Montessori education has a philosophy of child growth and learning that focuses on:
- designing an environment in which young children may live, learn, and develop at their own pace
- developing a curriculum that adapts to the individual needs of young children while fostering creativity, personal responsibility, and community participation
- preparing teachers to gain specific insights and sensitivities toward a child’s total development: mind, body, and spirit
Montessori Early Childhood Credential Students holding a Bachelor’s degree or higher will be awarded a full Early Childhood Credential from the American Montessori Society upon successful completion of all program requirements. Students who are high school graduates but do not have a four-year college degree will receive an Associate Early Childhood Credential from the American Montessori Society. If later, these students earn a bachelor’s degree, the American Montessori Society will convert their credential to a full Montessori Early Childhood Credential. As a prerequisite or co-requisite, the Credential requires a college level course in child development.
