Montessori Training Centre of BC
A Place of Education for adults on the nature of childhood
AMI Primary Montessori Teacher Training
“Education, therefore, of little ones is important, especially from three to six years of age, because this is the embryonic period for the formation of character and of society, just as the period from birth to three is that for forming the mind, and the prenatal period that for forming the body.”
(The Absorbent Mind, p. 221/2)
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.
Early Childhood Educator Certificate (ECE)
Upon completion of the program, graduates qualify for an Early Childhood Education Diploma and the British Columbia Early Childhood Educator Certificate. Applications for a certificate are sent to the Early Childhood Educator Registry, Ministry of Children and Family Development.
Anne Laws
Anne graduated from Queen’s University with a B.A. and a B.Ed. and then, went on to complete her AMI Primary diploma in Toronto in 1984. After working in the classroom for several years, she completed a M. Ed. in Early Childhood Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto (1989). Anne has worked as a guide and as a Principal in Montessori schools in Toronto and Ottawa. She began the Training of Trainers’ Programme at the Montessori Training Centre of BC, becoming an Auxiliary Trainer in 2003. She has worked for many years as a trained AMI Primary Consultant, National Examiner and Lecturer. Anne served as a founding member of AMI’s Affiliated Society in Canada and as Editor of its member newsletter. She worked several years as Executive Director of Canada’s current affiliated society, AMI (Canada). She continues in the role of coordinator of AMI’s School Recognition Program in Canada. She joined the Montessori Training Centre of BC in September 2019 to complete the final phase of the Training of Trainers’ Programme at the primary level and is now an AMI Primary Trainer.
My name is Cristina Abasolo and it is my joy and honour to join the staff here at MTCBC as Primary Course Assistant. My love affair with Montessori began 30+ years ago when I took my Primary Course at the Washington Montessori Institute in Washington D.C. Since then, it has been an amazing journey for me as a classroom guide and facility manager across the globe. I have been blessed with opportunities to work in the U.S., Asia, the Caribbean and of course here in beautiful B.C. My husband and I are parents to two amazing boys, our human son Nick and our furry one Chester. Both have been brought up the Montessori way although the furry one still hasn’t quite ‘normalized’ in his 11 years of training.
My journey has come full circle now, and here at the training centre, I fall in love with Montessori all over again, each day!
Course Calendar
Academic Year: September – July
The AMI Montessori Primary Teacher Training course trains the adult to prepare a beautiful and orderly environment for children 3 to 6 years of age according to the principles and practices of Dr. Maria Montessori and the Association Montessori Internationale. Upon completion of all academic and practicum requirements, graduates are qualified to receive the BC Early Childhood Educator Certificate.
- Theory lectures on the Montessori philosophy and psychology of early child development
- Reading/study of Dr. Maria Montessori’s books including directed reading seminars
- Presentation lectures on the purpose and use of the variety of Montessori activities
- Supervised practice with the Montessori materials
- Observation in the community and in Montessori classes, including the lab school, MCC
- Teaching practice in local Montessori schools
- Observation and Practicum in a non-Montessori day care setting
- Written work – the student compiles a reference album for each of the four areas of the prepared environment with an essay style introduction for each album; an essay on each theory topic is written based on lecture notes and reading assignments.
- Material making assignments – students make activities for the classroom to keep for their own use
Admission Requirements
Preferably, applicants hold a Bachelors Degree, a Community College Diploma or their Early Childhood Education Certification. Applicants with Mature Student Status are also considered. Please refer to the Application documents in Downloads for further details.
Requirements for Primary Certification
The Montessori Primary Diploma is granted upon satisfactory completion of the course requirements in:
- attendance at lectures and supervised practice
- observation and practicum requirements
- material making assignments
- written assignments
- reference albums and resource manuals
- passing grades on written examinations
- passing grades in oral examinations conducted by Examiners of the AMI.
Downloads
Contact
Registrar: admissions@mtcbc-ami.org
Phone: 604-261-0864
Location
MTCBC Assistants to Infancy Campus
1410 Nanton Ave. , Vancouver, BC V6H 2E2 (Entrance at corner of Nanton Ave. & Cartier St.)
* This program has been approved by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training.