From the Organizations
All Montessori membership organizations are invited to share information in these pages. Next deadline is April 23.
MACTE Petitions for Renewal of Recognition MACTE Accreditation Actions Fall 2007
On the State of Teacher Education
Online Blog ChroniclesTrip to China
Employment in AMS Schools and TEPs
Report from 2008 Heads of Schools Retreat
Scholarships Available for 2008-2009
Join AMS!
India Meets the US: 30 Years of Kaybee Montessori
MACTE
MACTE Petitions for Renewal of Recognition
MACTE’s petition for renewal of recognition by US Dept. of Education was submitted in early January, 2008. The process is very much like the one our accredited institutions and programs follow for renewal of accreditation.
After the petition and supporting documentation are sent to USDE, they are reviewed by an assigned staff analyst. The analyst then contacts the agency’s executive director with questions, and makes plans to observe either an on-site evaluation visit or the agency’s decision-making meeting.
The analyst then writes a staff analysis of the agency’s petition, which recommends the number of years for which recognition will be renewed (five years is the maximum) and provides a summary of any issues or problems which affect the agency’s compliance with the criteria for recognition. The agency may write a response to the staff recommendation. The agency’s petition, supporting documentation, the staff analysis and the agency’s response (if any) are then forwarded to two members of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), who review the documents. More information on NACIQI can be found at http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/naciqi.html
In December and May or June of each year, NACIQI holds its official meetings. The staff analyst appears before the committee, presents his or her report on the agency, and answers questions. Then, representatives of the agency (usually the executive director and an officer of the Commission) are called before the committee to make a presentation and answer questions. If there are any “third party commenters” (either positive or negative) in the audience, they are invited to make a presentation to the committee. Final discussion and voting are then held.
MACTE’s petition will be reviewed during the May 30-31, 2007 NACIQI meeting held at The Madison Hotel in Washington, DC.
I have every reason to expect a positive outcome, and hope for renewal of MACTE’s recognition for a period of five years.
On the State of Teacher Education
MACTE is working on several initiatives that will be highly beneficial to the Montessori teacher education community.
For the past two years, MACTE has conducted a pilot study of accredited institutions and programs that offer single course components via distance education. At its November 2007 meeting, the MACTE Commission decided to expand the pilot study to include a second phase for five years in order to increase the number of participants and the variety of institutions and programs studied. In addition to accredited institutions and programs, applicant institutions and programs will also be eligible to participate in this second phase. The application form for the study is available on MACTE’s website at www.macte.org.
At its November 2007 meeting, the MACTE Commission also approved a major policy change in Standard 4, Instructional Personnel, to require a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution for all instructors and field supervisors by the year 2014. According to policy, standards changes must be put out for public comment prior to final approval by the Commission. The notice of comment can be viewed on MACTE’s web site (www.macte.org).
One rationale for this standard change is that it will help MACTE, and the Montessori teaching profession, achieve the goal of having Montessori teaching credentials recognized by state agencies and regional accrediting agencies. Since working with individual states continues to be a daunting task, MACTE is in the process of contacting regional accrediting agencies to discuss recognition of Montessori teaching credentials.
These initiatives will be highly beneficial to Montessori teacher education, and ultimately to the entire Montessori community.
Gretchen Warner is executive director of the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education Commission.
MACTE Accreditation Actions Fall 2007
At its November 5-7, 2007 meeting, the MACTE Commission took the following accreditation actions:
GRANT OF FULL ACCREDITATION STATUS (INITIAL)
Atlanta Montessori Teacher Education, 488 Hurt Rd., Smyrna, GA 30082, Infant and Toddler. Director: Barbara Moffitt. Term: 4 years (2011).
Capital College Ltd., 540-4400 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, B.C., V6X 3R8, Canada, Early Childhood. Director: Susan Lee. Term: 4 years (2011).
Eton Montessori Teacher Training Academy, Palm Springs #8, Chaoyang Park South Rd., Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China, Early Childhood.
Director: Marie Odendaal. Term: 4 years (2011).
Greater Cincinnati Center for Montessori Education. 333 Madison Ave., Covington, KY 41011, Infant and Toddler. Director: Crystal Dahlmeier. Term: 4 years (2011).
Montana Montessori Teacher Education Institute, 5 Parkhill Rd., Kalispell, MT 59901, Early Childhood and Elementary I. Co-Directors: Sally Black Welder and Terry Welder. Term: 4 years (2011).
Montessori Teachers College, 4718 Engle Rd., Carmichael, CA 95608, Elementary I. Director: Cherie Gardner Cooney. Term: 4 years (2011).
Northern Virginia Montessori Institute, 20300 Bowfonds St., Ashburn, VA 20147, Early Childhood. Co-Directors: Chandra Fernando and Beth Theriot.
Term: 4 years (2011).
South Mountain Community College Montessori Teacher Education, 7050 South 24th St., Phoenix, AZ 85042, Early Childhood. Director: Billie Larime.
Term: 4 years (2011).
GRANT OF FULL ACCREDITATION STATUS (RENEWAL)
Adrian Dominican Montessori Teacher Education Institute, 1257 E. Siena Heights Dr., Adrian, MI 49221, Early Childhood. Director: Sr. Anthonita Porta, OP. Term: 7 years (2014).
Barry University Montessori Teacher Education Program, 11200 N.E. Second Ave., Miami Shores, FL 33161, Early Childhood and Elementary I-II. Director: Dr. Ijya C. Tulloss. Term: 7 years (2014).
Center for Montessori Teacher Education/North Carolina, 179 D’Ango Circle, Angier, NC 27501, Infant and Toddler, Early Childhood. Director: Ceres Schroer York. Term: 7 years (2014).
Center for Montessori Teacher Education/New York, 785 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605, Infant and Toddler, Early Childhood and Elementary I-II. Director: Carole Wolfe Korngold. Term: 7 years (2014).
Centro de Entrenamiento Montessori, Juarez Sur 250, San Pedro, Garza Garcia, N.L., 66230, Mexico, Early Childhood and Elementary I-II. Director: Laura Fernandez de Quiroga. Term: 7 years (2014).
Centro Entrenamiento Montessori of Santo Domingo, Francisco Prats Ramirez Equina Olegario Tenares, Urb Los Restauradores, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Early Childhood. Co-Directors: Carmen E.R. De Delgado and Marina Grau. Term: 7 years (2014).
Chaminade University of Honolulu Montessori Teacher Education Program, 3140 Waialae Ave., Honolulu, HI 96816, Early Childhood. Director: Elizabeth Park. Term: 7 years (2014).
Columbus Montessori Center/COMET, St. Joseph Montessori School, 933 Hamlet St., Columbus, OH 43201, Elementary I-II. Director: Anne McCarrick.
Term: 7 years (2014).
Institute for Guided Studies, 190 Battleship Rd., Camden, SC 29020, Early Childhood. Director: Dr. Sheryl M. Sweet. Term: 7 years (2014).
Maryland Center for Montessori Studies, 10807 Tony Dr., Lutherville, MD 21093, Early Childhood. Director: Alisa Anania. Term: 7 years (2014).
Michigan Montessori Teacher Education Center, 1263 South Adams Rd., Rochester Hills, MI 48309, Early Childhood and Elementary I-II. Director: Mr. Theo Papatheodoropoulos. Term: 7 years (2014).
Montessori Educators International, Inc., 913 East Cumberland Dr., Louisville, TN 3777, Early Childhood. Director: Aleta Ledendecker. Term: 7 years (2014).
Montessori Teachers College of San Diego, 4544 Pocahontas Ave., San Diego, CA 92117, Early Childhood, Elementary I-II. Director: Lo Ann Jundt.
Term: 7 years (2014).
Montessori Western Teacher Training Program, 5856 Belgrave Ave., Garden Grove, CA 92845, Early Childhood. Director: Catherine L. Smythe. Term: 7 years (2014).
Toronto Montessori Institute, 8569 Bayview Ave., Richmond Hill, Ont., L4B 3M7, Canada, Early Childhood and Elementary I-II. Director: Nancy Coyle.
Term: 7 years (2014).
DEFERRAL OF ACCREDITATION DECISION
Santa Monica Montessori Institute, 1909 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404, Early Childhood. Director: Pamela Crisman. Deferral of accreditation decision until May 5-7, 2008 meeting.
EXTENSION OF ACCREDITATION TO ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS
Caspari Montessori Institute International, Inc., P.O. Box 657, Livingston, MT 59047, Early Childhood, additional location at Helping Hands Montessori School, 2096 S. Gourley St., Boise, ID 83705. Director: Anita Wolberd. Term: for the term of accreditation (through December 31, 2009).
Center for Montessori Teacher Education/New York, 785 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605, Elementary I, additional location at Lexington Montessori School, 130 Pleasant St., Lexington, MA 02173. Director: Carole Wolfe Korngold. Term: for the term of accreditation (through December 31, 2014).
Center for Montessori Teacher Education/New York, 785 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605, Early Childhood, additional location at Penn-Mont Academy, 131 Holliday Hills Dr., Hollidaysburg, PA 16648. Director: Carole Wolfe Korngold.
Term: for the term of accreditation (through December 31, 2014).
Center for Montessori Teacher Education/New York, 785 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605, Early Childhood and Elementary I-II, additional location at Villa Montessori School, 4535 N. 28th St., Phoenix, AZ 85016. Director: Carole Wolfe Korngold. Term: for the term of accreditation (through December 31, 2014).
Center for Montessori Teacher Education/New York, 785 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605, Early Childhood, additional location at The Village School for Children, 100 West Prospect St., Waldwick, NJ 07463. Director: Carole Wolfe Korngold. Term: for the term of accreditation (through December 31, 2014).
Center for Montessori Teacher Education/New York, 785 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605, Early Childhood and Elementary I-II, additional location at Sacred Heart University/LaNueva Escuela Juan Ponce DeLeon, Robles 55 Juan Domingo, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico 07966. Director: Carole Wolfe Korngold. Term: for the term of the contract (through June 30, 2008).
Institute for Guided Studies, 190 Battleship Rd., Camden, SC 29026, Early Childhood, additional location at Honeyville Migrant Head Start Center, 6980 N. 2550 West, Honeyville, UT 84314. Director: Dr. Sheryl M. Sweet. Term: for the term of the contract (through March 14, 2008).
Montessori Opportunities, Inc., 2381 Plymouth Lane, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221-3642, Early Childhood and Elementary I, additional location at Audubon Charter School, 428 Broadway St., New Orleans, LA 70118. Co-Directors: Rosann Larrow and Peter Larrow. Term: for the term of accreditation (through December 31, 2009).
Montessori Opportunities, Inc., 2381 Plymouth Lane, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221- 3642, Early Childhood, additional location at Providence Montessori School, 1209 Texaco Rd., Lexington, KY 40508. Co-Directors: Rosann Larrow and Peter Larrow. Term: for the term of the contract (through December 31, 2008).
EXTENSION OF ACCREDITATION FOR SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE
Center for Montessori Teacher Education/New York, 785 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605,additional location at Sacred Heart University/LaNueva Escuela Juan Ponce DeLeon, Robles 55 Juan Domingo, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico 07966, change in curriculum, age range component, from Elementary I to Elementary II.
Fountainhead Montessori Adult Education, P.O. Box 2786, Dublin, CA 94568,
Early Childhood, change in relocation of permanent site from 115 Estates Dr.,
Danville, CA 94526 to 6665 Amador Plaza Rd., Dublin, CA 94568.
Montessori Educators International, Inc., 913 E. Cumberland Dr., Louisville, TN
37777, Early Childhood, program director from Ms. Jane Dutcher to Ms. Aleta Ledendecker.
Montessori Institute for Teacher Education, P.O. Box 408, Yorklyn, DE 19736, Infant and Toddler, Early Childhood, relocation of permanent site from 2848 Grubb Rd., Wilmington, DE 19810 to One Middleton Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808.
Xavier University Montessori Teacher Education Program, 3800 Victory Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45207-6631, Early Childhood and Elementary I-II, change in program director from Ms. Elizabeth Bronsil to Ms. Gina Lofquist.
Vancouver Training Institute, 1580 W. Broadway, Vancouver, B.C., V6J 5K8, Canada, Elementary I-II, change in time structure.
Virginia Montessori Teacher Education Center, 516 Albemarle Dr., Chesapeake, VA 23322, Early Childhood, change in time structure.
American Montessori Society
AMS and IAME Plan Overlapping Conferences
The AMS 2008 Fall Conference in Southern California promises new and expanded learning and networking opportunities, thanks to an exciting collaboration between AMS and the International Association for Montessori Educators (IAME). The organizations are planning concurrent conferences at the same site, with the AMS conference scheduled for Nov. 14-16, and the IAME conference planned for Nov. 14-15. This partnership will offer participants unparalleled professional-development and community-building resources. Sessions at the three-day conference will be geared toward teachers, teacher educators and administrators. www.amshq.org/conferenceFall2007.htm
Share Your Knowledge!
In the second week of March, AMS will go live, on the AMS Website, with a Call for Presentation Proposals for the 2009 Annual Conference. The conference will be held New Orleans, LA, Feb. 26-March 1. We are particularly interested in proposals that relate to peace education, conflict resolution and service learning (but don’t let this limit you). If you would like to submit a presentation proposal, go to www.amshq.org. The submission deadline is April 15.
Online Blog Chronicles Trip to China
In February, Dr. Marlene Barron, chair of the nascent AMS “Montessori in Asia” task force, and Marilyn Stewart, AMS president, traveled to Beijing and Shanghai to officially commence an active AMS relationship with China, promoting growth and high-caliber Montessori education in that country. There they met with educators and government officials and explored the possibilities of together drafting a proposal for implementation of a 2010 conference or lecture series within China. They also jointly gave a presentation, open to the public, at the Eton Bilingual Academy in Beijing, on the importance of preschool education. A blog of their journey, summarizing their meetings with key people, as well as photos and stories from their travels, can be accessed via the AMS Website: www.amshq.org.
The task force was authorized by the AMS Board of Directors at its October meeting in Irvine, CA. This spring, Marlene and Marilyn will be reporting back to the Board and making recommendations on ways to support the development of high-quality “indigenous” Montessori teacher education programs and schools in China and Southeast Asia.
Marlene is director of New York University Montessori Teacher Education, a commissioner for the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE), head of school emerita at West Side Montessori School (WSMS) in New York City, NY, and former president of AMS. Marilyn is AMS president and head of school at The Red Oaks School in Morristown, NJ.
Employment in AMS Schools and TEPs
Are you looking to hire new teachers or staff? AMS member schools and affiliated teacher education programs can easily post employment ads on the AMS Website (free of charge). This is also a great resource for anyone looking for a new job. To check out the listings or place an ad, go to the “Employment” link on the AMS homepage (www.amshq.org). Your ad will remain online for three months or until the position is filled, whichever comes first.
Additionally, if you would like to place an employment ad in Montessori Life, AMS’s quarterly publication (circulation: 10,000), contact AMS director of advertising, Michele Eldon at Mich...@amshq.org or 718-230-4753.
Report from 2008 Heads of Schools Retreat
Joanne Oh, AMS director of professional development, and Marie Conti, AMS senior director for school accreditation and member programs, joined a group of 60 Montessorians, January 19–20, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for the annual AMS Heads of Schools Retreat. Attendees were very pleased with guest speaker, Amanda Trosten-Bloom, coauthor of the Power of Appreciative Inquiry and principal of the Corporation for Positive Change, who spoke about discovering what is working in our schools and designing questions that help the community transform itself through its strengths. Everyone left the weekend with much hope and energy—helped, no doubt, by the perfect weather and the wonderful tropical location—as well as a great understanding of appreciative inquiry tools they can now use to promote positive change in their schools. A full report, including photos and personal accounts, is available online at www.amshq.org/events_Retreats.htm.
Scholarships Available for 2008-2009
Through the awarding of Teacher Education Scholarships, AMS supports the growth of Montessori’s teachers of tomorrow. Any aspiring Montessori teacher who has been accepted, or is in the process of being accepted by an affiliated AMS teacher education program, is eligible to apply for a scholarship. (Applicants currently enrolled in an AMS teacher education program are not eligible.) The application and application guidelines can be found at www.amshq.org/teacherEdScholarships.htm. The application deadline is May 1.
Join AMS!
Please contact executive director Richard A. Ungerer to learn how AMS can help you take full advantage of all the Montessori resources we have available for you: rich...@amshq.org or 212-358-1250 x308.
Montessori Vendors Association
India Meets the US: 30 Years of Kaybee Montessori
Pat Sinopoli was working as an elementary Montessori teacher in Washington, DC, when she learned about Kaybee Montessori in 1977.
Before then, it had been difficult to get authentic Montessori materials in the United States. AMI-approved materials were only made by Nienhuis (in Holland), Gonzagarredi (in Italy), and Kaybee Equipment Manufacturing Co. (in India), the three locations where Dr. Montessori had based her movement during her lifetime.
The Indian company realized the need here in the states and sought a way to fill it. They approached the Washington Montessori Training Center in Maryland in search of a trained teacher who might be interested in importing their materials. Word of this got to Pat and, after months of communicating with India via Western Union telegrams (the “internet” of the day), she and her husband, Tony, decided to give it a go!
At the time, Pat and Tony thought it would be a part-time endeavor. They ran the company from the basement of their home on Chesapeake Street in Washington. Pat kept teaching and Tony continued working at the Office of Naval Research and pursuing his woodworking hobby in his now diminishing spare time. The logistics of running an importing business at that time were somewhat complicated. There was no internet and phone availability was sporadic so they communicated with India primarily via somewhat cryptic telegrams. But this didn’t slow them down. As the Montessori movement spread across the US, their business grew. Soon their little part-time endeavor expanded to the garage, the attic, and eventually to another rented garage in the neighborhood. Before long they moved to better facilities in suburban Maryland and began supplementing the line with materials made in Italy by Gonzagarredi. By 1980, Pat left her teaching position to work on the company full-time and Tony eventually did the same. It was an exciting and demanding time.
Through all of these changes, their mission remained the same, to not only provide the Montessori community with the highest quality materials, but also to be an active participant in the process of Montessori education. In that vein, Kaybee has opened up its showrooms to house summer teacher training conferences. They have also continually worked to maintain the integrity of Dr. Montessori’s original designs while updating materials to meet current standards. While some materials, like the wooden movable alphabets, remain substantially the same today as they did decades ago, others, like the color tablets, have gone through dozens of changes. (I remember reading about how Dr. Montessori first made these out of spools of thread. The precise presentation of only picking up the edges of each tablet was done to not soil the threads!)
Today, Kaybee not only offers a full line of AMI-approved Montessori apparatus and custom-made classroom furniture and accessories, they also offer everything schools need to set up and run their classrooms. They pride themselves on being a full-service classroom design company that helps with everything from business plan creation to marketing plans to staffing and billing services.
In 2005, just before the company celebrated its 30th anniversary, Pat and Tony officially retired and handed the reigns over to their son Al, who has the gift of a complete Montessori education. Now Al continues the family business from modern facilities in Rochester, NY.
You can read more about Kaybee, its history and order materials online at www.kaybeeonline.com.
Julia Volkman is a Montessori primary teacher, the founder of Maitri Learning, the mother of a 12-year-old and a toddler, and the current chairperson of the Montessori Exhibitors Association (www.montessoriexhibitors.com).
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