"Montessori" is
not a trademark or a franchise: any institution can hang a shingle over
its door and claim to offer a Montessori education.
So how can parents tell whether a Montessori school is authentic?
Doctors
have the AMA; architects the AIA; engineers the IEEE. Surely there's an
organization for Montessori teachers who combine a doctor's awareness
of neural development, an architect's careful artistry in construction
(albeit for children rather than buildings), and an engineer's keen,
logical approach to problem-solving.
There
is: AMI, the Association Montessori Internationale. Founded by Dr.
Montessori herself in 1929, AMI is the most diligent of the various
Montessorian organizations in ensuring that Montessori schools and
teachers are both well-grounded in the basic principles of the method
and ready to carry those principles forward in the modern educational
world. AMI offers teacher training and conferences, approves the
production of Montessori materials and books, and, through their
AMI-USA branch office, accredits schools.
To receive AMI Recognition, each classroom in the school must have:
- A fully-trained teacher who has completed both a college undergraduate degree and AMI's year-long training program
- A complete set of authorized Montessori classroom materials
- A three-year range of ages within the single classroom
- An uninterrupted three-hour work cycle each morning
Schools
receive an outside consultation from an experienced AMI teacher every
three years, verifying that these requirements are met and offering
workshops and suggestions to help school staff further refine the
program.
Every three years, trained consultants evaluate AMI schools at each level as a part of the ongoing school accreditation process.
Reprinted courtesy of John Long, Director of Post Oak Montessori in Bellaire, Texas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|