Can our school become AMI accredited?

Currently the Association Montessori Internationale is working on an ambitious 'Global School Accreditation' programme, to offer schools worldwide mentorship, support and accreditation. A slow roll-out is envisaged, starting on a gradual country-by-country basis in 2021. In the interim, for schools in the USA and Canada, there is an existing AMI School Recognition programme that will remain in place until the roll out of the Global School Accreditation.

USA: https://amiusa.org/schools/ami-recognition/

Canada: https://www.ami-canada.com/globalaccreditation.html

For other countries, please contact AMI Affiliated Societies for in-country guidance regarding Montessori school quality indicators.

Does AMI offer online training?

AMI is communicating regularly with our trainers and training centres to respond to the changing circumstances for course delivery due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.  In regard to upcoming courses, some courses are being postponed, some have gone partially online, and some are progressing in various blended formats. Any accommodations being made for courses during this time of pandemic have been approved by AMI.

How can you become an AMI trainer?

You need:

  • An AMI Diploma for the level of interest.  At the 6-12 level one must also have an AMI 3-6 diploma; at the 0-3 level one must have either an AMI 3-6 diploma or take a Foundation Course.
  • A minimum of five years of teaching experience; at the 3-6 level, 3 of the 5 years must be consecutive with the same class. At the 0-3 level, of the 5 years two must be consecutive with the same community.  At the 6-12 level one must have a minimum of 2 consecutive years at both the 6-9 and the 9-12 classes during the minimum 5 years or 5 years with a 6-12 class.
  • A bachelor’s degree or the equivalent
  • Membership of AMI
  • A classroom observation visit by someone appointed by the Training Group

How widely is the AMI Diploma recognised?

The diploma issued by AMI is identical throughout the world, according to the level followed (0-3; 3-6; 6-12). In some countries, national, or regional educational authorities may request additional qualifications.

How do I obtain an academic transcript?

Academic transcripts are issued to graduates by the AMI Training Centre at which they gained their AMI Diploma.  Please contact your training centre directly.  Contact details for all training centres can be found on this website.

If I join AMI as a member, what are the benefits?

Your membership grants you access to AMI’s global network and to events such as the AGM. You will receive the AMI Journal, which includes articles by Maria Montessori and other numerous online communications.  We invite you to join online here.

We want to translate and publish original titles by Maria Montessori.

Please note that in most countries Maria Montessori’s titles are still in copyright. A publishing contract with the copyright holders (the heirs) needs to be negotiated. AMI usually brokers contact. Write to AMI at ami-publishing@montessori-ami.org.

What are the requirements to open an AMI training centre and run an AMI diploma course?

Approval of new Teacher Training Courses requires a successful Feasibility Study, which guides the process through three phases of development. At the outset we would ask you to note that AMI does not work through franchise but through affiliation.

At this time, AMI is examining this process and revising the Feasibility Study Handbook. Our goal is both to clarify and to simplify this process, so as to bring AMI Teacher Training more readily to more communities. We request your patience as we complete this process.   

When this revised process is complete, information on establishing new training courses will be available on the AMI Website.

Between now and then, we recommend that for information on current diploma courses you contact directly the AMI affiliated training centres on our website and for regional information to support and promote Montessori education that you contact the AMI affiliated societies in respect of their ongoing and planned activities as they may have meetings and congresses that you may wish attend.  We also invite you to follow AMI on Facebook where you will find information on AMI's global work as it is happening.  

We would like to offer AMI Teacher Training in our community – how can we get started?

For communities interested in starting a new AMI Teacher Training Course, AMI recommends establishing a relationship with an existing AMI Affiliated Training Centre in your region and offering what is known as a ‘satellite course’ under the direction of the existing Training Centre. 

Under our current conditions, AMI is committed to strengthening regional AMI Affiliated Training Centres, which can offer satellite courses both inside and in some instances outside their region. At this time, a number of AMI Training Centres already offer such satellite courses both nationally and internationally, at all levels of AMI Training, in addition to on-going courses in their own local community. These are often accompanied by thriving University partnerships as well as local and national accreditations. We expect and advocate for this trend to continue and increase.

Affiliated Training Centres develop satellite courses in close collaboration with the local community. The local community benefits from the Affiliated Training Centre's existing relationship with AMI as well as its administrative and financial stability, pedagogical expertise, and well-developed marketing, enrolment, staff, and student policies - all available to apply in order to establish, promote, and conduct the satellite course. The existing Training Centre has the experience to organise as needed the local resources necessary to support AMI training in a community and can more readily secure a qualified training staff. All of which can greatly simplify the process for AMI course approval.  

With this support, the local community can focus on their own pedagogical growth and development, unencumbered by administrative demands. The training provided through satellite courses can serve to increase the number and quality of AMI schools in the area, fuel local interest in AMI Montessori education, and provide time for the local community to support the professional development of individuals who can eventually form a committed local training staff, including at the full AMI Trainer level. 

This satellite relationship promotes more efficient use of current AMI training resources throughout the world and allows a local community to accurately assess their readiness to qualify in the future as an independent AMI Affiliated Training Centre, as required by the full AMI Feasibility Study.

Where can I take an AMI course and what are the tuition fees?

AMI affiliated training centres can be found on most continents. The AMI website contains all contact information for our courses. Please contact centres directly for all relevant information on enrolment (fees, admission policies, course dates, etc.).

Frequently Asked Questions