Elementary Assistant Teacher Certification

75 Hours – $1,050 + Shipping

The Montessori method of education provides children aged six to twelve with unique possibilities to learn more deeply, quickly, and efficiently through experience, guidance, and practice. The Montessori educator is the dynamic link to the environment, offering a tranquil, orderly, and compassionate atmosphere to encourage learning during this critical development phase.

MS of E’s Montessori Elementary Assistant Teacher Certification Program trains you to be a knowledgeable and compassionate Montessori teacher. Working with our excellent curriculum materials and resources will give you a solid foundation of Montessori philosophy and methodology as they apply to children aged six to twelve. The MS of E course prepares you to confidently guide and improve the lives of children in Montessori elementary settings.

Upon enrollment, you will receive access to the online resources and assignments on Canvas and copies of “Children Who Are Not Yet Peaceful” by Donna Bryant Goertz and “The Fully-Alive Child” by Jamie Watts. This program takes 75 hours to complete. Those who complete this program will not have to take the “Theory” module if they choose to take the Teacher Certification course later. It may be completed in as many as twelve months.

Assignment 1 - The Montessori Movement

In this assignment, you will learn about the history of the Montessori movement from its beginnings until today, the five core components of Montessori education, and an overview of the Montessori approach to Elementary education.

Assignment 2 - Child Development

You will learn the “big picture” concepts that guide Montessori pedagogy. These include human tendencies, planes of development, imagination, trauma-informed practice, and Montessori’s vision for Elementary education.

Assignment 3 - The Role of the Adult

You will learn the special part that adults play in the Montessori community: building relationships, presenting lessons, recordkeeping, observing, supporting, and more. Being a Montessori teacher is quite different from being a teacher in a traditional classroom.

Assignment 4 - Classroom Management

In this assignment, you will explore the prepared environment, cultivating a culture of work, freedom and responsibility, and systems and rituals that will help your class run smoothly. You will also read excerpts from “Children Who Are Not Yet Peaceful.”

Assignment 5- Montessori Philosophy

For this assignment, you will read passages from Dr. Montessori’s books “To Educate the Human Potential” and “The Formation of Man.” Then, you will answer two essay questions related to the readings.

Assignment 6 - Communication

This assignment focuses on effectively and compassionately communicating with families, students, and coworkers. It includes emails, conferences, progress reports, helping students express themselves in prosocial ways, paralanguage, and nonverbal communication. At the end, you compose responses to ten fictitious parent emails, addressing concerns related to the topics discussed in the course.

Assignment 7 - Practical Career Skills

You will conclude your studies by learning the practical skills necessary to succeed in the private school industry. These skills include helping students process big feelings, adapting to meet the needs of students with learning differences, record-keeping systems, diversity, and more. This assignment concludes with a Glossary of Terms test and recording a “Montessori Elevator Speech.”