The Montessori movement is taking an important step towards developing its own graduate workforce with the launch of a foundation degree in Montessori Early Childhood Practice. Validated and developed in partnership with London Metropolitan University, it is designed to provide a degree level qualification for Montessori practitioners.
This vocationally based level 5 qualification combines elements of the London Metropolitan's Early Childhood Studies degree with Montessori pedagogy for working with children from birth to seven years.
Barbara Isaacs, academic director at the Montessori Centre International (MCI) in London, says the foundation degree will develop high levels of professional competence in students wishing to become Montessori teachers and aspiring to achieve a full BA (Hons) Degree in Early Childhood Studies. Graduates will have opportunities to progress towards Early Years Professional Status and Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programmes.
Ms Isaacs says, 'In September the course will be offered on a full-time or part-time basis at our London college, but we will be working with London Metropolitan University to develop a distance learning programme so that we are able to reach the Montessori community across the UK. We are also working towards wider partnership with state primaries and hope the distance learning Montessori foundation degree will be of interest to them.'
Practitioners who have achieved the two- year Montessori diploma are well-placed to continue their professional development with the foundation degree. 'We are hoping that these practitioners will come to the foundation degree as part-time students and ultimately move on to the full degree,' says Ms Isaacs. 'With the EYFS virtually tailored to the Montessori approach, we anticipate that the foundation degree will enhance this and ensure that it is more integrated into early years practice.'
She adds, 'What's really important is that the development of this award allows us to debate Montessori practice a bit more. It is very rewarding for me personally to see it come to fruition, as it was one of my aspirations when I took up my position ten years ago. London Metropolitan University has been very supportive and we currently have 110 people waiting to receive course details.'
The curriculum
Observing and Understanding Child Development; Health Promotion in Early Childhood; Children's Rights and Entitlements in the Context of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Current UK Policy; Problem Solving and Investigation across the Curriculum; Representation and Symbolic Behaviour; Communication and Language in a Multilingual Context; Personal, Social and Emotional Development in Cultural Context; Multidisciplinary Approaches to Observing and Assessing; Early Years Curricula and Montessori Pedagogy
Additionally, full-time students study Montessori pedagogy: Montessori Philosophy; Supporting Children's Learning 1 - Montessori Pedagogy birth to five years; Supporting Children's Learning 2 - Montessori Pedagogy three to seven years
Practical experience
Montessori workshops and assessed placements run throughout the course of study.
Entry requirements
All applicants will be required to attend an interview prior to being offered a place to study at MCI and should be a minimum age of 18 before commencing the course.
For full-time study:
GSCE grade C in English and Mathematics, at least one A-level pass, plus three other subjects at GCSE level grade C or equivalent, and a good command of written and spoken English, preferably at Advanced Level Cambridge Certificate level or academic IELTS 5.5
For part-time study:
Montessori International Diploma plus three years current classroom experience
Continuing studies with London Metropolitan
Full-time graduates
Upon successful completion of the foundation degree, students will be required to undertake six months full-time placement prior to being admitted to the third year of the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies programme at London Metropolitan University.
Part-time graduates
Upon successful completion of the foundation degree, students will be admitted to the third year of the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies programme at London Metropolitan University with access to Early Years Professional Status.
CASE STUDY
Nursery owner Nicole Kennedy says she is undertaking the Montessori foundation degree for the sake of her own professional development and to encourage her staff to follow her example.
'As a nursery owner I am very aware of the new emphasis on graduate leadership, but I am not doing this simply because I have to,' she says. 'Although I am a nursery owner and have a fantastic deputy manager, I am still very hands-on and spend around 95 per cent of my time in the nursery with the children.'
Ms Kennedy has secured funding from Brent council in London under the Graduate Leadership Fund.
'The foundation degree represents a very big time commitment for me,' she says. 'In the first term it will involve one day a week, but from February this increases to two. Fortunately London Metropolitan University is conveniently situated for where I live and work.'
Ms Kennedy says she is looking forward to being taught by Barbara Isaacs and expects the course to be rigorous. 'I find her very inspiring, and it is an opportunity to share her experience and knowledge,' she says. 'I could have stepped on to a foundation degree at any stage in my career, but this particular course really spoke to me. I have also had a lot of encouragement from Brent's training manager, who has been enormously helpful, particularly in helping me to gain funding to study.'
