot Study 

with Caroline Robbins

Public Montessori Teachers’ Experiences with Professional Growth: A Pilot Study 

School districts in the U.S. are increasingly adopting the Montessori approach with hopes of boosting student achievement, diversifying student populations, and attracting families. As the number of public Montessori schools in the U.S. increases, so does the number of Montessori teachers who are assessed in mandated teacher evaluation systems.  

This presentation will give an overview of a recent pilot study exploring the experiences of professional growth for K-12 public Montessori teachers in the U.S., both within and outside of formal evaluation systems.  Research has shown that professional growth impacts teacher retention and performance.  How might we adapt teacher evaluation frameworks to more authentically foster this professional growth?  How might we shift the evaluator mindset towards one of collaborative appraisal and align with theories of adult development that could support professional growth?  This pilot study, and an upcoming in-depth investigation, explores the following questions: 

  • What are the experiences of public Montessori educators in the U.S. with their teacher evaluation systems?
  • How do teacher evaluation systems influence or impact public Montessori educators’ professional growth?

Caroline Robbins

Caroline Robbins (she/her) is a public Montessori administrator and doctoral student in Montessori Studies. She serves as assistant principal of Maryland Avenue Montessori School in Milwaukee Public Schools and is studying for a doctorate in education at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Caroline holds an AMI Primary diploma, M.A. degrees in Linguistically Diverse Education and Educational Psychology, and a BFA in Cinema Studies and Art History. She has worked as a Primary guide, admissions director, family liaison, and ESL teacher in both public and private Montessori communities, in both English and Spanish, and with young people aged 2.5-14. A graduate of the Whole School Leadership Institute, she has also completed training in Mindfulness and Self-Compassion for Children. She has two children in elementary and adolescent programs, who have been on their own Montessori journeys since infancy.