Montessori Teacher Certification

The Montessori mode of instruction was first pioneered by Dr. Maria Montessori, who was an Italian instructor deeply interested in the activities of children. Teaching in a Montessori school is a great deal of responsibility and as a result of that it is important for the Montessori schools as well as their teachers to have a proper type of certification so that they are well qualified to meet the everyday challenges of teaching children in their nascent stages. Montessori schools are the stepping stones towards a whole journey of education. Thus it is very crucial that the Montessori school teachers have the proper kind of license and certification to carry on with their work.

Various Kinds of Certification Available:

Although Wake Forest Montessori does not provide teacher training, there are a number of certifications courses available if becoming a Montessori teachers is your goal. You will need to browse through websites to know about these certifications if you are interested in pursuing Montessori teaching as a vocation.  The Montessori teacher’s certification mainly depends on the different US states and their policies. International Montessori Council and the Montessori Foundation are responsible for granting these certifications done through a number of centers and colleges. In order to practice in a particular state, you will need to be certified as per the requirements of that state. The following is a list of the most common two levels of certifications:

  • The first level consists of the Associate Certificate, which is usually completed online. This training is conducted over a period of 18 months over which the students are taught as a group and are given course materials to study on their own. But maybe once a month they will need to log in at the same time or come for contact classes. After completion it is important to do an internship at any of the schools named by the course, which will be supervised by experienced teachers at the center. Completion of this whole period will make the students qualified for an IMC Associate Montessori Early Childhood diploma.
  • The next and the highly developed stage of Montessori training is completing full certificate. After the 18 month online course the students will be required to have three months of comprehensive contact classes. During this time the teachers are trained to deal with the psychological aspect of dealing with children and the nuances of communication are to be kept in mind. These students have to conduct proxy classes and deal with children through interactive ways. After completion of internship and the course the students will be qualified for full Montessori diploma.

Montessori schools or pre schools play a huge role in shaping the life of your children and hence their teachers must have the right kind of certification to be able to perform those duties carefully. With a little thought and care you will certainly be able to find a well certified and able Montessori school with well qualified teachers for your child. As a vocation, teaching in a Montessori school will certainly require you to love children and be actively involved in their developmental activities.