How to Become a Montessori Teacher
Becoming a Montessori teacher requires dedication, understanding and time, but it also opens the doors to a whole new world of education. Montessori training allows a teacher to truly facilitate the learning process for a child, so that the education becomes a hands-on experience to understand the world.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Challenging
Instructions
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1
Decide if your passion as a future Montessori teacher is to work with an infant-toddler class (birth to age 2), a primary class (ages 3 to 6), a lower elementary class (ages 6 to 9), an upper elementary class (ages 9 to 12) or a secondary level class (ages 12 to 15 and ages 15 to 18).
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2
Verify the state requirements for becoming a Montessori teacher in your area by contacting the education department of your state, a local Montessori training program or a local Montessori school. Some states require an undergraduate degree before beginning work on a Montessori teaching certificate, where other states accept simply the Montessori teaching certificate as a part of an associates or undergrad degree.
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3
Search for Montessori teacher education programs in your area that are accredited by the American Montessori Society or the Association Montessori International.
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4
Plan to spend either one intensive year or two to three intensive summers at the training center, learning the philosophy of Montessori education, the materials of a Montessori classroom and the techniques of quality observation, among other things.
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5
Take both written and oral exams verify your knowledge of the Montessori teacher education program.
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6
Study under a master teacher as a student teacher for a one year practicum. Often times these are stipend positions at a Montessori school in your area. Placement at different schools is usually arranged collaboratively by your training program, the school and you.
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7
Receive your Montessori teacher certificate.
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Tips & Warnings
Spend time in a Montessori classroom as an observer before you decide to enter a teaching program. Montessori education is what most Americans are used to and you should become very familiar with the philosophy and the practical application before entering a time intensive and costly program.
Be weary of distant learning programs; most are not accredited and it is nearly impossible to achieve the hands-on experience necessary without being in the classroom, watching the environment work.
