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Elementary (Ages 6-12) Course Catalog
3. Program of Study Montessori Theory and Child Psychology
Materials Presentation Lectures: These demonstrate how to present concepts using specifically designed Montessori materials and approaches to curricular areas of Art, Biology, Geography, Geometry, History, Language, Mathematics, and Music. Supervised Practicals: Students practice the same presentations with each other in an elementary environment prepared with the materials and furnishings of a working classroom. These required practice sessions assist the students in coming to an understanding of material and technique. Material Making: Students are required to make certain charts and timelines that will eventually be used to accompany presentations in their classrooms. Deadlines for completion are spread out over the training experience.Observations Trainees receive guidelines for points of observation for each separate session, take daily notes, and write a summary paper after each placement. Students will arrange two separate observation placements to take place during the first interim year of the course. Each placement consists of a consecutive two-week session in a classroom directed by an AMI-Elementary trained teacher. Arrangements are made only with the approval of the Director of Training. Practice Teaching Students will again spend time in classrooms directed by AMI-Elementary trained teachers to refine their presentation skills and experience the life of a working classroom. Student teachers will work closely with their cooperating teachers to introduce a variety of materials and concepts to elementary children. The practice teaching component is scheduled in the second interim year, again for two consecutive weeks for each of two separate sessions. Trainees make their own arrangements, with the approval of the Director of Training, in two other Elementary classrooms than those they visited for observations. A representative of the course will observe student teachers during the course of their practice. Course Format The first summer of the course will consist of the required Foundation Course for those who do not already hold an AMI Primary diploma. This will be followed by the first four weeks of Elementary training, including supervised practice sessions. Weekly assignments will be due.
The second summer session, of approximately eight weeks, continues lectures and supervised practicals for the Elementary course. Some materials will be due on the first day of the session. Weekly written assignments will be due.
In the third summer, lectures and practicals continue and conclude. The last of the materials will be due on the first day of the session. Weekly written assignments will be due. Completed albums will be submitted for final review and acceptance. Reviews and written and oral examinations take place in the third summer. Graduate Credit Loyola University Maryland (located in Baltimore) offers graduate credit toward a Masters of Education for the work of the AMI Elementary training course. The Montessori training course is equivalent to 27 of 36 graduate credits. Upon graduation from MIA, one can take the three additional courses in Baltimore over a 3-4 week summer. Two additional research papers are typically completed by October of the next school year, but students have up to 5 years to complete the program. (However, it is not a retroactive degree.) Student loans are available through the Graduate School office of Loyola University Maryland. Details on requirements for admissions and tuition information are available upon request. |
