Early Childhood Program

Laying a foundation for learning.

Three women sitting on the floor engaged in a conversation or activity, with papers, notebooks, and yellow cylindrical object in front of them, in a room with shelves and yellow walls.
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Montessori was one of the first to recognize the unique and innate capacities for learning that children possess between the ages of two and a half to six. This training provides you with both the academic and practical experience to prepare and lead an authentic Montessori environment for children of this age.

Upon satisfactorily completing all academic and practicum requirements, you will be awarded a MACTE accredited, AMS-affiliated Early Childhood credential. The AMS Early Childhood credential also meets the Washington State MERIT requirement for those supervising young children in state-licensed facilities.

Black and white portrait of Maria Montessori with short curly hair, wearing a dark top, looking at camera with a slight smile.

“Education, therefore, of little ones is important, especially from three to six years of age, because this is the embryonic period for the formation of character and of society (just as the period from birth to three is that for forming the mind, and the prenatal period that for forming the body).”

— Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

A young girl with braided hair wearing a light-colored, floral-patterned dress stands under a large green leaf in a garden or nursery setting, looking up with a serene expression.
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Academic Phase: 

Courses include Philosophy; Observation; Classroom Leadership; Family Involvement; and the curriculum areas of Practical Life; Sensorial; Language; Math; History; Geography; Life Science; Physical Science; Music; Movement; and Art. For course descriptions, see the MEIPN Student Catalog.

The academic phase starts in June and continues for one year.

  • Consists of 340 contact hours of instruction (excluding the hours for the Child Development requirement).

  • Hybrid delivery -164 hours will be delivered online, 156 hours in residence, and 20 hours are independent observation times.  Zoom sessions are held throughout the year.

  • Child Development Course: The course must cover physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development from the neonatal period through at least adolescence. There are two ways this requirement is met.

    • A student has previously taken this course in college and passed with a grade of B or higher. They then complete the course “Child Development Update” as part of the academic phase.

    • Students that have not met this requirement upon acceptance will be enrolled in the MEIPN Child Development course with an additional fee.

Montessori shapes: a rust triangle.

“All instructors always seemed to be very invested in our success and learning throughout the courses. They responded well to our feedback, questions, and concerns throughout the entire program.”

– MEIPN grad

A woman sitting cross-legged on the floor with pattern blocks and an activity mat, engaging in a learning activity in a classroom setting with shelves, baskets, and decorative items in the background.

Practicum Phase:

The practicum experience allows you to observe a good model of the Montessori method in action and to practice what has been presented in class. Ideally, you will be working under the supervision of an experienced, credentialed Montessori teacher. This is called a supervised practicum. In special cases, you may be working as the lead teacher in the classroom. This will extend your internship up to two academic years and is called a self-directed practicum.

Practicum begins on or after the start of the academic phase.

  • The practicum requires approximately 3 3/4 hours per day and five days per week of experience in an approved Montessori Early Childhood classroom for an entire school year. 

  • This totals a minimum of 675 hours of class preparation work, teaching, cleanup, meetings, parent conferences, etc. 

  • Experience gained before undertaking the academic portion cannot be counted towards your practicum.

Student-teachers choose their practicum site

  • The site must comply with the requirements listed on the Practicum Site Agreement and the Supervising Teacher Agreement, so do review those requirements before your search.

  • Schools that have not hosted a MEIPN intern in the past need to be pre-approved by MEIPN. See the MEIPN Student Catalog for more information on the Practicum and contact a coordinator for suggestions on how to go about this.

  • Program staff members are happy to advise

A woman in a plaid dress sits on the floor in front of a whiteboard, holding a book above her head while children and adults watch in a classroom or meeting room. The room has chairs, tables, and educational materials.
A smiling woman with long red hair holding a globe model in a classroom decorated with nature themed artwork.
Classroom with children and teacher engaged in learning activity on the floor, with educational materials, books, and artwork displayed around the room.
Two women and a girl engaged in a learning activity with blocks and educational materials in a classroom with large windows showing parked cars outside.
Two women participate in a hands-on activity at a table, involving colorful swirling liquids on a paper plate. One wears glasses and a red cardigan, and the other, a white cap and a dark jacket, is observing. The background shows a classroom or offic
A group of women sitting on the floor in a circle in a room with large windows, a black couch, and potted plants, participating in a discussion or reading circle.

Questions?