Montessori Training – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 All trainees are awarded a diploma by Montitute International at the successful completion of the course. 

Yes, Montitute’s Montessori training and diplomas are recognized internationally like all other Montessori diplomas. Our diploma program covers up the entire extended Montessori curriculum that is required by any international Montessori certification.
 
A Montessori program in any part of the world has the same course content, materials, and techniques. However, the quality of instruction may vary from trainer to trainer, which cannot happen in our training programs as we have digitally stored the best training resources including manuals, videos, and presentations by a team of top Montessori professionals.

The satisfaction level of successful graduates is the best success indicator of a Montessori program. Please visit the testimonials section of our website or visit our Facebook page which has more than 200,000 fans. We have our trainees and successful graduates in more than forty countries. Most likely there will be someone in your area who has taken our program. Just let us know and we will have no problem putting you in contact with someone in your area for further satisfaction.

Montessori trained educators are in high demand not just in the U.S. but all over the world. Due to a recent wave of parents’ increased concern with the education of their children, competition among private schools and a series of researches proving Montessori children to be performing better have soared up the demand for this system and individuals trained in it. 

We frequently get requests to refer our graduates for jobs from Montessori schools all over the world. Although the Montessori diploma is a feather in the crown when you are applying for a Montessori job, it does not depend solely on it. There are several other factors that an employer may be looking for including language skills, appearance and personality, other qualifications, and prior experience. 

Like any other training institute, college or university we cannot promise you a job, but we assure you that Montessori trained individuals are in high demand and our graduates are embraced by Montessori schools all over the world. 

MACTE (Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education) accreditation is recognized worldwide. However, they do not accredit 100% distance Montessori programs. 

It has started accrediting Distance Montessori programs, but still requires at least 3 weeks of residency (in-house) training, which we believe is impossible for many of the potential candidates who can be great teachers. We are closely monitoring the developments at MACTE and will apply for accreditation if they start accrediting 100% Distance Montessori programs. 

No Montitute is not related to AMS or AMI. Montitute strictly adheres to its philosophy of 100% distance Montessori education, which is the only way to make Montessori training accessible and affordable worldwide. 

Both AMI and AMS are renowned and well recognized Montessori organizations, with their own interpretations of Montessori philosophy. Both organizations offer Montessori training programs according to their own ideology.

AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) was established by Dr. Maria Montessori and her son (Mario) in 1929. AMI has its headquarters in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. AMI advocates and believes in the purity of the Montessori Method. According to AMI Montessori philosophy and curriculum should be implemented and materials should be used precisely in the way that is consistent with the original approach of Dr. Maria Montessori. 

AMI training programs are typically of one full year in duration and completely residential (in-class-training). AMI is against distance Montessori training. The program usually costs USD 6000 to USD10,000 depending upon the location.
 
Like anyone, you can become an AMI member. You can learn more about AMI membership benefits and fees by clicking on this link http://ami-global.org/members.

AMS (American Montessori Society) was established by Nancy McCormick Rambusch (an AMI Montessori Trained Teacher) in 1960. AMS interprets Montessori philosophy differently and believes that aspects of the Montessori method should be modified to accommodate the culture and era. AMS followers believe in the enhancement of the system and incorporation of outside resources, materials, and ideas. For example, the use of technology and computers in the class or modifications in original materials or presentations. 

AMS training programs require that students spend a minimum of 840 hours (or six months) in their programs to graduate. AMS also does not offer distance learning options.

You can learn more about AMS membership’s benefits and fees by clicking on this link http://amshq.org/Get-Involved/Become-a-Member .

IMC  (International Montessori Council) is a relatively newer organization dedicated to the promotion of Montessori method. IMC offers excellent Montessori school accreditation programs. There is no IMC training program as yet. However, they offer MACTE accredited training program through The Center for Guided Montessori Studies.

IMC’s MACTE accredited 18 months Early Childhood (3 – 6) programs require a residential session of 120 hour that takes place over 2 and a half weeks and a practicum requirement – 9 month internship, student teaching 5 days a week for a half-day in a Montessori Early Childhood classroom. The course cost around USD 6000+.

The answer is mostly no because only a few schools are looking for AMI or AMS trained teachers as a pre-requisite. Moreover, there aren’t enough number of Montessori trained individuals from AMS and AMI (and never will be to fulfill) the teaching positions in all Montessori schools. There is a huge gap between the demand of Montessori teachers and the supply by these organizations. For their own reasons, some Montessori schools even do not prefer to hire AMS or AMI trained teachers.

NAMTA (AMI) in MONTESSORI SCHOOL SALARY SURVEY 2005, page 24 mentions, 

“Few schools explicitly cited either an AMI or an AMS diploma as a prerequisite. In addition, there was no significant difference in salary among individuals with Montessori credentials from various associations.”

Moreover, the number of Montessori schools with no affiliation with AMS, AMI or MACTE is greatly higher than the schools with affiliations. Even the affiliated school regularly hire Montessori trained teachers from non-affiliated training centers. This trend is increasing day by day, as it allows schools to select the right individuals for their children rather than just diploma holders. A little survey to your local Montessori schools can make things clearer. 

 Yes, there are several including NAMC, CERDS, United Montessori. No, none of them is accredited.

Any individual or institution can get most of such affiliations or memberships against a nominal annual fee. However, such affiliations are for cosmetic purposes mostly and do not affect the quality of the program at all. Such memberships or affiliation are often confused with accreditation, which they are not. 

The typical benefits that membership or affiliation granting organizations provide include; regular newsletters, periodic journals, discounts in their conferences, and other services and products. Unlike the accreditation agencies/organizations, they do not set any standards for Montessori centers to meet, nor do they keep a check on their performance.

Anyone can come across a biased school administrator. The same can happen to an AMI trained teacher in an AMS affiliated school or vice versa. However, on the basis of recent surveys and feedback from our graduates, we can assure you that such instances are rare and most Montessori teachers and administrators value the person more than the diploma.

 It depends upon the local regulations and varies from country to country. Some countries do offer equivalence against Montessori diploma. Please check with your local authorities or people already in the profession.