Montessori Teaching??

sparkplug

Hi there if anyone could help point me in the right direction that would be greatly appreciated.

I am considering training as a montessori teacher and I am currently trying to figure out the different courses and qualifications available. Unfortunately I am a bit lost when it comes to college and further education as I never went on to third level after I finished school.

I am now 27 so will be applying as a mature student. I have two kiddies in school and live in Meath so I would prefare to do a part time course if possible but I have come across mixed reports of the part time courses available.

The courses in St.Nicholas Montessori College run from 8:30 in the morning and as I live in Co.Meath this would mean dumping my kiddies on someone early in the morning so as to arrive in time for classes.Not ideal as my baby starts school next year I'd like to be there to at least drop him in for the first few months myself, afterall it is an important time in his life too.

That aside anyone who maybe attends here or who has completed one of the part time course somewhere else may be able to shed a little light on the courses available. I would like to have the option to further my education down the line to managment or maybe teaching in primary schools again any info on this would be great as anything I have read confused me ? Go easy on the degree/diploma,H.Dp lingo as I am all new to this world.

Look forward to your replies

debs_higgs

HI
jUST WONDERING IF YOU GOT ANY INFORMATION?
IM LOST MYSELF.
THANKS:)

sparkplug

Hi debs-higgs no not one reply!!! It's a bit of a mind field these montessori teaching courses and there is very little info out there on the web, or at least only the same stuff over and over.

Seems pretty straight forward regards qualifications if you go with St.Nicholas College of Montessori or Montessori AMI you get a degree in Montessori Teaching but both of them are full time courses which for me are not an option one has a part-time option but it is over 5 years which seems very long.

It's the other part time courses that are mind boggling, there are loads available it seems but trying to figure out the actual awarded qualification and weather or not they are suitable for employment is very frustrating!! I have sent a number of emails to the different colleges looking for clarification and information on their awarded qualifications for their Montessori Courses and I am awaiting word back.

I'm confused because the new ECCE scheme has brought about some changes and to work within the scheme FETAC level 5/6 in childcare is needed by the teacher (or lead teacher?) a Full Major FETAC Award seems to be 8 modules or component certificates? And most of the courses I have come across seem to award a FETAC level 5/6 in childcare but with only 6 modules/certs which is not a full major award? They award this and a Montessori Teaching Diploma. From what little I can find on the net it would appear that this would not be sufficent enough for the new guidelines or at least from an employment point of view you would not be as strong a candidate as someone who had the full Major award (8certs)???

This is all just me piecing bits together as I can't seem to find the actual info anywhere and as the price for the courses is so high I really want to make sure I'm signing up for the right one!!! It is very frustrating to say the least.

One college I did send an email to with all my queries wrote back stating
'The childcare sector is quite a complex one at the moment as the award structures are in a state of change with FETAC and NQAI' and asked I called in to go through it , I can't call in as I don't live in Dublin so I have emailed back and await their reply.
Hopefully they might be able to shed some light on the subject....
In the mean time if anyone else can post away ........

dory

What they mean by the sector being complex is that they're changing the rules sort of. Not sure exactly but I think you used to have to have a FETAC level 5 and now you'll realisticly need Level 6 to be qualified. To get something that you could later add to to become a primary teacher you'd have to get a level 8 qualification. Then on top of that do a one a half year course (that is competitive to get into -and good Irish is required).

If your end goal is to be a primary teacher, I would suggest you work on your Irish and extra curriculur stuff and apply for primary (3 years full time). The other route through montessori is very long.

sparkplug

Hi Dory

My main aim is to become a montessori teacher, I had read about being able to go on to do primary teaching and thought if I was going to do a course doing one which would allow me to keep that option open would be the best option. However now on reflection and after looking into it a bit more it really is only montessori I would be interested in. I thought having a full degree in montessori would be best and in many ways it would be but I have seen that year 2 and 3 of the courses focus on teaching Montessori Education for ages 6-12 and montessori is only taught in Ireland at pre school ages so it seems a bit fruitless (and a waste of money) to do the degree if all I want to progress to is montessori teacher. So that decided I'm still a bit lost trying to figure out which courses provide the full necessary qualification for this.

dory

Believe me, a lot of third level education can seem pointless and fruitless! The most important thing is that you have that piece of paper that makes you employable.
It might be worth your while to go speak to a professional career guidence person. I don't know much about montessori or the opportunities available in it. I just know it's definitely the degree you want to do if you're still thinking of doing primary after. If now, you can do whatever the usual is to get into montessori (it might happen that they'll come along in a few years time and say everyone has to have a degree!).

debs_higgs

Hi
Its true the childcare sector is complexed at the moment. I do hold a diploma in childcare and education with fetec level 5 which i believe is the new name for it. When i did it it was called nursery nursing with ncva level2. but i believe im not employable in montessori/ pre school even as an assistant. Is this true?

I have even tried getting information on getting to level 6 and it seems the 2 yr full time course i did was pointless as to get to level 6 i would be going back to do a course that i feel i have already covered with my level 5 course.

Ya it is all a bit to confusing for me.

At this stage i dont even understand the course i did.

You would hope to upgrade to a montessori level and having done a childcare course already would only require a follow on course or something.

Hope the childcare teaching courses change for the best.

sparkplug

I don't know...I am lost at this stage still trying to get info from wherever I can...You would imagine you could just go on to do the montessori diploma to add to your Level 5 as that seems to be all most of the part time courses are offering?

Does anyone know what actual award is gained after doing
The Montessori Education Higher Certificate in Arts with P*ortobello.
It says it is HETAC award but what exactly does that mean and what level is it?

krisbecs

Hi guys

the FETAC level 5 major award (8 modules)in childcare is required to work in any pre-school and for the pre-school to be able to participate in the ECCE scheme (the free pre-school year) at least 1 person in the facility must have a FETAC level 6 major award (4 mandatory modules + 2 carried from level 5).

St. Nicholas is the best Montessori and this qualification is recognised all over the world. Many of the courses out there are not worth the paper they are written on. A degree in Montessori is only really worth it if you want to work in a montessori primary school up to 6th class but you can do certs for the different age groups ie. 3-6 years, 6-9 years etc. for mainstream primary schools montessori is not accepted so you would still have to do a teaching degree in one of the specific teacher training colleges like St. Patricks.

I would suggest nightcourses.com and qualifax.ie

Just to clarify for you FETAC is the Further Education Training Awards Council and level 5 is equiv to leaving certificate, level 6 is equiv to 1st year college FETAC only awards up to level 6. Then HETAC is the Higher Education Training Awards Council who award all other levels. The National qualifications framework shows all the levels.

Hope this helps :-)

sparkplug

krisbecs

thanks for that it explains it a bit better. The course I am looking at at the moment (I keep tooing & froeing!!) is a part time course from Portobello it awards the following

Portobello Institute Diploma in Montessori Teaching Age Range 3-6 years
FETAC Level 6 Component Certificate in the following 6 modules:
Educational Philosophy
Practical life
Sensorial materials
Language
Mathematics
Culture

It says on the website this course will qualify you to work as a montessori teacher age 3-6 or as a montessori teaching assistant. If you do the above would you also need to do the FETAC level 5 in childcare? I'm sorry these probably seem like stupid questions to people who understand the award structure & childcare industry but it is a mind field to me. I would like to do the full time course with St.Nicholas but it really is just not an option full time and too long part time (5yrs). If I do the above I can always follow on to Year 2 of The Montessori Higher Certificate in Arts part time with Portobello and they are working on a Year 3 to convert it to a degree. Seems like the best option as I could get out working earlier while continuing to study?? Obviously theres the whole deal of finding work etc but I can focus on that after completing the course.

krisbecs

it's hard to know what course to do - the Portebello one has a good reputation as does the college of progressive education who also offer a part time course. Once you do the montessori course you don't need level 5 to work in a montessori but if you want to work in a regular pre-school/creche/kindergarten they may require you to have level 5 as this covers the age 0-6 years. It may be worth looking at doing FETAC level 5 and including the Montessori module as one of your component modules. There are so many courses and they all promise the world it is worth contacting your county VEC and talking to their adults career guidence counsellor.

sparkplug

Ah thats interesting as I was thinking once I qualified the montessori course with level 6 that if I couldn't find job in a montessori that I would be able to work in a preschool or creche for experience while looking for a montessori teaching position. So I'm still not understanding the qualifications right! So I would need then Level 5 in Early Childcare & Education along with the Montessori Teaching diploma & Level 6. Why do none of the courses advertised explain this!!!! It's so frustrating!!!
With regard to the VEC I have been trying to contact them but the emails keep bouncing back...I'll have to give them a ring see if they can shed some light.....

krisbecs

To work in a creche or pre-school you would need the Fetac level 5 Certificate in Childcare (DCHSC) major award (8 modules) the montessori qualification is only valid for montessori. You would only need the Fetac level 6 Advanced Certificate in Supervision in Childcare (DCXXX) if you want to be an owner/manager of a creche/pre-school participating in the ECCE scheme. It really is a mine field another good place for advice is your county childcare committee they should have info on courses, types of childcare etc. Best of luck!

hmellen

Hi,
for reasons I won't go into here, I have had GOOD reason to get educated about the whole Montessori Qualifications being offered here in Ireland by the different colleges.
Most of these private Course providers offer the FETAC level 6 component Certificates in the individual Montessori subjects. However, these component certificates CANNOT be combined to make a Major Level 6 FETAC award. Where a person already has a Level 5 qualification in Childcare, they can go on to persue a Level 6 Supervision in Childcare qualification. Interestingly, you do this by completing 4 FETAC level 6 Component Certificates which are then combined to make the Major Award, Level 6 Supervision in Childcare.
I have been in contact with FETAC about this confusion especially as a lot of people are under the false impression that by doing these FETAC Montessori component certificates, they then gain a Major FETAC level 6 Award. They have told me that there will be a new Montessori and Childcare Course (combined) from September which will sort this problem.
Any Diploma offered by these private colleges are issued by the college only and are not recognised on the National Framework of Qulifications.
If you are interested in persuing a childcare qualification, especially with a childcare service that is providing the Free ECCE childcare scheme, then you will need to have a minimum of Level 5 in Childcare. The governing body OMCYA (Office for Children and Youth affairs) initially sent out a circular in June 2009 to all childcare providers stating that:
"services who qualify under the interm arrangements for the introduction of the free pre-school year will have to be fully qualified to Level 6 in early childhood care and education / cognisant discipline by September 2012"
However, when contacted recently to clarify this they denied that they ever sent out this information, despite having a copy of it here in front of me and this information being on a number of the County Childcare Committee Websites around the country!!!
What hope have we when the Governing bodies can't make up their mind what qualifications are necessary? This information gave those of us with the Level 6 FETAC component certificates in Montessori the impression that we held the necessary Level 6 qualification to be complient, however this appears not to be the case now.
Contact FETAC and they will clarify that there is currently no FETAC level 6 Major Award in Montessori but that there are Component Certificates. See www.fetac.ie and type in Montessori into search or ring them for further info. Hope this is of some help!

roughane

I'm studying at the moment in St. Nichs and as far as I know they & AMI are the only ones internationally accredited if you wanted to work abroad.
Im doing the hDip course so my lectures are in the evening 3.30-7 tues-thurs, so if you have an undergrad that might be an option.
There's also the access course which to be honest I dont know much about but that runs from 7 in the evening & a few weekends too so that might be worth looking into.
The lecturers there are really good & helpful. I couldnt tell you which course is better St. Nichs or AMI cause I dont know the set up in AMI but it is worth checking around.
Good luck

Helen Kitty

Hi Sparkplug,

I am currently in my second year part time at St. Nicholas.
As others have said, the component certs are worth nothing, I did one with Portobello, but it is not a full award, and adding them all together does not make a full award!

St. Nicholas and AMI are the only colleges recognised internationally and by the Department of Education under Restricted Recognition, e.g. Resource teachers. I know you said you are more focused on Montessori teaching, but its always good to have other options! These two colleges are founding members of the Irish Montessori Education Board, I'm not sure of what other colleges are accredited by them.

A Level 7/8 degree really is your best option long term, with the ECCE scheme the Montessori/Creche/Preschool get a monthly grant from the government per child (which gives the parent the free place). The higher the teachers qualification, the more money the school is entitled to, therefore, you having a higher qualification is going to put you ahead of others going for a job. It will also stand to you forever, whereas the level 5/6 may become defunct down the line.

I know you would like to teach 3-6 year old in a Montessori setting, but studying the 6-12 year old child is really fascinating too. It will give you a firmer understanding of the importance of laying the foundations at 3-6 level. As a parent you will find the stuff amazing, and really understand why your 8 year old is such a different creature to when they were 4!!

Full time the course is 3-4 years, part time 5 years for a level 8 degree. I know this seems like an awfully long time, but once you get started the time just flies, I can't believe I'm nearly finished another year! The fees are expensive, but think of it as an investment, I've borrowed from my Credit Union and paying back €50 per week, its tough going, but sure I'd spend that on rubbish if I didn't have something meaningful to spend it on.

The course is well structured and they are flexible and will accommodate everyone in terms of extensions - so long as you are genuine! As a part time student, I have found the lecturers to be really understanding of the fact that you are doing this on top of your everyday life and it is exhausting, but those lightbulb moments in class are worth it!!

I probably sound as if I'm from the college and trying to sell it - I'm not, I have just had really positive experiences at St. Nicholas and I couldn't recommend it more highly. Hope this info helps, and if you have any other questions just ask!:)
Helen

minnieq

Hi,

I to am going from one course to another and still have no clue as to whats what in montessori training and courses!

I am between portabello and St Nicolas, any course i do will have to be part time. I also hold the Fetac Childcare level 5.

If i go with portabello i am limiting my options, but would get started in montessori teaching sooner than if i went with St Nicolas. But with St Nicolas i have more options. Also fees are hefty with St Nicolas €2810 per year and its a 5 yr course (there hoping to bring it down to 4)

One thing i cant grasp with the St Nicolas course is can i go teaching in a primary school once i complete the 5 yrs??

sparkplug

I'm now doing the part time Diploma course with Portobello and I have to say I'm loving it!! It's pretty intense as there is alot to cram into the 9 months it runs over but I find it fascinating and I'm enjoying the stress of it all!!..at the end I will recieve a Montessori Teaching Diploma from Portobello along with 6 x Level 6 component certificates in Montessori from FETAC, this qualifies me to work as a Montessori teacher but not to lead a room , I will have to do another course in Advance Supervision in Childcare to gain a full Level 6 qualification if I was to lead a room where the school is part of the ECCE scheme...I spent months looking but all the part time courses seem to award the same component certs in level 5/6 ut to gain full award the extra course is needed. Portobello do a 2 for 1 offer if you sign up with someone else which I was lucky to find someone through boards.ie and it worked out at approx 1400euro....I simply coundn't have afforded to go for a full time course of one that runs over 4/5 years ... I do feel that as the time frame is so short that we skip over the stuff so quickly that you have to be dedicated to wanting to know it inside out and put in the hours between classes to soak it all up and understand it. I have heard so many mixed reviews of this course is better than that and so on but the best bit of advice I got was that really working in a Montessori Classroom is where you will do most of your training, working with the kids learning through your experiences of applying the Montessori Method in a real life experience with real life and unpredictable kiddies I don't know much about teaching in primary once finished the degree course as far as I am aware you would still have to go on to do another conversion course of something, but I'm not sure. I was also told by someone working in Montessori that the degree course is fantastic but that it teaches and qualifies you to work in Montessori pre school right up through to secondary school level but as in Ireland there are only a handfull of schools that teach montessori past pre school level it's a little pointless (sorry no offence can't think of a better word) if you main aim is to be a Montessori Pre School teacher? Portobello do run other follow on course that can be taken part time such as the Higher Certificate in Arts in Montessori Education.
I have no experience with St.Nicholas or any of the others but so far I am pretty happy with Portobello , helps also that my tutor is just fab...so enthusiastic with a genuine love and passion for Montessori so I suppose in that way I got lucky .

Kimberlie

You sure did get lucky, i just finished mine with Portobello, i thought the course was v. critical. I know that some of the girls i did it with were not happy. I wouldnt do another course with them again. It was way over priced for the teaching we got, i had so many sleepless nights over it and the pressure was unreal.It is not even the full FETAC 6 at the end of it..And the time to get all the work done projects etc was not spaced out evenly.

Yvob

Is anybody aware of funding/grants to do these courses in Portabello? I looked up the 2 courses i would need to do to be a full montessori lead teacher and it comes to nearly 4500euro for part time, crazy price.

sonya7

Hi Folks, I'm a little confused. I saw it mentioned somewhere on this thread, perhaps another, or somewhere else, that to teach abroad with an Irish Montessori qualification you need to get trained by St.Nicholas' or AMI. Is this really true? St.Nicholas' say, "Our qualifications are internationally recognised as they are validated by QQI". Maybe I am mistaken, could be, but aren't all Montessori qualifications validated by QQI? If so, (if so!), don't all Montessori qualifications enable you to teach abroad?

I know there are other providers such as Progressive College and Dorset College. Then there are distance/online options with a couple of providers. Personally I'd need classroom based. So, I am trying to understand, does what Progressive or Dorset give you also enable you to work abroad or not? From what I can make out their Montessori Level 6 are also QQI recognised. Thanks.

sonya7

Hi Folks, I'm a little confused. I saw it mentioned somewhere that to teach abroad with an Irish Montessori qualification you need to get trained by St.Nicholas' or AMI. Is this really true? St.Nicholas' say, "Our qualifications are internationally recognised as they are validated by QQI". Maybe I am mistaken, could be, but aren't all Montessori qualifications validated by QQI? If so, (if so!), don't all Montessori qualifications enable you to teach abroad?

I know there are other providers such as Progressive College and Dorset College. Then there are distance/online options with a couple of providers. Personally I'd need classroom based. So, I am trying to understand, does what Progressive or Dorset give you also enable you to work abroad or not? From what I can make out their Montessori Level 6 are also QQI recognised. Thanks.

Redser87

minnieq wrote: »

One thing i cant grasp with the St Nicolas course is can i go teaching in a primary school once i complete the 5 yrs??

I'm pretty sure that you would be registered with the Teaching Council under Regulation: Montessori, which means that you could only teach in schools that follow the Montessori method. I am open to corrections on this but AFAIK to teach in 'standard' national schools you have to go to Froebel, Marino, Pats, CICE, Mary I or Hibernia.

xlsokwb53f2g61

Hi Guys!

this is all really good information - I just moved to the USA having been a Montessori Teaching Assistant for 2 years there. I was looking to do my training in the West - I'm based close to Galway. Does anyone have an opinion or information on getting training at the Portobello Institute or The Open College? Both of these offers courses to Level 6. Portobello awards a Level 6 Major Award in Early Years Care and Education and the Open College awards a QQI Level 6 Major award in Early Childhood Care & Education - 6M2007 and a Certificate in ECCE with Montessori Level 6 (The Open College) (these are the same right???) Could someone also kindly explain to me what qualifications a Head Teacher will need to teach in a Montessori school? The qualifications differ dramatically from the USA.