Tips for choosing a Montessori school

When choosing a Montessori school for your child, there are a couple of factors that are important to consider.

The primary question is a simple one: Is the Montessori school accredited?

The lengthy accreditation process assures the community that the school adheres to specific requirements and principles of Dr. Maria Montessori and the education model she developed. An accreditation agency, such as the American Montessori Society, determines if essential building blocks of the program are met. Montessori teacher training, multi-age classrooms, use of specially designed Montessori learning materials, child-directed work, and uninterrupted work periods are evaluated for quality and consistency.

To find an accredited school and program, I recommend using the American Montessori Society’s web-based School Search tool that can be found at https://amshq.org/Families/Find-A-School.

A higher degree of accreditation comes with the pathways school designation, which recognizes a school’s commitment to continuous improvement and maintaining quality Montessori programs.

Country Montessori School in Poway hits the mark for both designations. Our school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and CMS is designated as a pathways school through the American Montessori Society’s Pathway of Continuous School Improvement.

Beyond accreditation, teacher education and the length of teacher service are other key areas to consider when seeking a Montessori school. Teacher tenure is important because of continuity, particularly for children during the preschool years.

All of the lead teaching staff at Country Montessori School are Montessori credentialed for the programs they teach. All elementary lead teachers must have a minimum college education of a bachelor’s degree. We are proud that the average number of tenure years for teachers at CMS is 10-12 years.

Teacher certification remains a vital component to each Montessori school’s approach and educational success.

Teachers certified in the Montessori method study a rigorous curriculum of child development and Montessori philosophy as well as specific uses of the Montessori classroom materials. Teachers receive their Montessori teaching credential from a Montessori Accredited Center of Teaching Education, MACTE, organization such as the American Montessori Society, AMS. AMS Montessori credentialing requires a 9-month practicum and a series of written and oral exams. A Montessori-credentialed teacher is trained to recognize a child’s readiness according to age, ability, and interest in a specific lesson and is prepared to guide individual progress.

Teachers interested in this certification are trained at centers where they can become credentialed. Country Montessori School in Poway serves as the Montessori Teacher Training Center in San Diego County and is dedicated to the program and certifying new Montessori teachers.

Do you have more questions about the Montessori method of education or about becoming a Montessori certified teacher? Reach out to us. The school can be reached at (858) 673-1756.

Country Montessori School, located at 12642 Monte Vista Road, Pow ay, CA, 92064, serves children ages 2.6 to 11 years in its Early Childhood (Preschool and Kindergarten), Lower Elementary, and Upper Elementary programs. More information can be found at www.countrymontessori.org.