For teaching children from ages 2½ to 6               

The Montessori approach is not just a method – it is a response to life.  The Early Childhood Montessori experience provides an environment enriched with materials to meet the breadth of children’s developmental needs.  In beautifully designed classrooms, children learn at their own rates as they pursue their desires to work and master their own bodies.

At CME|NY, we believe that the task of the adult is to prepare the environment, guide the child to it,  and assist in the unfolding of the child’s being.  Adult Learners in our teacher education program learn the skills to help children develop personal responsibility, connection to a larger community, ability to identify problems and solve them, and become competent in their own learning.

Academic Courses

Curriculum includes:

• Montessori philosophy and pedagogy
• Child development, including analytical, cognitive, emotional and language development
• Observation techniques
• Classroom management
• Teaching strategies
• Supervised practice with Montessori materials for everyday living and sensorial activities, language development, mathematics, geography, history, art, music and natural sciences.

 See the detailed course descriptions

Practicum Experience

After successfully completing the academic coursework, students enter the practicum experience in which they do a nine-month internship in a classroom with a minimum of 12 children.  The student teacher works in the classroom under the supervision of a certified Early Childhood Montessori teacher who is in at least his or her second year of post-internship teaching. The student teacher observes and helps nurture the growth and development of the children in the class while learning classroom management strategies and techniques from the supervising teacher.

While self-directed practicums are not the norm for this program, we recognize that circumstances may warrant this exception.   With this option, a field consultant works with the student teacher in his or her own class at an approved Montessori school over the course of two years.  To be eligible for this self-directed internship, the student needs to have had previous Montessori classroom experience.  An additional fee, which includes additional consultation visits, applies for those who are approved for the self-directed practicum.

Schedule

• Classes meet Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Required practice labs may be scheduled during the day or evening hours after class.
• Two evening sessions will be held: Wednesdays, June 19 and July 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. 
• No classes on July 4th
• Fall Seminar:  2 days in December
• Spring Seminar: May 1, 2, & 3, 2020

The academic portion of the course takes place over 7 weeks during the summer.  There are 2 seminars that occur during the school year.