WHY DO WE FOLLOW AMI STANDARDS?

AMI is the acronym for the Association Montessori Internationale, the organization that Dr. Montessori established in 1929 to protect the integrity of her work. It is unfortunate that at that time she did not patent her name because now there are Montessori schools whose teaching methods bear little resemblance to what Dr. Montessori intended. The AMI designation is internationally recognized as the highest standard of quality with regards to a Montessori school.

One thing that sets AMI apart from other associations is the manner in which teacher training is conducted. To become a trainer of teachers within AMI, an individual must first have several successful years leading a classroom. Trainer candidates must then spend at least four years working alongside two different established trainers at two different training centers. The process is lengthy and demanding. No other association has such a structured course of study. Having such a formal process for the training of trainers subsequently means that the teacher trainees then benefit from a Montessori training that is consistent, undiluted, logical, in-depth and uncompromised. Once the AMI teacher training is completed, the individual teacher is well-equipped to handle the complexities of directing a Montessori class.

AMI also has set standards for Montessori classrooms. These standards include:

There will be one AMI trained teacher at the appropriate age level in each class.
Each class must be equipped with a full complement of Montessori materials from an approved AMI manufacturer.
Each class will include a well-balanced division of ages within the appropriate age range as well as a suitable number of children.
Each primary and elementary class will have prolonged uninterrupted work periods of 3 hours in the morning and 2 to 3 hours in the afternoon.

These standards are in keeping with Dr. Montessori’s teachings and they provide the structure for the establishment of a true, high quality Montessori school.