Sherwood Montessori is a tuition-free public charter school in Chico, CA offering TK-8th grade education. Sherwood is the effort of a dedicated group of Chico parents who have a combined expertise in education, management, psychology and financial planning to create a public Montessori charter school. Our vision is for small, multi-aged classrooms where any member of the greater Chico community can succeed by applying the Montessori philosophy in their education.
Program Information *Paid placement for the 2024-25 academic year
Our school serves approximately 120 TK-8th grade students from Butte County. Students placed here will have an opportunity to work with children who have experienced trauma or are dealing with anxiety, depression, or other mood disorders/mental health challenges.
The student intern should have an openness to Montessori/alternative methods of education, which includes a relationship dynamic different from traditional schools. In Montessori schools, students are considered equal in worth to adults and traditional power relations are dismantled. Adults are still in charge in terms of establishing boundaries and expectations, but they do not express controlling or power-over dynamics. One obvious expression of this is that adults are called by their first name by the students. Another is the autonomy, choice, and independence that is fostered in the classroom. We also use the Nurtured Heart Approach and PBIS systems (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports).
A wide variety of learning opportunities are available to interns at Sherwood Montessori. Depending on the intern's comfort and ability. Potential practicum activities could include working directly with students, communicating with families, supporting school staff, acting as a liaison between the school and community, etc. Some specific tasks an intern might have the opportunity to engage with are one-on-one clinical work, group work, class presentations on wellness, advocating for students in SST/IEP/504, meetings, doing outreach to families, supporting school staff with students in their classrooms, crisis intervention, and much more.
For this internship, it is very important that the student be comfortable taking initiative, following through on tasks, and asking for support when needed. There will not be an on-site AFI. Each day is different in the school setting - an intern in this position would ideally be flexible, patient, and have a willingness to deal with a combination of structured and unstructured days.