Navadisha Montessori Institute

Navadisha Montessori Institute was established in 2004 to meet the growing need for Montessori training in Chennai. The mission of the Institute is to offer training of a high standard, helping graduates integrate theory and practice. The Institute further seeks to establish a strong bond with the alumni and the Montessori schools in the vicinity to ensure team work and awareness and overall growth in the community. The Institute is affiliated with the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) and offers the AMI Diploma Course. In addition, the institute offers a full range of courses for those interested in the Montessori philosophy or in working with children.

Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)

The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) was established in 1929 by Dr. Maria Montessori to extend her multi-layered work and protect its integrity. Today, AMI as a leading world body carries forward the scientific and philosophical tenor of Dr. Montessori's work. One of the main objectives of the organisation is the propagation of knowledge and understanding of the conditions necessary for the full development of the human being from conception to maturity both at home and in society. Headquartered in Amsterdam, AMI directs the work of AMI Montessori Training Courses all over the world offering pedagogical guidance and support. There are AMI courses to train adults to assist children at three age levels. The Assistants to Infancy Diploma Course is for birth to three years, the Primary Diploma Course is for 3 to 6 years and the Elementary Diploma Course is for 6 to 12 years.

Location

Navadisha Montessori Institute is situated in the fast-developing area of Velachery. Located on an acre of land in a primarily residential area, the building houses a school as well.

Transport

Vijayanagar bus stand, a well known landmark in Velachery is about 1 km from the institute. It is well connected by city buses. Taxis and auto rickshaws are available on call from the Institute.

Accommodation

The Navadisha Montessori Institute does not provide hostel facilities. However we can guide students to find accommodation if required. We try to keep available a current list of contacts in the Student Information folder. Please note that the following figures are approximations and are only guidelines for students to budget board and lodging for one year for duration of the course.

Admission Procedure

We look for applicants who will be committed to the cause of the welfare of children. The Admissions Review Committee will process all applications. The decision of the Committee will be final.

Application

To be considered for admission, please submit the following when applying:

• Application Form duly filled in and signed by the applicant
• A detailed Resume including all relevant details of your personal and academic background
• Two recent passport size photos
• Attested OR Certified Copies of all educational documents to bear out your resume
• Registration Fee
• Handwritten essay (about 500 words) on Why I would like to do a Montessori Course

Interview

Based on the application, there will be an interview with a member of faculty. Students will be asked to take an English check if necessary. Selected applicants will receive a letter of admission from Navadisha Montessori Institute. For students who are not able to attend an interview in Chennai we can arrange a time when the applicant can call us for a telephone interview.

Attendance

Students must have 90% attendance for each aspect of the course including time taken off due to illness. Attendance records will be meticulously maintained throughout the year. In case of absence, students should notify the Director of Training in writing, at least one day in advance. In case of illness the student should inform the Institute by phone immediately.

The AMI Assistants Course is a programme designed to help interested adults to understand the development of children. It opens the way for adults to assist this process both at home and in school. The programme introduces the philosophy underpinning Montessori practice and some basic practical skills useful in interacting with children. It would be of interest to teachers working in Montessori schools, to parents and expecting parents, and childcare professionals from other fields. The course would also be of interest to those who might want to consider doing the AMI 3-6 Diploma Course.

Course Components

Course work will consist of lectures, readings and discussion.

Theory Lectures

The course lectures will touch upon some of the core principles of Montessori education.

• stages of child development
• development of language and movement
• social development
• preparation of the environment
• role of an adult in a child’s life
• observation
• independence and freedom
• order and discipline

Assignments

Students will need to submit written work at regular intervals during the course, which will include theory essays, material making assignments and observation reports. All assignments must be completed in order to receive the certificate.

Eligibility

Open to anyone wishing to know more about the Montessori philosophy.

Application

To apply, the following must be submitted:

• Application Form duly filled in and signed by the applicant
• A detailed Resume including all relevant details of your personal and academic background
• One recent passport size photos
• Fee

Attendance

Students must have 90% attendance. Students with attendance below 90% will not be eligible to receive an AMI certificate.

Certificate

The AMI Assistants Course Certificate will be awarded to those who complete all the requirements.

Requirements

In order to receive the AMI Assistants Course Certificate, the applicant should:

• Submit all the assignments
• Complete the required hours of observation and submit an Observation report
• Have 90% attendance

Course Schedule

The course is full time and will run for 10 days. A detailed schedule will be provided to the students at the start of the course.

Kolkata
April 02 to April 12, 2010
Timing: 8:45 to 4:30 (Sunday holiday)

Chennai (English and Tamil)
April 19 to April 28, 2010
Timing: 8:45 to 4:30 (Sunday holiday)

Fees may be paid by means of a crossed local cheque or Demand Draft in favour of Navadisha Montessori Institute payable in Chennai. If a registered student withdraws fees will not be refunded for any reason.

Books

To prepare for the course, it will be good practice to read around the subject. The following books will help you begin this process.

Required Reading

• Montessori, Maria Education for New World Kalakshetra- Publications, India 1974
• Montessori, Maria From Childhood to Adolescence Kalakshetra Publications, India 1973
• Montessori, Maria The Child in the Family Kalakshetra Publications, India 1991
  

Recommended Reading

• Montessori, Maria The Child, Society and the World: Unpublished Speeches and Writings (Juler, Caroline and Yesson, Heather trans.) ABC-Clio Ltd., UK 1989
• Montessori, Maria What should you know about your child Kalakshetra Publications, India 1984
• Montessori, Maria Education and Peace Kalakshetra Publications, India 1972

AMI Primary Course (3-6 age level)

The academic year course is an intensive programme designed to help students study closely the theory and practice of the Montessori approach to education. The course of study over the year will help prepare students for working with children from 3 to 6 years of age. The course has several components.

Course Components

Theory Lectures

The theory lectures will offer the students the opportunity to examine the development of the whole child, and the successive phases of child development. Special consideration is given to the formative psychic powers of the child that leads to all-round development. The carefully prepared environment and materials and the role and attitude of the adult will also be studied.

Demonstration Lectures

The practical demonstration lectures deal with the function and presentation of the materials offered to children from 3 to 6 years of age in a Montessori environment. The aims of the materials, the technique of presenting them to the child and the age at which they must be offered will be discussed in these sessions.

Supervised Practical

During scheduled hours students will have an opportunity to practice with the material in a Montessori environment. Students will be supervised and guided in the use of the material and encouraged to develop and practice the techniques by which they will present the various materials to children. Students will also be asked to take responsibility for the environment just as they would when they are with children.

School Observation and Teaching Practice

Students will be assigned to go to various Montessori environments in the city for 8 weeks for observation and teaching practice. During this time they will be shown how to keep a record of observations and as well as have an opportunity to work directly with children under the supervision of an AMI trained adult. Students are asked to budget for their commute to the various city schools.

Assignments and Reference Folders

Students will need to submit written work at regular intervals during the course, which will include theory essays, material making assignments and observation reports. Students will also prepare four Reference Folders in the different areas - Practical Life, Sensorial, Language and Mathematics. Students will need to do four to six hours of organised work at home every day in order to complete all assignments.

Admission Procedure

We look for applicants who will be committed to the cause of the welfare of children. The Admissions Review Committee will process all applications. The decision of the Committee will be final.

Application

• To be considered for admission, please submit the following when applying:
• Application Form duly filled in and signed by the applicant
• A detailed Resume including all relevant details of your personal and academic background
• Two recent passport size photos
• Attested OR Certified Copies of all educational documents to bear out your resume
• Registration Fee

Handwritten essay (about 500 words) on Why I would like to do a Montessori Course

Interview

Based on the application, there will be an interview with a member of faculty. Students will be asked to take an English check if necessary. Selected applicants will receive a letter of admission from Navadisha Montessori Institute. For students who are not able to attend an interview in Chennai we can arrange a time when the applicant can call us for a telephone interview.

Attendance

Students must have 90% attendance for each aspect of the course including time taken off due to illness. Attendance records will be meticulously maintained throughout the year. In case of absence, students should notify the Director of Training in writing, at least one day in advance. In case of illness the student should inform the Institute by phone immediately.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible, the applicant should have:

• Completed 20 years of age by July 15 (year of application)
• A Bachelors degree
• A sound knowledge of English

The Montessori community has welcomed diploma holders from all walks of life and many different professions. Occasionally we do consider applicants who do not have a Bachelors degree but based on their life experience and age if they are able to demonstrate their ability to do the course work. Based on age and life experience

Course Schedule

The course is full time and will run 5 days a week Monday to Friday. An Annual Course Schedule detailing lectures, supervised practical, observation, teaching practice and holidays will be provided to the students at the start of the course. The course will commence early August 2010 and end April 2011.

Timing

The course timings will be from 8:45 AM to 3:15 PM every day. Students may be required to attend class on some scheduled Saturdays. There will be an hour break for lunch. Students will be asked to be extremely punctual. Latecomers will be marked absent for half the session.

Examination

The students' eligibility for appearing for the Examination will depend on the following:

• 90% attendance for each aspect of the course
• Punctual completion and submission of all assignments called for in the course of the year
• Full payment of the fees
• Completion of required hours of School Teaching Practice
• Completion of required hours of School Observations
• Completion of required hours of Supervised Practical

There will be two written examinations each three hours. Paper A will be on psychology and theory. Paper B will be on the practical aspect with the underpinning principles. There will also be an oral examination in which students will be asked to present the use of the material and explain the underlying theory.

An external examiner will be appointed by AMI to conduct the examinations. The diploma is awarded by the Association Montessori Internationale after a successful written and oral examination and completion of all requirements for certification. The AMI Diploma qualifies the holder to work with children in a Montessori environment between 3 and 6 years of age. The decision of the board of examiners will be final and binding. No appeals will be entertained after results are released.

Registered students who for valid reasons fail to appear for the examinations on the scheduled dates at the appointed time may be given the opportunity to appear at the examinations held the following year thereafter. They will have to apply for this opportunity in writing with a full and acceptable explanation. In case of medical grounds, a registered practitioner must attest the medical certificate. They will be charged the Examination Fee for the re-examination. Students appearing for re-examination in any of the four parts can do so ONLY the following year. They will be required to attend additional classes for which they will be charged a fee. They will also be charged the Examination Fee for the re-examination. Students who fail in the examination or re-examination will have to undergo another full course of training for which they will be charged the full Course fees including Examination Fee.

Faculty

Rukmini Ramachandran, trained as an AMI Trainer in London and Toronto. She has been working in the field of Montessori education with children and schools for over a decade and currently serves Navadisha Montessori Institute as the Director of Training.
Ruby Lau, an AMI Trainer, based in the UK brings her experience with children and with the training course in London to her work. She has been closely associated with the Institute since its inception and takes training responsibility whenever she is in Chennai.
Hema Rangarajan has had over 10 years working experience with children. She is currently on the rigourous AMI Training of Trainers programme and is part of the training team at the Institute.

Indian Nationals may pay the fees by means of a crossed local cheque or Demand Draft in favour of Navadisha Montessori Institute payable in Chennai.

Foreign Nationals may pay the fees by Bank Draft in US Dollars, Pound Sterling or Euros (equivalent to the fee amount) in favour of Navadisha Montessori Institute payable in Chennai.
We regret we do not accept payments by Direct Bank Transfer.

If a registered student withdraws on or before May 31st prior to the commencement of the course only 50% of the Fees will be refunded. After this date fees will not be refunded for any reason.

Books

To prepare for the Diploma course and for working in a Montessori environment it will be good practice to read around the subject. The following list of books is provided to help you begin this process. Some of these titles will be made available in the student library.

Required Reading

• Montessori, Maria Education and Peace Kalakshetra Publications, India 1972
• Montessori, Maria Education for New World Kalakshetra- Publications, India 1974
• Montessori, Maria From Childhood to Adolescence Kalakshetra Publications, India 1973
• Montessori, Maria The Absorbent Mind Kalakshetra Publications, India 1991
• Montessori, Maria The Child in the Family Kalakshetra Publications, India 1991
• Montessori, Maria The Discovery of the Child - Kalakshetra Publications, India 1966
• Montessori, Maria The Formation of Man Kalakshetra Publications, India 1975
• Montessori, Maria The Secret of Childhood Sangam Books Ltd., London 1983

Recommended Reading

• Montanaro, Silvana Understanding the Human Being: The Importance of the first three years of life Nienhuis Montessori USA 1991
• Montessori, Maria Child Education Kalakshetra Publications, India 1936
• Montessori, Maria Creative Development in the Child, Vols. 1 & 2 Kalakshetra Publications, India 1999
• Montessori, Maria The Child, Society and the World: Unpublished Speeches and Writings (Juler, Caroline and Yesson, Heather trans.) ABC-Clio Ltd., UK 1989
• Montessori, Maria To Educate the Human Potential Kalakshetra Publications, India 1948
• Montessori, Maria What should you know about your child Kalakshetra Publications, India 1984
• Montessori, Mario Jr., Education for Human Development: Understanding Montessori ABC-Clio Ltd., UK 1997.