During this time of focus on teacher recruitment and retention, we will discuss when to send teachers for training and considerations for sponsorship. How can we best support successful partnerships with supervising teachers as well as support the self-directed intern with our special guest Kitty Bravo
When to send teachers for training, considerations for sponsorship, supporting successful partnerships with supervising Teachers, And Supporting the Self-Directed Intern?
Spring is in the air, a season of new beginnings! And so, it is fitting that MACTE has updates to share about the happenings in the Montessori educator preparation program community. Right off, you may already notice an update with our language. While we have traditionally referred to programs as TEPs for “teacher education programs,” we now call them EPPs for “educator preparation programs.” The impetus for transitioning to using EPPs is to encompass programs seeking MACTE accreditation for their administrator courses. It is exciting to have programs preparing educators to lead in our children’s schools!
In addition, we have historically referred to our recognized Montessori organizations as “affiliates” (macte.org/affiliates/). Going forward, we will refer to them as “MACTE Recognized Organizations’’ (MROs). Our hope is that switching to MACTE Recognized Organizations will eliminate potential confusion between accreditation and affiliation. While accreditation and affiliation are similar sounding words and are processes with shared goals, there are differences between the two. Accreditation is a nationally recognized process in higher education to ensure the quality of EPPs. Achieving accreditation allows programs to apply for certain federal funding. In some states, a credential from a MACTE accredited program qualifies the teacher to apply for state licensure. MROs provide guidance on the initial stages of development and ongoing support for the running of a Montessori EPP. This support may include the development of their mission, curriculum, syllabi, and professional development and networking opportunities for their faculty. MROs may choose to expand upon MACTE’s thresholds. MACTE focuses solely on the accreditation of Montessori educator preparation programs, while MROs may also focus on other aspects of Montessori education, including support of Montessori children’s schools, individual teachers, and families. Both MACTE and MROs are committed to continuous improvement of Montessori educator preparation programs and offer them guidance and resources.
The staff and MACTE Board recently reviewed and updated portions of the MACTE bylaws, including information on how the board is selected, composed, and functions as the governing body. This is to ensure the MACTE board represents the diverse Montessori community. In May, MACTE hosted a gathering of the leaders from our MROs. We held this virtual space as an opportunity to share the revisions of the MACTE by-laws, explain the updates in our language, hear from other leaders, and answer questions. We value the times we get to connect with colleagues and learn about the important work being done by our MROs.
Spring brings on the busy season of on-site verification visits. On-site verification visits occur as one of the final steps of the accreditation process. A team of qualified professionals visits the program to gather evidence that verifies the program has in place everything they have shared in their Self-Study. There are tours of facilities, reviews of documentation, and interviews with faculty, graduates, and adult learners. Would you like to join the MACTE team of qualified verifiers? It is a wonderful way to give back to the Montessori community, interact with colleagues, and earn professional development points. You can even join from the comfort of your own home as many of the visits are being conducted as a hybrid of in-person and virtual! Please reach out to Elisabeth Chidester, MACTE’s Accreditation Specialist and On-Site Visit Coordinator, to learn more about the requisites and training involved to serve.
On an ending note, in the spirit of the recent Teacher Appreciation Week, we want to thank all the teachers who are making a difference in the lives of our children. We are so grateful for the work that you do. And should you like to learn more about what MACTE does, find ways to be involved, or have your questions answered, please do not hesitate to contact our team. We welcome the opportunity to connect!
* To learn about the individuals who comprise MACTE’s board of directors, please visit https://www.macte.org/board-of-directors/
** For a list of MACTE’s recognized Montessori organizations, please visit https://www.macte.org/affiliates/
The original mission of the International Montessori Council (IMC) did not include teacher education. In fact, IMC existed for many years without any affiliated teacher education programs. The IMC’s main focus in those early years, and still today, is creating an open-minded and open-hearted Montessori organization.
Eleven years ago, that mission expanded with the approval of the first IMC affiliated Montessori Teacher Education Program, The Center for Guided Montessori Studies (CGMS). Forging this new path was not done casually. The IMC Board had the wisdom to recognize the need for Montessori teacher education to adapt to the technological and educational trends budding in the 21st century. As a result, IMC and CGMS have paved a path for hybrid Montessori teacher training that blends online with short residential/ face-to-face training; a trend that is now finding acceptance in other Montessori organizations.
Continuing in the direction of innovation, the IMC Teacher Education Standards have been designed to encourage programs to find creative ways to meet the needs of learners without sacrificing the quality of course content. The academic hours, for example, are significantly higher than required by the Montessori Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) or other organizations, but there is much more flexibility for course delivery format. This means that the required hours can be met through a variety of meaningful learning activities, with a balance of on-campus, online, and independent study projects.
Montessori is about so much more than materials. For this reason, IMC requires all programs to have a plan for ongoing reflection and discussion of course topics. These discussions are part of the academic hours and can take place in person or virtually. Helping adult learners grasp the significance of Montessori philosophy and how to support the development of children requires deep study. We can’t just leave this to chance. We need to guide adult learners through a process of discovery, and this requires time to read, reflect, and share. Modern technology provides many opportunities for ongoing contact, support, and meaningful dialog, through online discussion groups and video conferencing. These kinds of activities enrich the teacher education program and provide a higher level of support for the learner as they travel their Montessori path. IMC is ready to support teacher education programs in developing these strategies to better serve their learners and better prepare the next generation of Montessori teachers.
Whether a teacher education program is in its infancy and early development stages, or is an established independent program, or even affiliated with another organization, we hope you will look at what the IMC has to offer. The IMC is more than just another Montessori organization, we are a community with a network of passionate Montessorians always ready to offer friendship, coaching, and support.
As an international organization, IMC can offer teacher education affiliates global recognition. Programs will be able to submit news and feature articles for Montessori Leadership magazine. The newly developing teacher education section of the IMC website will list all affiliate teacher education programs with links to the TEP website. Every affiliate program will get a seat on the IMC Teacher Education Committee, where everyone’s input is welcome.
IMC is a strong supporter of MACTE. As such, all IMC teacher education affiliates must obtain MACTE accreditation. The process of adding IMC as your affiliating organization is fairly simple. IMC standards match up closely with MACTE guidelines with only a few requirements needing special attention such as the additional academic hours, and additional years of experience required for instructors. We have also kept the IMC affiliation and adult learner fees low so that programs can afford to have an organization on their side.
Recognizing the increasing demand for well-prepared Montessori teachers worldwide, IMC is committed to supporting new and existing teacher education programs expand their reach. As we grow with more teacher education affiliates, IMC plans to offer professional development instructor training opportunities for teacher educators. We look forward to growing and learning as a united Montessori community. We all get stronger when we work together. ′
For more information and a copy of the IMC TEP Standards and Guidelines for Affiliation, email Kitty Bravo, IMC Teacher Education Chair at kbravo@guidedstudies.com.
ML/ August 2019 / Pg 41
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