Montessori Training Centreof British ColumbiaVancouver, Canada

“A Child with a Dove”

This statue was dedicated

to Dr. Maria Montessori

by sculptor Gerda Rueter

(1904-1993).

It is located in Amsterdam.

MontessoriAssistants to Infancy

Diploma Course(0-3)

Beginning June 24, 2013

Two Summers:

June 24, 2013 - August 23, 2013

June 23, 2014 - August 29, 2014

in affiliation with

Assistants to Infancy Diploma Course (0 to 3)

Assistants to Infancy Course graduates are prepared to be Montessori Infant Toddler Educators to work with parents perinatally, assist with the

infant at birth, prepare beautiful and responsive environments, direct

Infant Toddler Communities in schools and day care settings, in hospitals

- wherever children under the age of three are found!

Infant Toddler Educator Licence to Practice (ITE)The Assistants to Infancy Course is accredited by the provincial

government. Graduates who hold an ECE Licence to Practice in British

Columbia, will qualify for the Post Basic Infant Toddler Educator Licence to

Practice. Applications are sent to the Early Childhood Educator Registry,

Ministry of Children and Family Development

Website: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/childcare/ece

The Montessori Training Centre of British Columbia is a non-profit

society established in 1982 to meet the growing need for Montessori

educators in Western Canada. Our purpose is to offer Montessori training

courses accredited by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI).

These internationally recognized courses must meet rigorous standards,

both in content and teaching staff. AMI Diploma holders are in great

demand both nationally and internationally.

“… we must never forget that man … begins his mental growth at birth

and pursues it with greatest intensity during the first three years of life.”

Dr. Maria Montessori

Testimonials

“This course exceeded all my expectations regarding the development of the child from conception onward. I gained a deep understanding of the young child, so much so that it literally transformed me.”

Dina Russo-De Cotiis

“… I was not expecting the personal transformation. I believe all teachers should take this course even if they are not intending to work with this age group. Maria Teresa Vidales’ method of delivery allows you to share in her passion for the child and gives you a deep understanding of children and self.”

Karen Brown

“The vast amount of knowledge gained from the Assistants to Infancy training is a MUST for all individuals who plan to have children or work with them. The course staff are incredibly knowledgeable and deliver the content with inspiration and meaning. If more individuals had this specific knowledge of infant development, we would see a difference in the children we are raising!”

Christie Stanford

Montessori … helping children develop in harmony with life.

Course Overview (Spanish speaking students may do course work and take exams in Spanish)

•MontessoriPedagogyandPhilosophy:thenaturaldevelopmentof the child from conception to 3 years of age.

•AnatomyandPhysiology. •Obstetrics:Prenatal,birth,andpostnataldevelopment. •NutritionandHygiene:Maternalcare,digestivesystem,food

preparation, and health issues. •ChildNeuropsychiatry:TheNervousSystemandnormal

psychological development. •DevelopmentofMovementandDevelopmentofLanguage. •Environment:PreparationofthehomeandInfantCommunityas

an aid to human development within the first three years of life. •Music,Art,andSocial/EmotionalDevelopment. •MaterialMaking:Hand-madematerials. •Observations:practicaltrainingforobservationofinfantsand

toddlers in homes and Infant Communities. •PracticuminaMontessoriInfantCommunitydirectedbyanAMI

Assistants to Infancy Diploma holder. •Preparationofreference&curriculumalbums.

Requirements for CertificationThe AMI Assistants to Infancy Diploma is granted upon satisfactory completionofthecourserequirementsin: •Attendanceatlecturesandsupervisedpractice •250hoursobservationofinfantsandtoddlers •OneweekpracticeinaMontessoriInfantCommunity •Materialmakingassignments •WrittenassignmentsandresearchpaperontheSymbioticPeriod •Referencealbumsandresourcemanuals •Passinggradesonwrittenexaminations •PassinggradesinoralexaminationsconductedbyExaminersof

the AMI.

Application Procedure• Preferably,applicantsholdaBachelor’sDegree,aCommunity

College Diploma or Early Childhood Education Certification. Applicants with a Mature Student Status are also considered. Please refer to the Application Procedure and Checklist document for details.

Course Calendar

The course is two summers with classes held daily from 8:30 a.m. to4:30 p.m. Between the two summers, studentsmust completewrittenassignments, arrange observations of infants and toddlers, and practice for a week in a Montessori Infant Community directed by a guide who holds the AMI Assistants to Infancy Diploma.

June 24, 2013 – August 23, 2013: week days 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Thefirstsummer’sworkbeginswithanoverviewofMontessoritheoryandpractice,followingthechild’snaturaldevelopmentandfocusingontheperiod from conception to age three. Obstetrics, hygiene, and nutrition cover the anatomy and physiology of reproduction, fetal development, birth, health issues, and the puerperium (the first eight weeks after birth). We study the preparation of supportive and beautiful environments and theiradaptationtothechild’schangingneeds;emphasisisonthehomeand family environment, but easily applied to group settings. Written assignments are handed in regularly throughout the summer. Thefirstsummerendswithawrittenexamandconference.

September to June 2013 – 2014: The requirements are scheduled by the student. Studentscomplete250hoursofobservationofchildrenfrombirthtothree,at home and in group settings. Each student arranges a Practicum with children in a Montessori Infant Community directed by an AMI Assistants to Infancy Diploma holder. If a visit is made by a course staff member, travelandlodgingexpensesarethestudent’sresponsibility.Observationassignments are handed in regularly during this period.

June 23, 2014 - August 29, 2014: week days 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.The second summer adds a study of child neuropsychiatry and of environments for children from 12 to 36 months in an Infant Community (out-of-home setting), including appropriate materials and activities. Written assignments are handed in regularly throughout the summer.

Writtenandoralexamsaregivenattheendofthesecondsummer.

NOTE:The MTC of BC reserves the right to cancel the course if minimum enrollment is not met.

Required Reading

•UnderstandingtheHumanBeing: The Importance of the First Three Years of Life

By Silvana Quattrocchi Montanaro, M.D.

•What’sGoingOnInThere By Lise Eliot, PhD

•ChildhoodandSociety By Erik Erikson

•Touching By Ashley Montagu

•TheInterpersonalWorldoftheInfant By Daniel Stern

•OnenessandSeparateness:FromInfanttoIndividual By Louise J. Kaplan

•MedicalText(purchasedatthetrainingcentre)

Books by Dr. Maria Montessori •EducationforaNewWorld •TheAbsorbentMind •TheChildintheFamily •TheDiscoveryofthechild •TheFormationofMan •TheSecretofChildhood

Biography about Dr. Montessori •MariaMontessori:HerLifeandWork By E.M. Standing

Additional Course Expense •Studentsshouldbudgetapproximately$700.00forbooks,

supplies and hand-made materials.

Montessori Philosophy

Children enter the world gifted by nature. With the adult’s help in

preparingabeautiful,supportiveenvironmentconducivetothechild’s

development, the child can carry out the important task of constructing

his personality. It is a ceaseless and intense labor, carried out with great

joy when assisted by the unconscious powers which nature bestows on

the child during the first three years of life.

ThiswasthegreatdiscoverythatMariaMontessorimade:that the child

creates himself as he interacts with the environment, revealing the

person that he can become. That is the primary task of the child.

Based on careful, systematic observation of children and their needs

and interests at each level of development, the Montessori approach to

early childhood education recognizes the tremendous developmental

achievements of each child.

Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) The Association Montessori Internationale was founded in 1929 by

Dr. Maria Montessori in order to further the rights of the child in society

and protect the integrity of the Montessori method of education. It is the

recognized international authority on Montessori Education and directs

studies in affiliated teacher training centres throughout Europe, Asia,

NorthandSouthAmericaandAustralia.

AMI website: www.montessori-ami.org

“... education is not something

which the teacher does;

it is a natural process which

develops spontaneously

in the human being.”

Dr. Maria Montessori

Course Staff

Director of TrainingMaria Teresa (Chacha) Vidales is one of only four AMI

Assistantsto Infancy(0to3)trainers intheworld.She

holdsherMaster’sDegreeaswellasherAMIDiplomas

forAssistantstoInfancy(0to3)andPrimary(3to6+).

Mrs. Vidales has collaborated on the Assistants to

Infancy Course in Colorado, co-directed courses in

Californiaand Japan, anddirectedcourses in Texas

and China. We were very pleased to have her direct the inaugural course

forCanadain2009and2010inVancouver,andthatsheisabletoreturn

tocontinueherworkwithus.SheisalsoanAMIconsultantandexaminer.

Chacha,assheisknowntomany,has25yearsexperienceworkingwith

childrenincludingoperatingaMontessorischoolinMexicosince1989.

Course AssistantMerryHadden holds her AMI Diplomas at the Primary

(1977) and the Assistants to Infancy (1981) levels as

wellasaBachelor’sDegreeinPsychology.Shehas16

yearsexperienceworkingwithchildrenfrombirthto3

andtheirparents.Ms.Hadden isaqualifiedAuxiliary

Trainer for the Assistants to Infancy Course and has

worked as a Course Assistant in Denver, San Diego,

Dallas, and Vancouver. She is also a certified Infant Massage and Child

BirthInstructorforRespiratoryAutogenicTraining.Presently,Ms.Hadden

directs a Montessori school in Florida.

Montessori Training Centre of British Columbia200–8555CambieStreet,Vancouver,BC

V6P 3J9 Canada

604-261-0864 • Fax: 604-261-2805

Website: www3.telus.net/MontessoriE-Mail:montessoritraining@telus.net