Professional Development

Maria Montessori knew the value of instilling a lifelong love of learning.

Our goal is to offer meaningful and accessible educational opportunities for further professional development.

Two women sitting on the floor of a classroom or library surrounded by shelves of books and educational materials, with a large window in the background.
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Group of women playing with a colorful parachute in the classroom.
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Assistant Training:

Montessori classrooms thrive with the support of well-prepared assistants. A trained assistant who understands Montessori philosophy is an asset to any program. This course offers assistants the opportunity to build meaningful skills.

Assistants will learn:

  • Montessori philosophy

  • The role of the assistant

  • How to respectfully and effectively support children, lead teachers, and co-workers in the Montessori environment in ways that reflect the values and principles of Montessori education.

  • Although not a materials course, participants will also deepen their understanding of some Montessori materials and the prepared environment.

This course is in a hybrid format with Zoom sessions and on-site meetings for a well-rounded and impactful learning experience. 11 hours of STARS credit is available upon completion of online and in-person work.

Schedule

The workshop starts with a live Zoom session. This is followed by seven days to complete four hours of online learning at your pace. The workshop culminates in a seven-hour in–person class. Register for the workshop that works best for you. Registration opens about a month prior to the start of the workshop.

STARS hours available
Fee: $210

September 25 - online begins, October 4 - in-person

November 20 - online begins, December 6 - in-person

January 29 - online begins, February 7 - in-person

March 26 - online begins, April 4 - in-person

Black and white portrait of Maria Montessori, wearing a dark top and a scarf around her neck.

 “The future generation must not only know how to do what we can teach them, they must be able to go a step further.”

— Maria Montessori, The 1946 London Lectures, page 140

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In-Person Workshops:

Teacher Tom has been at the forefront of play-based preschool learning for over two decades, blogging, podcasting, speaking, and offering courses and workshops for early years educators. He's coming to MEIPN to speak about "Why Play is the Most Important Way Children Learn." 

Topics:

  • Self-motivation v. external motivation

  • How to speak with children so they can think, not just obey

  • Why play-based learning prepares children to be engaged citizens

  • The tools and inspiration you need to deepen your understanding of, and respect for, young children and their educational development.

For a sneak peek, take a moment to look at his blog. Applicable to all ages of children.

Registration

STARS hours available

In-person, $65 
Sunday, September 21, 2025
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

“Learning the difference between praise and acknowledgement was helpful and something I was able to use right away in the classroom.”

– Assistant Training Participant

Two women sitting at a table in a classroom, engaged in a science experiment or activity. One woman is wearing goggles and a beige jacket, and the other woman has long dark hair and a light-colored jacket. The table has notebooks, a sealed plastic bag, and various small containers and supplies.

Virtual Opportunities:

Coming soon

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