Career Fair

While researching school districts and individual schools for an upcoming career fair, I am once again reminded about my student teaching experiences. During student teaching I learned that it is not the students that you have that make your class but the environment of your room as well as the environment of the entire school. I want to work in a school that I am comfortable in and where I have friends. If the teachers are friendly and enjoy working with one another, even getting together outside of school, the atmosphere is much better and the students respond well to that. They enjoy seeing their teachers having fun together and being positive role models for making and maintaining friendships.
Also while searching Early Childhood centers I find that I am taken aback by the number of centers that boast direct instruction for 3 to 5 year olds. I continue to find myself being drawn more and more to Montessori schools, especially for early childhood because I find these classrooms more developmentally appropriate for that age. The Montessori classes also tend to be smaller and contain varied ages, much like the COC rooms.
The more I search for jobs within schools, the more particular I become. I am drawn to early childhood centers, especially the infant and toddler classes, that are accredited, inquiry-based, focused on the whole child, and that have positive atmospheres in which teachers enjoy being. The most important for me is inquiry-based learning focused on the whole child because I believe that is developmentally appropriate for early childhood. I prefer accredited centers because they typically have higher standards and have gone through the rigors of accreditation.
From this career fair, I hope to find a better understanding of what I want as an educator job-wise. I also hope to develop lasting connections with leaders and school districts in my area that could one day provide me with a job or link me to a job in another area. I have already begun my journey on discovering what I want out of a job, now I just need to find the right match in the right area. If anyone has any suggestions or more information on Montessori schools feel free to send it my way!! :)