The Program
The UMA Montessori teacher certification training program is a distance-learning program, whereby participants correspond through lessons by both email and video tutorials. Students will receive the lesson responses in the form of Microsoft Word attachments. Each assignment may be downloaded and printed up as hard copies for use in personal manuals. Training videos and manuals are included in the cost of tuition. Books required for reading assignments may be purchased separately and are the sole responsibility of the student (see Materials and Costs page).
There are 20 written lessons, which will be emailed in six sections, as follows:
SECTION 1. Introduction to Montessori
• A Beginning Observation
- Montessori School
- Traditional Preschool
Lesson 2.
• Maria Montessori
- Her Life and Work
- Biographical Timeline
Lesson 3.
• The Secret of Childhood
- Book Review
SECTION 2. Montessori Principles and Early Childhood Development… Includes an inner look at our own early childhood years.
The Psychology of Development - Section Outline
• Social Interaction
• Emotional Development
• Sensitive Periods
Lesson 5.
The Significance of Movement in Education - Chapter Outline
• Intelligence Development
• Personality Development
Lesson 6.
The New Relationship - Chapter Outline
• Freedom, Individual Liberty, Independence
• Self Discipline
• Order and the Prepared Environment
• Respect
Lesson 7.
Montessori and Froebel - Chapter Outline
• Behavioral Tendencies
-Deviations, Fugues, Possessive Instincts
• Fantasy/Reality
Lesson 8.
• Concentration, Point of Contact
• Joy of Learning
• Normalization
SECTION 3. The Adult-Child Relationship in the Classroom… Evaluating various behavior scenarios.
• Handling Misbehavior
• Observation and Communication
Lesson 10.
• Environment Preparation
• Learning Through Discovery
• "Circle" Time and the Adult's Objective
SECTION 4. The Montessori Academic Apparatus…Classroom setup, Montessori material presentations, and album projects.
• Practical Life
-Social Graces
• Album Project
Lesson 12.
• Sensorial
-Isolation of Stimulus
• Album Project
Lesson 13.
• Language
-Language Explosions
• Album Project
Lesson 14.
• Math
-The 3-Period Lesson
• Album Project
Lesson 15.
• Culture
-Cosmic Education
• The Arts
• Album Projects
-Science, Geography, History
SECTION 5. Parent-Teacher Relationships. Includes Parent Handbook for school handout and child evaluation samples for parent conferences.
• Parent Expectations and Teacher Responses
• Parent Interviews
Lesson 17.
• Child Observation Report
• Parent Conference - Child Evaluation
SECTION 6. Course Review
• Final Classroom Observations
-Montessori School
-Traditional School
Lesson 19.
• Final Review
Lesson 20.
• Personal Goal Setting and Self Evaluation

