What does it take to become a Montessori teacher?
Almost all across the world, there is a steady growth in the number of students enrolling at Montessori schools, thereby increasing the demand for certified Montessori teacher.
But before you jump into the bandwagon, you must first understand that Montessori is not just about teaching students to read or write, being a Montessori teacher means a philosophy of life!
All Montessori teachers come from a diverse cultural and family backgrounds. Majority of public and private schools require their teachers to have at least a four-year college course to apply for the job. In some instances, teachers are also required to acquire a teaching license or credential from an accredited institution.
That is not always the case to become a Montessori teacher. A large number of Montessori teachers were graduates of fields not related to teaching but later decided they want to become teachers. In some states, it is not even required for teachers of “preschool” children to have a college degree to teach. Because requirements differ from state to state, it is best to inquire with either local Montessori schools of the state department of education to find out their specific requirements to qualify them to teach and which area they would want to focus on.
A big number of Montessori teachers started out as parents with children studying at Montessori schools. Most often, the conviction of parents to re-enter professional life other then being a parent, is one of the driving force to enter the teaching industry. There are parents who inquire from their children’s school for available teaching jobs, or they were approached by the school and offered a teching job at a Montessori school.
Training for the Montessori teacher education programs are available in various colleges and universities across the U.S. and neighboring countr. You can study the program in most parts of the world where the Montessori educational system is being taught.
Normally, a Montessori teaching program involves one year of study. But in other U.S. states, the courses is divided into summer institutes involve one, two or more summers of study, and then a supervised one-year practicum as student teacher. Some courses are offered during the school year. There are some who prefer one model to another, regarding the person’s personality and bias.
Montessori teacher education programs are typically offered at the infant-toddler (birth to age 2), early childhood (ages 3-6), lower elementary (ages 6-9), upper elementary (ages 9-12), and secondary levels (ages 12-15 and ages 15-18))
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