What's New in Montessori Live

Teacher Education’s Distance Future
Public School Montessorian, Spring 2008 vol. 20, number 3

   In dozens of Montessori teacher education centers across North America, hundreds of future teachers are learning their craft. It’s been that way for decades.

    But the transmission of knowledge to apply the principles outlined by Maria Montessori is no longer confined to those lovely classrooms and an inner circle of teacher educators. The Internet is igniting a boom in distance education, expanding opportunities for both classroom teachers and homeschoolers.

   Distance courses have prepared teachers for several decades, relying primarily on mail service with some use of videotape or DVDs. Programs include the College of Modern Montessori, the Indian Montessori Centre’s online Montessori Training Course, the International Montessori Society, Montessori Teacher Preparation of Washington, the North American Montessori Center and the United Montessori Association.

   All are now feeling the pressure of a high-speed culture. As Dale Gausman, who developed the North American Montessori Center program on books and DVDs said, “We continually work to enhance our training curriculum and delivery, and value student feedback in this regard. Based on student response to video presentations that are a NAMC curriculum component, as well as tutorial support delivered electronically, we recognize the value of this medium as an effective and interactive training delivery mechanism. We believe that further movement in this direction is a positive step forward in distance education.”

    Traditional courses were the first to use computer technology, with Honolulu-based Chaminade University, which pioneered the use of online discussions to supplement classroom interactions, now offering training based in online lessons. Omaha-based Mid-America Montessori Teacher Training is poised to begin an online Elementary I program in cooperation with the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

   Many others now support online discussions among students.

   The Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education has expressed an interest in considering accreditation of limited-residency, distance-learning courses. At least three web-based programs beside Mid-America – The Center for Guide Montessori Studies, Montessori Live and Montessori USA – are in, or near, full implementation.

   And, in a less obvious phenomenon, the Internet is vastly expanding the number of parents who can learn and try to apply Montessori principals in their home.

   Montessori homeschooling had roots in books written by Elizabeth Hainstock some 30 years ago, but got a boost when Heidi Spietz began writing books for Montessori homeschoolers through American Montessori Consulting 20 years ago. The Internet has brought on an explosion of websites and blogs that inform and support homeschoolers. There are almost certainly thousands of young families who are doing their best to apply Montessori principles in their home, based on what they have learned on the net.

    In this issue, we offer some glimpses of the changing world of creating Montessori’s environments.

Montessori Live Offers Elementary Training, Link to Argosy University Master’s
Public School Montessorian, Spring 2008 vol. 20, number 3

            An online elementary Montessori teacher education program, relying heavily on streaming video of “best practices” has opened in collaboration with a master’s degree program from Argosy University.
            Montessori Live Distance Training Center has been developed and is headed by Kym Elder, a private and charter school operator in Florida.
            Elder opened Island Village Montessori School in 2001. It now has campuses in Venice and Sarasota, FL, serving early childhood through middle school.
            The teacher education course is inspired in part by the need for elementary teachers at her schools, and in part by her tireless drive to innovate. That drive has led to a master’s degree in charter school administration and now a doctoral program in Internet technology and distance education at Nova University.
            “We have been trying to find people who are not only certifiable in Florida, but also experienced and certified as Montessori elementary teachers. It is a real challenge. There are a lot of people who need training but they can’t leave their families for extended periods of time.”
            Elder’s work evolved from videos produced with a “best-practices dissemination” grant from the state of Florida. The videos will be available as part of an online library – essentially video albums – accessible for a $30 monthly fee, and at no charge for Florida charter schools. Videos include teacher presentations and lectures.
            The core of Montessori Live will be those online videos. According to the website, Montessori Live is “designed to become a collection of methodologies and best practice for Montessori professionals all over the known world.”
            Elder estimated she has “at least 100, more like 150, videos ready to go and more in the works. We’re probably half way there.”
            The elementary teacher training course will include reading, written assignments and discussion boards, Elder said. “Each course has an assigned instructor who leads the cohort through lessons. There will be same-time chats and asynchronous discussions.”
            Montessori Live’s first elementary cohort began in January with another scheduled to begin in late March. In May the program is scheduled to begin a collaborative arrangement with Argosy University, leading to a master’s degree in Elementary Education.
            According to Ken Rometo, Argosy’s project director in Sarasota, plans are being developed to offer a full online master’s degree in Montessori Education, which could be ready within eight months, pending various approvals.
            The elementary course will be a full two years, Elder said. “We want people working in the environment.” She said she hopes to target an international audience.
            Courses can be taken directly from Montessori Live. The Argosy link, earning 15 credits for the elementary training toward a 36-credit degree, is a more expensive option.