Ann Arbor’s Daycroft Montessori School to Host Montessori Teacher Training

Two-year Program, Beginning This Fall, Will Focus on Montessori Teacher Preparation for Lower Elementary Grades 1 to 3

Ann Arbor, MI (July 28, 2011) – Are you feeling the call to inspire and guide the learning of elementary-level children in a Montessori-style classroom? Daycroft Montessori School of Ann Arbor will host professional Montessori teacher training for qualified applicants, beginning this fall.

Peter Larrow and Rosann Larrow, co-directors of Montessori Opportunities, Inc. (www.montessori-opportunities.com) of Norwalk, OH, will conduct the Montessori Elementary I Teacher Training at Daycroft, with help from instructors from other schools. The program will prepare teachers in the child-centered Montessori educational methods for grades 1 to 3 (ages 6 to 9).

The training will unfold over two school years and one summer. Accepted applicants will complete a minimum of 360 hours of direct instruction and independent study, with most of this happening in the first school year. During the second year, the focus will shift to a yearlong practicum, in which the teachers in training will practice Montessori approaches in actual Montessori classrooms. As student teachers, they will guide children in their learning with the watchful support of experienced instructors.

The program will provide grounding in Dr. Maria Montessori’s educational philosophy, along with Montessori perspectives on child development and the process of scientific observation in the Montessori learning environment. Enrollees will explore how the Montessori teacher serves as learning initiator, role model, designer, presenter, group leader, and record keeper. They will also gain hands-on experience in Montessori curriculum design and management.

Subject-specific training will cover the breadth of the early elementary Montessori curriculum. It will include language arts and reading, mathematics, biology and zoology, geography and history, geometry, and movement, art, music, peace, and practical life.

Details on the program are available at www.daycroft.org/MOEI.

A Montessori Learning Center

“We are honored and excited to host Montessori teacher training,” said Diane Mukkala, Daycroft’s head of school. “Our vision is for Daycroft to be a Montessori learning center, not just for students, but for teachers and parents too. The teacher training program takes us another big step toward that fulfilling the vision.”

Montessori Opportunities, Inc. is accredited as a mobile Montessori Teacher Education Center for Early Children and Elementary I levels by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE; www.macte.org). The company is also affiliated with the American Montessori Society (AMS; www.amshq.org).

Peter Larrow and Rosann Larrow launched their educational careers in 1978 when they received their Montessori Early Childhood certifications and opened the Montessori Child Enrichment Center, now called Firelands Montessori Academy (www.firelandsmontessori.org), in Huron, OH. Since then the Larrows have continued in teaching and leadership roles in various schools and organizations. They began training Montessori teachers in 1986.

Questions about the Elementary I program can be directed to Montessori Opportunities, Inc. at (330) 962-4727 or peterlarrow@gmail.com or rlarrow@gmail.com.

Two-Year Program

The Elementary I program’s classes will begin on September 16, 2011 and conclude on May 13, 2013. Instruction will take place at Daycroft’s Elementary Campus (K-6) at 1095 N. Zeeb Rd., near Jackson Rd. on the west side of Ann Arbor.

Classes will be held on one or two weekends per month, on Fridays and Saturdays, during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years, and for four weeks during summer 2012. A detailed training schedule can be found at www.daycroft.org/MOEI.

To enroll in the Elementary I program requires a Bachelor’s degree. Enrollees must also have Montessori Early Childhood certification, or they can complete a 45-hour Early Childhood overview offered as part of the Elementary I program through Montessori Opportunities, Inc. A third option is to take the Early Childhood overview with another MACTE-accredited group.

Tuition for the Elementary I program is $7,400. Add $600 for the Early Childhood overview, if needed. A deposit of $400 is due with the application, and two equal payments of either $3,500 or $3,800 each, depending on the total tuition, will follow on September 1, 2011 and January 10, 2012. The application can be downloaded at www.daycroft.org/MOEI.

Daycroft must receive applications by no later than September 1. Questions about applying and registering for the program can be directed to Kathryn Wacker of Daycroft Montessori School at (734) 662-3335 or kathrynw@daycroft.org.

About Daycroft

Daycroft Montessori School blends the distinctive student-centered teaching methods of Dr. Maria Montessori with traditional and progressive teaching methods. Daycroft thus accomplishes its educational mission: to provide a personalized learning environment that appreciates individual differences, nurtures the whole child, and enables students to develop at their own pace and achieve to their full potential.

Daycroft is one of Washtenaw County’s leading private schools. It began as a preschool program in 1968. Daycroft has since grown to include a full-day kindergarten program, an elementary school program through 6th grade, before-school and after-school care, summer camp programs, and enrichment classes.

Daycroft has earned accreditation from the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS; www.isacs.org). It is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS; www.nais.org), and is affiliated with the American Montessori Society (AMS; www.amshq.org).

Daycroft Preprimary School (preschool and kindergarten) is at 100 E. Oakbrook Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Phone: (734) 930-0333.

Daycroft Elementary School (grades K through 6) and Daycroft’s administrative offices are at 1095 N. Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Phone: (734) 662-3335.

Media Contact:
Chris Kochmanski
DesignHub, Inc.
(734) 944-8705
chris@design-hub.com

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