Nido & Toddler Lead Guide Diploma

Our delivery of the course involves online seminars and discussions, in-person immersive learning experiences, individual study, and in-school teaching practice.

Our online classes are offered at different times of the day in order to make it possible to attend classes wherever you are in the world, and our live offerings can be completed in one of several locations we bring our coursework to.

When you complete all four course components, you will obtain a fully certified diploma accredited by MACTE.

The diploma program requires a time commitment of approximately 800 hours. It typically takes between 12-months and two years to complete these course requirements, depending on your personal circumstances and how rapidly you are able to complete the degree program requirements. We begin a new cohort almost monthly.

$5000 for the entire MACTE Diploma Course.

When you apply, you’ll describe your financial needs. If you are accepted into the program, we will evaluate your needs and determine your eligibility for a scholarship and/or payment plan. The payment plan is typically in 3-5 installments with the first installment due before the training starts and the subsequent 2-4 payments due the consecutive months following the start of the training.

Our Diploma course is accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council of Teacher Education (MACTE). Known and respected across the world, it is the only accrediting body for Montessori teacher education programs recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Since we largely based online, access to reliable high-speed internet and video/webcam to be on-camera in class is needed. Furthermore, you will need access to a Montessori Nido Toddler classroom for materials practice, observations, and practice teaching.

For access to materials, this can be done in two ways:

• Coordinate with a local Montessori school to practice with their materials when students are not present (i.e., weekends)

• Work with our training team to recreate the materials with items that can be likely be commonly found on your own.

For observations and practice teaching, you will need to coordinate with a local Montessori school (could be the same one for your materials practice) to observe a lead guide and then to practice teaching.

There are portions of your studies that it is highly recommended that you have supervision by a qualified lead guide: Classroom Observations and Practice Teaching. A qualified supervising guide is a guide:

• with a MACTE diploma

• and at least one year of post-certification Lead Guide experience in the same age range in which you will be studying

If there is not a qualifying Supervising Guide, the guide-in-training is designated as a "Self-Directed Guide" and will have additional review and support required from the Prepared Montessorian training team.

The path to learning is organized into four units, covering a broad range of topics including teaching methodology, childhood development, and classroom materials. It is delivered in a variety of ways in order to support multifaceted learning.

Nido & Toddler Foundational Studies (73 hours)

Set schedule where you will need to attend on specific dates and times. See the schedule next to the upcoming cohort information below.

This live, online part of the course is designed to ground the student in Montessori philosophy and teaching methodology. It involves an overview of Maria Montessori's discoveries concerning childhood development, the classroom materials she created, and the ways in which modern educators give lessons using those specialized materials. It can be taken anywhere you have an internet connection but is enhanced if you have access to Montessori materials. Don't have access? We can help.

Nido & Toddler Continuing Studies (90 hours)

Flexible options where you will schedule when you will attend on specific dates and times. Schedule will be provided when you are enrolled.

Building upon the learnings from Foundational Studies, we take a deeper dive into the role of observation and classroom leadership. We also develop student understanding in each area of the Montessori classroom, and follow a seminar series focusing on Montessori theory that informs the practice of Montessori educators. These live, online discussions are offered at convenient times with several options throughout the year.

Self-paced Independent Studies (530 hours)

Flexible options where you will schedule when you will attend on specific dates and times. Schedule will be provided when you are enrolled.

At the pace of each individuals choosing, this part of the course allows for the deep study of every lesson that makes up the Montessori curriculum through engagement with our online lesson library where videos of experts delivering lessons and guide learners to learn and submit videos of themselves carrying out certain Montessori lessons. From there, students go from practice to reality when they observe fully operational Montessori classrooms and practice giving these lessons to children with guidance.

Nido & Toddler In-Residency Studies (3 weeks)

Set schedule where you will need to attend on specific dates and times. You will schedule this part of your studies towards the end of the course.

This portion of the course takes the learning from the other components to deeper and more advanced levels through a live and in-person immersive learning experience in one of our training centers. We study and discuss parent involvement, child development, and advanced Montessori presentation skills. We offer this course several times throughout the year and in different locations so you can plan ahead for the in-residency opportunity most convenient for you. As a response to Covid, this is temporarily offered totally remotely.

Click HERE to access further details about the course structure.

Click HERE to access a document that outlines the Diploma Path.

Check out our Diploma FAQ page.

You could use this Time Zone Converter if you need to convert the Foundational Studies schedule.