Montessori School Leadership

PROGRAM OPTION TWO – DIPLOMA (online and in-person)

The second option is a new program potentially leading to an accredited diploma for Montessori school leadership. This option is for school leaders who have had little or no previous Montessori training and do not intend to complete the requirements for Montessori teacher training. Participation in this program requires registration fees, an in-person residency, a practicum experience, and supervised observations. Adult learners will receive a Montessori Live course completion certificate after each course and a final diploma at the end of the program.

Applicants for the new Montessori School Leader Diploma program must complete STEP ONE and submit the supporting documentation listed in STEP TWO.

The Foundations of Montessori Philosophy course introduces participants to the philosophy and history of the Montessori movement.  Participants will read a biography of Maria Montessori’s life to learn more about her as a leader and a human being. FDN is offered multiple times during the year.  The FDN course is a prerequisite for the remaining leadership courses.

The Observation and Classroom Management course focuses on the art and science of observation.  The course also focuses on classroom management strategies for an individualized, multi-age, constructivist classroom environment.  It also focuses on the strengths and challenges of a team-teaching partnership model. OBS is offered multiple times throughout the year and is a prerequisite for the PRAA course.

The Survey of Montessori Curriculum course takes 16 weeks to provide an overview of Montessori curriculum and materials from ages 3 to 12.  Participants will learn about various aspects of the curriculum such as practical life and sensorial, math operations, geometry, fractions and algebra, as well as the language scope and sequence.  The Montessori cultural sequence will also be covered in detail. SMCU is offered twice a year in January and July.

The Practical Applications for Administrators course is designed to be a practicum course for our professional development program.  We will discuss administrative topics such as supporting faculty, parents, and students as well as delving into what is necessary to be an effective leader.  PRAA begins in July and ends in October.

Required Additional Courses

The Practicum for Administrators extends the Practical Applications online course and adds 700 clock hours of supervised, in-person practicum experience.  Participants will be working in their local school environment as they continue the leadership project they began in the PRAA course.  PRADM begins September 1 and ends March 31 each year.  There are two virtual observations required, one scheduled during Fall semester and the other scheduled during Spring semester.  In addition, there is one required in-person observation where the Montessori Live Practicum course instructor will need to visit the school site.  Travel costs, daily rate, and per diem are not included in the tuition.

The capstone for this program is the Residency for Administrators that will be held the last week of March in Birmingham, Alabama.  The residency begins Friday morning and will end at noon Tuesday to allow for participants to return home that evening.  MACTE requires a 40-hour, in-person residency experience to be part of the diploma program.  RESADM topics include: leadership principles, personal and professional growth, equity, cultural responsiveness, ethics, faculty and staff support, policy implementation, community engagements, finances and fundraising, marketing and enrollment, educational law and governance, and strategic planning.  Participants will also be observing at local Montessori schools. 

It takes between one to two years to complete the program, depending on which option you select and when you begin the program.  Each online course consists of weekly chats, video lectures, forum reflection postings, assigned readings, and assignments. You can expect to spend 5-10 per week on each course. The enrollment process is streamlined and straightforward. Applicants complete the online application and submit items 2-10 to [email protected].

Enrolling in School Leadership DIPLOMA Program

1. Complete the online application  https://montessorilive.org/admissions/including the $100 application fee
2. A photocopy of a current government-issued photo ID
3. Signed acknowledgment of the Program Handbook
4. A recent (within six months) jpeg headshot photo
5. (Optional) School Sponsor Verification form
6. Resume
7. Copy of transcripts showing highest degree earned
8. Copy of teaching certificates and credentials (if any)
9. Two professional letters of recommendation
10. Upon approval,submit the $295 registration fee via Paypal.com to [email protected]

Forms will be emailed upon receipt of the application. 

The Montessori Live School Leadership Diploma program is an Applicant in Good Standing with the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE). The Applicant in Good Standing status in no way determines the outcome of the accreditation decisions by MACTE.

Graduates and current students who wish to transfer need to re-enroll into the Diploma program by sending a notification to [email protected] and submitting the following items:

1. Send an email to [email protected]indicating your decision to transfer into the diploma program.
2. A photocopy of a current government-issued photo ID
3. Signed acknowledgment of the Program Handbook
4. A recent (within six months) jpeg headshot photo
5. (Optional) School Sponsor Verification form
6. Resume
7. Copy of transcripts showing highest degree earned
8. Copy of teaching certificates and credentials (if any)
9. Two professional letters of recommendation
10. Upon approval, submit the $295 registration fee via Paypal.com to [email protected]

Forms will be emailed upon receipt of your email request.   

The Montessori Live School Leadership Diploma program is an Applicant in Good Standing with the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE). The Applicant in Good Standing status in no way determines the outcome of the accreditation decisions by MACTE.

The residency will cover the following MACTE standards:

Kym challenged us to delegate and foster leadership capacity within our schools. Letting go was the biggest challenge for me that produced the most incredible surprises. I saw the inner forces at work in others that I never imagined were there. As an unintended consequence, I discovered newness and purpose within me. It never really is about doing more. It’s about doing things together from within us. T.J., IA

We were so fortunate to have Dr. Kym Elder facilitate our learning throughout this past year. Kym truly put us all at the center of this experience. She gave us valuable and actionable feedback to apply to every experience as we move forward to accomplish all we set out to do. The flame is burning brightly, and we have so much good to do in this world. M.H., NY

(I appreciated Kym’s) guidance, knowledge, and flexibility in following students to model the best and sincerest version of Montessori Administrative Leadership. I don’t think there could’ve been a better guide for this process. She allowed me (us) the opportunity to be real, honest, vulnerable, and empowered. In turn, it allowed me to go back and be those things in the school setting. I never imagined that I’d have grown as much as I feel I have, not just in knowledge and application, but in confidence and validation that traditional educators can and do evolve into Montessorians if they so choose.

To my colleagues in this cohort, I appreciate your support, encouragement, sharing of experiences, and visions for what we can be as leaders of our Montessori schools. Although all different and scattered across our country, there is a silver thread that bonds us together in this process. It is one I will cherish and often reflect upon as I move forward in this journey. You have been an exceptionally open group of professionals who have made me a better professional upon having been in your presence. C.H., NC