Interview tips for HDip in Montessori

Glassslippers

Hi there,

Can anyone give me tips on the interview for the post grad in montessori education with St. Nicholas college in Dun Laoghire? how long does it last? what kind of questions the ask etc??

Also has anyone done the course? how did u find it, what are the hours and workload like??

Thanks

orla201

Hey,
I'm thinking of applying to this course myself. I originally wanted to apply for d post grad in primary school teaching but after 3 failed attempts i'm now looking into montessori teaching.

I avn't yet applied though. Do you know if there's a deadline? Is there a high demand for this course??

Glassslippers

Hiya

Pertty much same as with the primary route

I emailed them and asked that before I sent mine because I thought I left it too late. This was start of May. They said to get it in as soon as possible and that interviews are held in August and you find out soon after that if you get a place. By the time I got my act together to send it!! (the application basic-dunno what i was at! lol) it was about mid May, but got letter to say they got it and will be in contact about interview! I'd send it straight away to be safe!

Have you heard anything about the course from anyone?? I can't find much on it online!!

orla201

Hi again!:)

Yeh i emailed the col last weekend looking for info about the course etc but
they never got got to me. I just received an application in the post yesterday but there isn't much information with it!
I know very little about the course itself. The website isn't great either. It's a level 8 course so it has to be decent enough, but there's so many fetac level 5 and level 6 montessori courses out there at d mo, would the h dip be any better than them?! Or would you be considered to have a better qualification caz it's an intense h dip?

I just really wanna get back focused on my education. Finished my degree in 2008, then went back and did my honours irish in the leaving cert 08/09 but since then i've done nothing, just working in my local supermarket. The primary teaching post grad seems a no-go situation at the mo, sooooooo competitive:(

Really need to get off my ass and do sumting and the h dip in montessori is the only course that jumps at me, just duno much about it!

Sorry I'm waffling now! Ha.

Think i'll send off my application anyway, see what happens.

In hindsight, because there's very little about the course online, in threads etc, places on the course mightn't be THAT competitive. Fingers crossed!:p

Glassslippers

yeah the brochure is a bit crap with the info i had to email them again asking more questions and took them a bit to get back to me!

from what i've read on blogs it sounds to be the better between that and AMI! yeah think its the better course as its level 8! whereever u work gets more money from the ECCE scheme the higher the degree u have!

Yeah hopefully it will be! I'd just like to be a bit more prepared with interview like when u go for a post grad in England there is loads and loads on it so u know what ur in for!!

pennylaneie

Hi guys,
I also am going to apply for this course! I thought I would be way too late at this stage but I emailed yesterday and got one back today saying interviews were not til August! I can't find anything about the course anywhere but my boyfriend's aunt runs a montessori and she said the training would be really good there so fingers crossed it is! For anyone thinking of going to AMI,it is not FETAC aligned so it might be hard to get a job afterwards because the schools under the ECCE scheme require teachers to have a FETAC qualification!

Glassslippers

Hi guys

did ye have interview yet??

orla201

Hey,

I didn't apply in the end I'm doin a 1yr post graduate certificate in childhood and youth with the Open University Online. I'll den have the option of doing a further 2yrs for a full masters, but I'm gona play it by ear, not sure how I'll get on with the distant learning malarky!

The only off putting thing is I still won't be qualified to actually work with kids after 1 yr or 3yrs of this course. It'll jus mean on top of my degree I'll have a postgraduate certificate or a full masters in childhood and youth studies!

Decisions Decisions!?

Glassslippers

O best of luck with it. Hmmm distance learning don't think i'd be able for that! surely after all that ul be qualified to work with children??

orla201

Hey Glassslippers,

Are you studying this course this year? If u are have you any further info on it?

Geansai Rua

As far as Im aware St.Nicholas and the AMI both have the best reputation and will be better qualified than FETAC people.

Im applying for the AMI course myself, but there is just the same (very little) amount of info available on the course

For St. Nicholas, does "It qualifies students, holding a primary degree, to teach children aged between birth and six years." mean a primary school degree? Mine is in Marketing?? :S

orla201

Hi,
Does AMI college have a Higher Diploma in Montessori teaching aswel? Nope a primary degree is just any degree so your marketing degree would be fine. Yup I was thinking it'd be a bit better than Fetac, but 5000euro is an awful lot for Montessori teaching

Geansai Rua

orla201 wrote: »

Hi,
Does AMI college have a Higher Diploma in Montessori teaching aswel? Nope a primary degree is just any degree so your marketing degree would be fine. Yup I was thinking it'd be a bit better than Fetac, but 5000euro is an awful lot for Montessori teaching

It is a lot, and its the only thing Im a little worried about..
But I am convinced I will love it, so Im determined! And after doing four years in something I dont really like, I want to do the best course and be done with it. I dont want any kind of worry about others having better qualifications or having to do a better course down the line because ive done a rubbish one that cost a few hundred.

yeah AMI have a graduate course too..

http://www.montessoriami.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=38&Itemid=184#cgrad

Do you know what form needs to be filled out on the St. Nicholas site? Is it this: http://www.snmci.ie/2011-12%20HDip%20Reg%20Form.pdf
Or this: http://www.snmci.ie/Updated%20College%20Application%20Form%202011.pdf

Im assuming the second one.

Eibhleann

Hi there,

I completed the 3 year AMI course, receiving both the 3-6 and 6-12 diplomas. The training was, without doubt, brilliant. They make sure each piece of material is in your head and you know exactly what to do with it. It is very detailed study and you gain a great understanding of a child's needs and their development. I cannot fault their training but, I will say, in Ireland the recognition of the qualification is beginning to worry me. It is great if you are sure u want to be a true Montessori teacher but for anyone who wants to further their education as a post graduate it is proving tough as most teaching colleges require a National Qualification level 8. At present AMI does not have a National Qualification Level for their diploma. For anyone who is really interested in true Montessori teaching AMI is the most highly regarded training.

So, whilst AMI provide, what I believe is the best training in Montessori education it is lacking Irish and Irish Government recognition. The college boast of international recognition which is great but what if you want to stay in Ireland. From what I have heard AMI are in talks with the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, to whom I have sent an email regarding the topic.

St. Nicholas' College appear to have added certain modules and extended the course to bring it up to a NQF level 8.