Montessori Training Centre of BC
A Place of Education for adults on the nature of childhood
AMI Elementary Montessori Teacher Training
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED FOR THE 2024-2025 COURSE. STAY TUNED FOR INFORMATION ON THE NEXT COURSE! SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLIST HERE
“The secret of good teaching is to regard the child’s intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds may be sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination. Our aim, therefore, is not merely to make the child understand, and still less to enforce him to memorize, but so to tough his imagination, as to enthuse him to his inmost core.”
(To Educate the Human Potential, pg.11)
Diploma granted: AMI Elementary (6 – 12) Diploma
The Montessori elementary program prepares students to work with 6-12 year olds (1st to 6th grade) using Dr. Maria Montessori’s methods and theory. Adult learners will engage in a concentrated course that blends online and in-person learning. There will be live, in-person lecture seminars, discussion, practical training with Montessori materials, observation, and practice teaching – as well as synchronous and asynchronous online work. The course also provides integrated preparatory and foundations work to support children transitioning into the Montessori elementary program.
The Montessori Training Centre of British Columbia (MTCBC) works in affiliation with the Association Montessori Internationale. The courses offered must meet rigorous standards, in both content and teaching staff. The Diploma awarded by the MTCBC is in great demand by Montessori Schools both nationally and internationally. Individuals must enquire what local requirements set out by government regulatory bodies must also be met when applying for teaching positions.
Note: This course is not eligible for the Post-Graduate Work Permit Program.
AMI Elementary Director of Training: Christine Trostel
Christine Trostel is an AMI Elementary Trainer and international examiner from Juneau, Alaska. She holds the AMI Elementary diploma from Bergamo, Italy and the Primary diploma from Montessori Northwest. She has directed on courses across North America and Asia.
Christine spent 25 years in the 6-12 classroom among culturally, economically, and learning diverse children in large cities and remote villages. She has founded schools, worked in most administrative roles, and established adolescent programs while working in Montessori public, private, and charter schools. Chris gives workshops and advises administrators, boards, teachers, and parents. She also teaches Montessori professional development classes through the University of Alaska.
Christine holds a B.A. from Western Washington University with a concentration from Huxley College of Environmental Studies, a M.S.E. from the University of Wisconsin, and has been a Highly Qualified licensed teacher in several U.S. states. She is past chair of AMI-EAA and has been a member of various AMI/USA and AMI task forces and committees.
AMI Elementary Course Auxiliary Trainer: Terrence (Terry) Millie
Terry believes that together, we do more than educate; we nurturehuman potential. He works to inspire others to explore their livedexperiences, sparking reflection and learning. Terry holds AMIMontessori 3-6 and 6-12 diplomas and a Masters of Education fromVancouver Island University with a designation in MontessoriLeadership.Terry has classroom experience in the Young Child’s Community,Children’s House, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and Adolescent environments. Through his work, he is also committed to a personal journey of lifelong learning. He is an AMI Auxiliary Trainer, examiner, speaker, and presenter who has served on the board of the Canadian Association of Montessori Teachers.His goal is to use our collective experience and knowledge to tell the story of the 6-to-12-year-old child and to highlight the Montessori approach as an “aid to life.”
Program Requirements
Bachelor’s Degree in any field, OR minimum 60% completion of a Bachelor’s degree at time of application, with 100% completion by end of the AMI Teacher Training Course..
English Proficiency for ESL Students:
IELTS Academic minimum 6.5, with no band under 6.0; TOEFL iBT 80 with no section under 19; TOEFL computer 220; or an equivalent test score, as determined by the Montessori Training Centre of BC. If one has studied successfully in a post-secondary institution where English is the language of instruction, this will be considered equivalent to a test score (no further tests required).
Policies
Requirements for Elementary Certification
The Montessori Elementary Diploma is granted upon satisfactory completion of the course requirements:
- 90% attendance at lectures and supervised practice
- observation and practicum requirements (90 hrs. observation, 120hrs. practicum)
- material making assignments
- written assignments
- 9 reference albums and resource manuals
- passing grades on written examinations
- passing grades in oral examinations conducted by Examiners of the AMI
Location
Montessori Training Centre of British Columbia 1410 Nanton Ave., Vancouver, B.C.
Schedule
Entire Course: March 2024 to August 2025
- Seminar Sessions 1 (online): March 30, April 13, 27, May 11, 25, June 8, 22, 2024
- Module 1 (in-person): July 1 to August 23, 2024
- Seminar Sessions 2 (online): Sept 28, October 12, 26, November 9, 23, 2024, January 4, 18, February 1, 15, 2025
- Module 2 (in-person): March 17-28, 2025
- Seminar Sessions 3 (online): April 12, 26, May 10, 24, June 7, 2025
- Module 3 (in-person): June 30 to August 22, 2025
Between the summers
Between the summers, students must participate in webinars, complete, and submit electronic assignments, arrange for observations of children and successfully complete practicum requirements in an Elementary environment directed by a Guide who holds an AMI Elementary Diploma.
*MTCBC reserves the right to modify the schedule if required.
* This program has been approved by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training.