Associate Teachers

The Belmont Day School Associate Teacher Program combines hands-on classroom experience, mentoring, cohort fellowship, and graduate coursework in a collaborative and nurturing school environment.

Belmont Day offers three programs of study in partnership with Lesley University each leading to a full Massachusetts licensure and a master’s in education degree:

• Early Childhood Education: pre-kindergarten to grade 2
• Elementary Education: grades 1 to 6
• Middle School Humanities: grades 5 to 8 

We believe in the power of bringing diverse perspectives and voices together in the service of students, so our program seeks to enroll people who have demonstrated that they value questions, reflection, collaboration, and children’s ideas.

Our one-year teacher residency prepares prospective teachers to teach, learn, and lead in independent schools and public schools both locally and nationally, since they are eligible for licensure in approximately forty states.

Associates receive support and guidance from Belmont Day’s program director throughout the certification and job search process. Courses at Belmont Day School are designed to encourage associates to connect their observations and experiences in the classroom with the theories and texts that influence our work. 

A Full Year of Experience and Mentorship

Associate teachers spend the year at Belmont Day working in two semester-long classroom placements. By observing Belmont Day faculty and receiving support and feedback on their own teaching, associates hone their capacity to reflect, adjust their practice, and build relationships with their students. Associate teachers also attend seminars conducted by Belmont Day faculty and complete additional coursework at Lesley University. It is an intensive, twelve-month program that has proven to be the best way to build the skills necessary to be an impactful and effective teacher. 

Valued Members of Our Community

At Belmont Day, associate teachers are an integral part of our school community. Parents value the additional classroom support for their children. Staff appreciate the new energy and excitement that associate teachers bring to our halls. Faculty enjoy the opportunity to mentor and share their knowledge and help shape the next generation of educators. And, of course, the students benefit immensely from the associate teachers’ enthusiasm, diverse and fresh perspectives, and love of learning.

Beyond the classroom, associate teachers further contribute to the community, often serving as athletics coaches, After School Program teachers, and summer program staff.

Belmont Day offers three types of licensure and courses of study: early childhood, elementary, and middle school humanities education. For more information, contact Program Coordinator Larissa Rochford ’93 at lrochford@belmontday.org.