Practicum Phase – All Levels

The practicum experience is important because it allows the student to observe a good model of the Montessori method in action. Students who have worked in Montessori schools often ask if they can count prior experience toward the practicum requirement. The requirement is that the major part of the academic section must be completed prior to starting the practicum so that you can practice the Montessori techniques and lessons presented in the academic courses. The practicum offers a constant source of feedback to students from the children as well as the head teacher.

The practicum is a complicated process, since it involves you in the dual roles of being a student from our program (with a supervisor and forms to be completed, etc.), and acting as an employee of a Montessori school (with responsibilities to the head teacher, the administrator, and the children).

During the summer academic phase of the program, you will receive additional information on the practicum.

More about the practicum phase:

• Choosing a Practicum Site
• Practicum Site Requirements
• Practicum Duration
• Supervision Models
• Practicum Visits

Choosing a Practicum Site

It is wise to make arrangements for your practicum site as soon as possible, since schools often do their hiring in the spring. Choosing a practicum site will present different challenges to each student. Some students may already have agreed to do their practicum year at a certain school. Other students may have visited several schools and have a clear idea of their first, second, and third choices for Head Teachers. Still other students, such as students coming from out of the Puget Sound area, may not know the name of a single school. After familiarizing yourself with the requirements for a practicum site listed below, consult MEIPN for a list of approved schools or the phone book for Montessori schools in your area. NOTE: Students who select a practicum site located more than 50 miles from the nearest qualified field consultant will be charged an additional fee ($.30 per mile, ferry tolls, overnight lodging) to cover reasonable transportation expenses.

The responsibility of contacting schools and locating a qualifying practicum site is the student's. MEIPN does not operate any Montessori schools. If you are having difficulty, contact the Director or Administrative coordinator.

Practicum Site Requirements

The basic requirements for the practicum site are that the school be financially stable, hold appropriate state licenses, have a nondiscrimination policy, be affiliated with the American Montessori Society, and that the school and head teacher be willing to take on the extra responsibilities of a practicum site. The Head Teacher under whom you will work should be AMS or MACTE certified for the correct age group, and be in at least the third year of teaching, excluding his/her own practicum year. For a list of AMS affiliated schools, contact MEIPN.

Additional requirements:

• The practicum site must have the full age range for which the student is seeking certification. Kindergarten age children must be included with 2 ½ to 4 year olds, not separated in their own class or included in Elementary I. The Toddler class must have children from 18-36 months of age. No more children than the state ratio allows must be enrolled in Infant and Toddler classes.
• A minimum of 12 students, although a group of 20-25 is better.
• The classroom should have the full complement of Montessori materials, purchased and teacher-made, appropriate to the age level. (The Montessori materials are highly recommended, but not required in the Infant and Toddler classrooms.)
• The school administrator must understand the responsibilities of the school and the head teacher. For example, interns are required to assist their head teachers in classroom maintenance, clean-up, preparation (such as filling paint jars, etc.), but are not expected to perform all the janitorial work for the school. Interns are not allowed to take full responsibility for a class to cover absences of the head teacher.
• Schools must be willing to permit students to take time off from their classrooms to complete required program responsibilities, such as seminars and observations.

In cases which warrant it, exemptions to the requirements for AMS affiliation for the school site or AMS/MACTE training for the head teacher may be applied for to the Director. In general, only circumstances such as remote location or personal hardship would warrant exemptions.

The relationship between the school and the intern is an employer-employee relationship, which should be spelled out in full in a written contract. The contract should cover salary and benefits, responsibilities (including supervision times, such as recess or lunch, and participation in after school activities, if expected), illness policy, material making policy, and so on. The internship is a paid position, ordinarily taxable. The salary should be negotiated between the two parties, based on the amount of time to be worked and the responsibilities assigned to the intern.

Practicum Duration

The duration of the practicum is different for each course:

• Duration – Infant and Toddler
  The practicum phase entails approximately at least 3 to 4 hours per day, five days per week, of Montessori Infant and/or Toddler classroom experience for at least a nine-month period. The practicum must provide at least 400 classroom hours over the nine-month period This includes class preparation work, teaching, cleanup, meetings, parent conferences, etc.

• Duration - Early Childhood
  The practicum phase entails approximately 3 3/4 hours per day, five days per week, of Montessori Early Childhood classroom experience for the entire school year. This totals approximately 675 hours of class preparation work, teaching, clean-up, meetings, parent conferences, etc.

• Duration – Elementary I and II
  The practicum phase entails at least 7 hours per day, five days per week, of Montessori Elementary Level I or Level II (6 - 9 or 9 - 12) classroom experience for an entire school year. Only one practicum year is required for the 6 - 12 certificate. This totals approximately 1266 hours of class preparation work, teaching, clean-up, meetings, parent conferences, etc.

Supervised or Self-directed Interns

Many students will work in the classroom as interns under the supervision of a certified teacher with three supervisory visits from a course representative. Highly qualified individuals will be allowed to choose a self-directed internship. These individuals work without the benefit of a Head Teacher in the classroom. Selfdirected internships for Elementary and Early Childhood are automatically two academic years in length. This will require three additional visits. Self-directed internships for Infant and Toddler last one year and require one additional visit from a supervisor at an additional charge to the student. The course director will determine eligibility for a self-directed internship.

Practicum Visits

Students will receive an on site visit from a course representative at least three times during the academic year. These visits are intended to provide support and feedback to the student. Students need not feel intimidated, but should view these visits as opportunities to ask questions and discuss concerns with an experienced Montessori professional. In our experience, most students feel somewhat apprehensive about the visits before the practicum, but during the actual practicum, they are glad to get the help and support of program supervisors! You may also get shorter contacts from the program, in the form of brief, "drop-in" visits, and telephone calls. Self directed interns receive six visits over two years. Self-directed Infant Toddler interns receive four visits over one intern year.