Navadisha Montessori Foundation

Courses Offered

This diploma course will commence in August 2021. Registrations Open. Send an enquiry today!

6-12 Diploma Course

The AMI Montessori 6-12 Diploma Course (age level 6-12) is an intensive full time programme designed to help students study closely the theory and practice of the Montessori approach to education. The course of study spread over 16 months will help prepare students for working with children from 6 to 12 years of age.

Course Components

Theory Lectures
The theory lectures will offer the students the opportunity to examine Montessori’s theory of child development in the elementary years, and to study in depth, Montessori’s vision of cosmic education, an interdisciplinary approach to the study of human beings, their endeavours and relationship with the universe.

Demonstration Lectures
The practical demonstration lectures deal with the lessons and presentation of the materials offered to children from 6 to 12 years of age in a Montessori environment. The aims of the materials, the technique of presenting them to the child and the age at which they must be offered will be discussed in these sessions.

Supervised Practice
During scheduled hours students will have an opportunity to practice with the material presented to them. Students will be guided in the use of the material and encouraged to develop and practice the techniques by which they will present the various materials to children.

Care of the Environment
Students will also be asked to take responsibility for the environment everyday just as they would when they are with children. This is an essential aspect of the training that develops the students’ eye for the care and maintenance of the material and helps them to develop a familiarity with the set up of an elementary class.

School Observation and Teaching Practice
Students will be assigned to go to various Montessori environments in the city for observation and teaching practice. During this time they will be shown how to keep a record of observations and as well as have an opportunity to work directly with children under the supervision of an AMI trained adult. Students will need to budget for their commute to the various city schools.

Assignments and Albums
Students will need to submit written work at regular intervals during the course, which will include theory essays, material making assignments and observation reports. Students will also prepare six albums in the different areas - History, Language, Arithmetic, Geometry, Geography, Biology. Students will need to do four to six hours of organised work at home every day in order to complete all assignments.

Email, Internet and Scanning
Students will need regular access to email and the internet throughout the course. All assignments will need to be submitted electronically. Students will be required to scan and upload some of their work.

Eligibility

Candidates fulfilling the following requirements will be considered eligible for admission into the course. The candidate should have:

Completed 20 years
A Bachelors degree
A sound knowledge of English
AMI Montessori Primary Diploma (3-6 Age Level) OR AMI Foundation Course
Excellent computer skills and internet access

We welcome candidates from all walks of life and different professions. Occasionally we do consider applicants who do not have a Bachelors degree based on their life experience.

AMI Foundation Course

Applicants for the 6-12 course are required to have the AMI Montessori Primary Diploma (3-6 Age Level). For those applicants who do not have it there is a MANDATORY five weeks Foundation Course. All the assignments set for the Foundation course must be completed and handed in as per requirements by the submission date. If the assignments are not up to the expected standard the candidate will not be permitted to go on to doing the Elementary course. Students withdrawing due to incomplete work in the Foundation course are not eligible for a refund of fees.

It is our strong recommendation that all students take the Foundation Course which will commence on Wednesday, August 18, 2021.

Admission Procedure

Admissions are on a first come first served basis. Admissions for FOREIGN NATIONALS will close on Friday, June 25, 2021. Indian Nationals who submit their application on or after Wednesday, June 16, 2021 will be required to pay a revised and higher fee.

The Admissions Review Committee will process all complete applications. The decision of the committee will be final and binding.

Application

Visit Courses Offered on our website. Click Apply Now. Sign up. Select the course you wish to apply for.

Fill in all required details to register and submit. A verification request will be sent by email. You will receive a user ID and password once your email has been verified. Sign in with your user ID and password and fill in the application form online. The application process must be completed within one month. As part of the online application procedure the following will need to be uploaded.

● Recent photo

● Copies of all educational documents

Candidates can track their application status by regularly signing into the portal to check for updates.

The application fee must be paid by bank transfer. The bank details will appear on the screen after you have filled in the online application. Confirmation of receipt of payment will appear on the portal. The candidate will receive an email with an e-receipt.

Fees	Indian Nationals INR	Foreign Nationals USD	Due
Application Fee	1289.00	65.00	With application

Interview

After the application is processed an online interview may be fixed with a member of the faculty. The date and time of the interview will appear in the portal.

Admission Confirmation

After the interview the selected candidates will be notified of their acceptance. The confirmation will appear and the last date for the payment of fees and bank details will appear on the portal. Once the fees are paid the confirmation of receipt of payment and the first day’s schedule will appear on the portal. The candidate will receive an email with an e-receipt.

Attendance

Students must have a minimum of 90% attendance of the course including time taken off due to illness. Attendance records will be meticulously maintained throughout the year. In case of absence, students must notify the Training Team in writing, at least one day in advance. In case of a sudden illness the student must inform the Training Team by email immediately.

Course Schedule and Timing

The course is full time and will run 5 days a week from 8:45 AM to 3:15 PM Monday to Friday. Students will be asked to be extremely punctual. The Foundation course will commence on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 and end on Thursday, September 23, 2021. The Elementary course will commence on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 and end on Friday, March 3, 2023.

Module	From	To
Foundation Course	Wednesday, August 18, 2021	Thursday, September 23, 2021
Term I	Wednesday, October 6, 2021	Friday, November 20, 2021
School Observation Week 1	Monday, November 22, 2021	Friday, November 26, 2021
School Observation Week 2	Monday, November 29, 2021	Friday December 03, 2021
School Observation Week 3	Monday, December 06, 2021	Friday December 10, 2021
Term II	Monday, January 05, 2022	Friday, March 04, 2022
Teaching Practice Week 1	Monday, August 29, 2022	Friday, September 02, 2022
Teaching Practice Week 2	Monday, September 05, 2022	Friday, September 09, 2022
Teaching Practice Week 3	Monday, September 12, 2022	Friday, September 16, 2022
Teaching Practice Week 4	Monday, September 19, 2022	Friday, September 23, 2022
Teaching Practice Week 5	Monday, September 26, 2022	Friday, September 30, 2022
Term III	Monday, October 03, 2022	Friday, November 18, 2022
Term IV	Monday, January 04, 2023	Friday, March 03, 2023

Language

All lectures will be in English. Course work will need to be presented in English both orally and in writing. It will be necessary for students to take comprehensive lecture notes, read Montessori books, write original essays and prepare assignments based on course information. Students will also be required to explain theoretical principles during the Oral examination.

Examinations

The students' eligibility for appearing for the Examination will depend on the following:

• 90% attendance for the course

• Punctual completion and submission of all assignments called for in the course of the year

• Full payment of the fees

• Completion of required hours of School Teaching Practice

• Completion of required hours of School Observations

• Completion of required hours of Supervised Practice

There will be three written examinations. Paper A will be on psychology and theory. Paper B1 and Paper B2 will be on the practical aspects with the underpinning principles. There will also be an oral examination in which students will be asked to present the use of the material and explain the underlying theory.

An external examiner will be appointed by AMI to conduct the examinations. The diploma is awarded by the Association Montessori Internationale after a successful written and oral examination and completion of all requirements for certification. The decision of the board of examiners will be final and binding. No appeals will be entertained after results are released.

Registered students who for valid reasons fail to appear for the examinations on the scheduled dates at the appointed time may be given the opportunity to appear at the examinations held the following year thereafter. They will have to apply for this opportunity in writing with a full and acceptable explanation. In case of medical grounds, a registered practitioner must attest the medical certificate. They will be charged the Examination Fee for the re-examination. Students appearing for re-examination in any of the four parts can do so ONLY the following year. They will be required to attend additional classes for which they will be charged a fee. They will also be charged the Examination Fee for the re-examination. Students who fail in the examination or re-examination and still wish to attain an AMI diploma will have to undergo another full course of training for which they will be charged the full Course fees including Examination Fee.

Certification

The AMI diploma is awarded by the Association Montessori Internationale. It qualifies the holder to work with children in a Montessori environment between 6 and 12 years of age. The AMI Elementary diploma is a highly valued qualification. It is a great asset to those who wish to open their own schools.

Fees

The course fee must be paid by bank transfer. The bank details will appear on the portal.

Refund Policy

The fee is non-refundable. Once paid it cannot be refunded for any reason either prior to the commencement of or during the course on withdrawal of a student. The details are included in the terms and conditions on the portal which the candidate must accept at the time of submission of the application.

The last date for Application for Foreign Nationals is Friday, June 25, 2021. No applications from Foreign Nationals will be accepted after this date.

Fee structure for applications submitted on or before Wednesday, June 16, 2021.

Fees	Indian Nationals INR	Foreign Nationals USD	Due
Foundation Course	0.00	0.00	NA
Tuition Fee	94500.00	4600.00	Before course commences
Examination Fee	20600.00	500.00	Before course commences
Special Fee	9906.00	356.00	Before course commences
GST	22501.00	982.00	Before course commences
Total	147507.00	6438.00	Before course commences

Fee structure for applications (Indian Nationals) reaching us after Wednesday, June 16, 2021.

Fees	Indian Nationals INR	Due
Foundation Course	0.00	NA
Tuition Fee	104500.00	Before course commences
Examination Fee	20600.00	Before course commences
Special Fee	10506.00	Before course commences
GST	24409.00	Before course commences
Total	160015.00	Before course commences

Faculty

Director of Training: Rukmini Ramachandran

Rukmini Ramachandran, leads the training team at the Navadisha Montessori Foundation. Rukmini holds an AMI Montessori diploma at all the three age levels, 3-6, 6-12 and 0-3 years. She entered the field of Montessori education in 1991 when she trained under Zarin Malva in Mumbai. She has a Masters in English. She came into Montessori education with a background in journalism, having started her career as Assistant Editor of a children's monthly. She edited the 1939 Montessori lectures in Chennai into a book titled Creative Development in the Child in two volumes. Her most particular interest lies in publishing for children. She currently serves as the Managing Trustee of the Indian Montessori Foundation.

AMI Elementary Trainer and Consultant: Ann Dunne

Ann Dunne, an AMI Trainer and educational consultant for the 6-12 age level is Director of Training in Dublin, Ireland and London, England. She travels extensively as an AMI Examiner and consultant around the world. She brings a wide range of experience to her work, mentoring and supporting training staff, students and schools. She had over 8 years teaching experience at the 6-12 level before joining the training team in Ireland. She worked closely with senior Montessori professionals in Ireland training many students. Ann brings her lively enthusiasm to her work in India where she has visited often as an examiner, consultant and speaker.

Trainer in Training: Prabha Karthik

Prabha Karthik is currently on the AMI Training of Trainers Programme. She serves on the training team of the Elementary course at Navadisha. She holds an AMI Montessori Diploma at two levels. She completed the 6-12 course in 2008 and the 3-6 course in 2016. She holds a Masters in Econometrics and Diploma in Special Education from V-Excel. She has been involved with a Gandhian organisation Shanti Ashram for over 13 years and is specially interested in Ethics education.

Trainer in Training: Kamini Kapur

Kamini Kapur is currently on the AMI Training of Trainers Programme and serves as part of the elementary training team. She gained her AMI Diploma at Elementary level in 2010 and has worked in Navadisha Montessori School in the elementary classroom since then. She is now pursuing AMI diploma course at 3-6 age level. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Diploma in Elementary Education from NIOS. She has worked with children for over 14 years in formal and non-formal settings. Her other interests include helping communities find solutions for sustainable living.

Books and Stationery Budget

It is advisable for students to acquire the Montessori books in the Required Reading list. The students may also have to acquire stationery for the course, for course submissions and the creation of Albums. The cost will vary depending on the choices made. We would like to emphasise that this is a budget and that it is only an approximate guide. The training course neither recommends nor endorses particular stationery products. Students are advised to budget for books and materials for the duration of the course as follows.

Items	Budget	Likely to be spent
Montessori Books	8000.00	Before the course commences
Stationery	2000.00	For the duration of the course
Materials	2000.00	For the duration of the course

Books

To prepare for the Diploma course and for working in a Montessori environment it is good practice to read around the subject. The following list of books is provided to help you begin this process. Some of these books will be made available in the student library.

Foundation Course

• Montessori, Maria The Absorbent Mind Indian Montessori Foundation

• Montessori, Maria The Age of Miracles Indian Montessori Foundation

• Montessori, Maria The Child in the Family Indian Montessori Foundation

• Montessori, Maria The Discovery of the Child Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company

• Montessori, Maria The Secret of Childhood Orient Black Swan, Chennai

• Montessori, Maria Education for New World Indian Montessori Foundation

• Montessori, Maria What should you know about your child Indian Montessori Foundation

Required Reading

• Montessori, Maria Citizen of the World Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company

• Montessori, Maria The Formation of Man Indian Montessori Foundation

• Montessori, Maria Education and Peace Indian Montessori Foundation

• Montessori, Maria The Advanced Montessori Method Vols. 1 & 2 Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company

• Montessori, Maria From Childhood to Adolescence Indian Montessori Foundation

• Montessori, Maria To Educate the Human Potential Indian Montessori Foundation

• Montessori, Maria The Child, Society and the World Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company