Tag Archives: Montessori Center for Teacher Development

A Montessori Journey for Adults: Educating the Educators

by Doreen Adamo, Program Director of Montessori Center for Teacher Development

“The real preparation for education is a study of one’s self.
The training of the teacher who is to help life is something far more
than the learning of ideas. It includes the training of character;
it is a preparation of the spirit.”
~ Dr. Maria Montessori

Montessori teachers are a special breed of teachers. Their method of teaching differs significantly from a traditional teaching method because Montessori teachers place much more emphasis on the children’s natural interests and abilities. Their role is to observe and respond with appropriate individualized guidance and instruction. The students discover information for themselves using specially prepared materials. It is believed that children who are at liberty to choose their work freely in a specially prepared environment develop a true love of learning.

The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA) proudly boasts its own MACTE-accredited, AMS-affiliated Teacher Education Program – Montessori Center for Teacher Development (MCTD).  Since the program’s inception in 2014, MCTD has trained and assisted in the certification of many Adult Learners at an Early Childhood level. Through meaningful experiences in a respectful and inspirational learning environment, adults are entrusted to uphold Montessori traditions in their endeavor to become the best Montessori teachers that they can be.

MCTD is designed to support Adult Learners through each segment of its 2-year training program. The curriculum is comprised of three components: Academic Phase I  (a four-week summer intensive phase), Academic Phase II (which meets on designated weekends, during the regular academic year), and the Practicum Phase (the internship/student teaching year). During the Academic Phases, the Adult Learners meet in the training classroom, where they attend academic lectures and practice with hands-on materials. The training classroom is fully equipped with AMS-approved and required materials with which the Adult Learner can practice. During the Practicum Phase, the Interns work in a classroom and receive mentorship and guidance from an experienced certified Montessori Supervising Teacher and are monitored by an MCTD Field Consultant. The training culminates in the candidate receiving an Early Childhood Montessori Certification to teach children ages 2 ½ through 6 years.

MCTD aims to provide meaningful learning experiences to all Adult Learners and offers opportunities for exploration and active participation throughout the training program. Preparing and empowering Adult Learners to become exceptional, effective Montessori educators while attending to the unique needs of each Adult Learner are the primary goals of MCTD. Our Instructors are professionals with diverse backgrounds and a wide range of teaching experiences. However, they all have one thing in common; a great passion for the Montessori Method and a desire to prepare adults for a great Montessori experience.

“The MCTD program provides all of the guidance and support that is needed to be successful to Adult Learners who, like me, have no prior knowledge of the Montessori Method or experience in a Montessori classroom. In addition to growing in my understanding about Montessori, I have also changed and grown personally as well. While juggling my many responsibilities, I have been forced to become more organized, to procrastinate less, and to be more confident both in and out of the classroom. I had forgotten how much fun it is to learn, and the great thing about being a Montessori Teacher is that the teachers never stop learning along with their students! There have admittedly been many late nights writing papers and last-minute shopping trips to stores to find the materials needed for a lesson, but looking back, it was all worthwhile. I now know that I have found what I want to do during the next phase of my career, and I look forward to what the future holds.”
~ Diane Palazzi, EC Certified Teacher/MCTD Graduate

If you are interested in learning what MCTD has to offer, please email us at MC4TD@aol.com,  call 973-539-0196, or visit our website at www.montessoricenterforteacherdevelopment.com for more information.

At MCTD, we Empower Adult Learners to Empower Children.

School Is In Session for MCTD’s Adult Learners

By: Hannah Ferris with Doreen Adamo and Bernadette Fasolas

The summer months are filled with activity at The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA).  We are busy running our MCA Summer Camp, preparing our classrooms for the upcoming school year, and our Teacher Education Program, Montessori Center for Teacher Development (MCTD), is hosting our third cohort of enthusiastic Adult Learners.

Montessori Center for Teacher Development, which is one of the seven subsidiaries of The Montessori Children’s Academy’s family of schools and services, was founded in 2014 and is one of just three Montessori Teacher Education Programs in the state of New Jersey. MCTD operates out of the Morristown campus of MCA and is led by Program Director Doreen Adamo and Assistant Program Director Bernadette Fasolas.  Mrs. Adamo and Mrs. Fasolas are also Head Teachers at MCA during the school year that bonded over their own shared Montessori training experience years ago.  Together with the rest of the talented and experienced MCTD staff and guest lecturers, they are excited about sharing their passion for the Montessori Method with future generations of Montessori teachers.  MCTD’s Early Childhood Teacher Education Program is affiliated by the American Montessori Society (AMS) and fully accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE), and works closely with both to develop and deliver the highest quality education for future Montessori teachers.  Upon successful completion of the program, the Adult Learners will receive Montessori Early Childhood Certification through AMS, permitting them to become Head Teachers at Montessori schools throughout the US.

In addition to our Early Childhood Teacher Education Program, MCTD is happy to announce a new Early Childhood Assistant Teacher Training Program that will be offered later this summer,.

Early Childhood Teacher Education Program

MCTD’s Early Childhood Program is affiliated by the American Montessori Society and fully accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education.  This program is for Adult Learners seeking certification that would allow them to become Head Teachers in a Montessori Early Childhood environment.  Recent Adult Learners have come from diverse backgrounds to gain additional certification in the field of education, to re-enter the workforce, or to completely change careers.

The Early Childhood Teacher Education Program begins each summer with Academic Phase I.  This involves a four-week, intensive session with courses in Child Development and Montessori Philosophy, as well as Practical Life and Sensorial curricula.  Academic Phase II begins in September of the same year, as the Adult Learners reconvene for evening and weekend courses in Math, Language, and Cultural Studies (Science, History, Geography, Art, and Music).  Throughout both phases, the Adult Learners participate in Student Teaching Seminars that are aimed at preparing them for a Montessori school setting during the Practicum Phase of their training.  These Seminars include Parent Involvement, Classroom Management, Observation, and School Administration.

To begin the second year of the Early Childhood Teacher Education Program, the Practicum Phase, the Adult Learners seek an Internship in a Montessori school to fulfill the requirement for student-teaching hours.  Gaining practical experience in a classroom alongside an AMS Montessori-certified Head Teacher is a perfect example of the “learning by doing” principle set forth by Dr. Montessori.

Some of MCTD’s current Adult Learners are looking forward to beginning the Practicum Phase in September, while others will continue to work through Academic Phase II.  All are looking forward to the next steps in their Montessori journeys.

The 2017-2019 Early Childhood Teacher Education Program is currently accepting applications on a rolling basis. Open Houses will be held in January, February, and March of 2017.

Early Childhood Assistant Teacher Training Program

This summer, MCTD expanded its course catalog to include our Early Childhood Assistant Teacher Training Program.  This program is designed for individuals currently employed as Assistant Teachers who are looking to expand their knowledge or for those interested in gaining employment as Assistant Teachers in a Montessori environment.  MCTD holds the belief that a more thorough understanding of the Montessori Philosophy will allow Assistant Teachers to flourish in the classroom.  This new program gives a foundational overview of the Montessori Philosophy and the basic curriculum areas of a Montessori classroom, with both lectures and hands-on experiences.

Two “Modules” are being offered for the Early Childhood Assistant Teacher Training Program.  Module I includes two days of classroom instruction on the Montessori Method and Philosophy.  Module II includes three days of training on the materials used in the Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Math, and Cultural areas of the classroom.  Adult Learners have the option of taking either Module I or Modules I & II. (Module I is a prerequisite for Module II.)

Montessori classrooms, especially Early Childhood classrooms, are incredibly busy places.  There is not always ample time, especially at the beginning of the school year, for a new Assistant Teacher to learn the ropes from his or her Head Teacher.  MCTD recognizes this gap in teacher education and has designed this new program as a stepping stone into the world of Montessori.  MCTD is excited to be welcoming Adult Learners into our new program this summer and hopes that it will inspire some of the current Assistant Teachers to become AMS certified Montessori teachers in the future.

MCTD is currently accepting registrations for the Early Childhood Assistant Teacher Training Program. The program will run from August 15-19, 2016. For more information and to register, please visit: http://www.MontessoriCenterForTeacherDevelopment.com/AsstTeacherTraining.html.

Lunchtime for the Adult Learners

I recently asked Doreen Adamo and Bernadette Fasolas (MCTD’s Program Director and Assistant Director) to share their favorite things about leading MCTD.  They fondly reminisced about their own experiences as Adult Learners during their training years and then pointed me in the direction of the MCTD lunchroom. The MCTD Adult Learners studying this summer in Academic Phase I were preparing to share a meal. Once a week, a self-selected student takes her turn in preparing a family-style lunch for her classmates. They began this little tradition after bonding over their love of trying different cultures’ cuisines.  This summer, they have already experienced a variety of loving prepared meals including homemade Sri Lankan curry.  The most recent menu item was a colorful, fresh veggie and pasta salad.  They are also eager for this cohort’s exceptional baker to take her turn to participate in this new tradition!

The current Adult Learners have more than just adventurous eating in common; they have bonded over their desire to work with children, their previous work experiences, and their varied life journeys.  Their friendships are just beginning, and given the lasting friendship between Doreen and Bernadette, which was formed during their own Montessori training, it is likely that these, too, may last for many years to come.  Moreover, these friendships formed during MCTD’s Teacher Education Program are complemented by the common passion of carrying on Dr. Maria Montessori’s legacy.  Both MCTD and MCA is delighted to support this current cohort of Adult Learners as their Montessori journey begins.

For more information about MCTD’s programs, please visit http://www.MontessoriCenterForTeacherDevelopment.com/ or contact Doreen Adamo, Program Director at MC4TD@aol.com.