OCU University | Montessori Studies

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Montessori Studies

The OCU University Montessori Teacher Certification Program provides coursework that matches the standards and requirements provided by the American Montessori Society () at the Early Childhood Level. Our program has received full accreditation for it’s Early Childhood level from the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education () and affiliation with the American Montessori Society (). 

What does affiliation and accreditation mean for Montessori training at OCU University?  This global recognition strengthens our mission of: 

Providing an objective view of the Montessori approach and seeks to place the ideas of Dr. Montessori in the context of contemporary psychological and educational thought. This means questioning and sometimes rejecting peripheral concepts. It also means recognizing that the Montessori approach is an open ended one. 

Developing individuals who are experimentally-oriented, scientific pedagogues, in the best sense of Montessori’s term, rather than practitioners of a methodology; individuals who have learned to see the Prepared Environment as a dynamic human ecological system fostering growth in human values as well as in intellectual pursuits. 

This program is a Continuing Education program that delves into the Montessori educational method over a two-year time period. The program begins in July with some summer coursework in addition to fall and spring classes. 

We are grateful to our Montessori community–past, present, and future–and we are honored to build on the legacy of Montessori education at OCU University, which began over 50 years ago. 

For more information about this program, contact the co-directors of the Montessori Teacher Education Program, Jennifer Bush and Charlotte Wood-Wilson, via email at [email protected] or [email protected]. Interested to know more? Join our mailing list

The Montessori classroom is a prepared environment in which children’s inherent love of learning is encouraged by engaging them in purposeful and meaningful activities. Through their work, children develop concentration and self-discipline. Within this structured and orderly environment, children progress, each at his/her own pace, facilitated by a credentialed Montessori teacher. 

Dr. Montessori’s observations of children led her to design multi-sensory, sequential and self-correcting materials. Learning through concrete, hands-on materials provides a firm foundation for later abstract thinking. Multi-age groupings are also a part of the prepared environment. A three-year age span in each class allows learning to occur naturally. More experienced children share what they have learned while reinforcing their own learning. 
The Montessori Method is based on a deep respect for children and a thorough understanding of child development. The primary goal of a Montessori education is to help each child reach his/her full potential in all areas of life. 

Want to learn more? 

 

  

 Famous Montessori Graduates: 

  • Bill Gates 

  • Julia Child 

  • Anne Frank 

  • Jeff Bezos 

  • Founders of Google (Larry Page and Sergey Brin) 

  • Taylor Swift 

  • Beyonce 

  • Stephen Curry 

  • … just to name a few! 

Schedule 

Year One 

Summer 1 (week-long intensives): 
Montessori Philosophy Part 1 (2 days) 
Practical Life (4 full days) 

Fall 1 (Saturdays): 
Montessori Philosophy Part 2 (6 Saturdays) 
Sensorial (8 Saturdays) 

Spring 1 (Saturdays): 
Math (8 Saturdays) 
Child Development (8 Saturdays) 

Year Two 

Summer 2 (week-long intensives): 
Language (5 full days) 
Cultural (2 full days) 

Fall 2 (evening classes): 
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Practicum and Project Planning I (weekly)* 
Seminar I (3 days)* 

Spring 2 (evening classes): 
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Practicum and Project Planning II (weekly)* 
Seminar II (3 days)* 

*must have passed all courses offered in Summer 1, Fall 1 and Spring 1 to attend* 

✢for those students wishing to pursue an AMS Early Childhood Credential, they must complete all courses in addition to a ½ day internship, 5 days a week in a Montessori 3-6 classroom for 9.5 months✢&²Ô²ú²õ±è;

Cost 

  • There is a $75 non-refundable registration fee due with application. 

  • Cost to complete all requirements for the Montessori Studies Certificate is $5,850. 

  • Additional fees are associated with pursuing an AMS Credential along with the Montessori Studies Certificate. These fees include: 

  •  Adult Learner Fees which are paid to and set by MACTE and AMS, our governing bodies 

  • Montessori Examiner Fees 

  • Students will be notified of the final amounts prior to their internship.  

  • These additional fees usually end up about $800 

  • ÐßÐßÊÓƵ Montessori Manuals for all content areas are covered in the program's cost. 

  • TextBooks and supplies are to be purchased by the student. The total cost for all textbooks and supplies is approximately $200. 

  • All fees and costs are subject to change without notice. 

Montessori Philosophy Part 1 

  1. Montessori’s View of the Child and the Prepared Environment 

  2. Montessori Materials, Philosophy of Teaching, and Goals 

Practical Life 

  1. Care of the Person 1 

  2. Care of the Person 2 

  3. Care of Environment 1 

  4. Care of Environment 2 

  5. Care of the Environment 3 

  6. Grace and Courtesy 1 

  7. Grace and Courtesy 2 

  8. Course Review and Assessment 

Montessori Philosophy Part 2 

  1. The Prepared Environment 

  2. Periods of Development 

  3. Freedom/Normalization/Discipline 

  4. Montessori in the Classroom 

  5. Social Emotional Perspectives 

  6. Montessori and Constructivism 

Sensorial 

  1. Characteristics of the Pre-Operational Child 

  2. Model Exercise Format 

  3. Philosophy of Sensory Education 

  4. Development of the Senses 

  5. Practice with Montessori Materials 

  6. Sensorial Exercises 

  7. Sensorial Presentations 

  8. Course Review and Assessment 

Math 

  1. PreNumber: Logical Classification 

  2. PreNumber: Logical Quantification 

  3. Introducing 1-10 

  4. Introducing Teens 

  5. Linear Counting Beyond 10 

  6. Using the Golden Beads: Decimal System 

  7. Using the Golden Beads: Operations and Math Facts 

  8. Course Review and Assessment 

Child Development & Advocacy 

  1. Infant and Toddler Development 

  2. Child Development (3-6) 

  3. Child Development Theorists 

  4. Assessment of Young Children 

  5. Case Study Development 

  6. Assessment of the Environment 

  7. Advocating for Young Children 

  8. Case Study Conferences/Review 

Language 

  1. Children’s Literature and Conducting Line Times 

  2. Pre-Reading and Pre-Writing 

  3. Theories of Language Development 

  4. Primary Phonics Sequence 

  5. Invented Spelling 

  6. Writing Before Reading 

  7. Classroom Management 

  8. Learning Differences in Language 

  9. Montessori’s Own Language Materials 

  10. Course Review and Assessment  

Cultural 

  1. Geography 

  2. Science - Biological Science 

  3. Science - Physical Science 

  4. History 

Classroom Internship*  Aug-Dec half-day, hours TBD by supporting school 

Practicum and Project Planning I 

  1. Beginning your Internship 

  2. Introduction to Observation 

  3. Bias and Observation 

  4. Inclusivity and Holidays in the Classroom 

  5. When Is It a True Choice? When Is It an Expectation? 

  6. Preparing and Leading Parent/Teacher Conferences 

  7. Note Taking Styles 

  8. Course Review and Assessment 

Fall Seminar I 

  1. Integrating Art in the Classroom 

  2. Cultural Revisited 

  3. Music 

  4. Classroom Management Panel 

Classroom Internship*  Jan-May half-day, hours TBD by supporting school 

Practicum and Project Planning II 

  1. Introducing Your Project in the Classroom 

  2. Observational Styles: Running Record and Time Sample 

  3. Observational Styles: Event Sample and Behavior Sample 

  4. Recognizing Learning Differences and How to Address Them 

  5. Preparing Children to Move Up or Move On 

  6. Wrapping Up the Intern Project 

  7. Preparing for the Summer Break 

  8. Course Review and Assessment 

Spring Seminar II 

  1. Classroom Management 

  2. Revisiting Language 

  3. Revisiting Math 

  4. Peace Education 

*for those students wishing to pursue an AMS Early Childhood Credential, they must complete all courses in addition to a ½ day internship, 5 days a week in a Montessori 3-6 classroom for 9.5 months* 

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