Interested in following the Montessori path?

You walk into a Montessori environment and see a child working with a pink tower while another group enjoys reading, and there may be other children serving their food. All this of this in a peace and harmony that seems unreal. It is not difficult to understand why a teacher who witnesses this scenario wants to take the leap to become a Montessori guide. 

But this change in philosophy, which requires so much passion and commitment from the teacher, is also a change in lifestyle that goes beyond the school.

For Annabel Martínez, Academic Program Director at INE, it is extremely important that the teacher identifies which stage of the child are they passionate about, even before seeking information about courses. Each level requires different skills and the teacher must investigate and identify the one that best suits their personality. "I had the opportunity to observe all the levels and that was how I identified with the Elementary I. I was very sure that it was where I wanted to start my study process," said Annabel. While being able to observe different environments would be ideal, those who do not have this opportunity can turn to online videos and other reliable sources to make their decision.

Once the teacher decides to take this step, a transformation begins. As Annabel describes, "when you are training as a Montessori guide, the curriculum is healing." In the process, the guides in training come across situations that they experienced in their school years and learn how to handle them in a new way. "You are seeing other ways of teaching. Beyond using the blackboard and drawing a cube that looks three-dimensional, you can have the material in your hands and that the child has that opportunity to touch and explore everything about that cube," she explained as an example.

It is not a secret that to embrace the Montessori methodology there are certain learned behaviors that the teacher must discard. One of the guidelines that most impress adult learners is that "the adult is not the center of everything," Annabel said. "In the Montessori methodology, we look at the child with all their possibilities, and to do that the adult has to withdraw. There will not be a desk, there will not be a space for the adult. Knowledge does not come only from me as an authority, as an adult of power in the environment," she added.

A frequent question among educators interested in Montessori methodology is the time it takes to become certified as a Montessori guide. Annabel always mentions to her adult apprentices that the academic training may take two to three years, but this will depend on the level they choose to specialize in. "The Montessori guide training courses are very rigorous. To ensure that that learner acquires the skills to be a successful guide, there are some extensive courses," said Annabel. Likewise, being able to put theory into practice in the environment requires a time of adaptation that varies from individual. "For a guide to fully see the magic that occurs in the environment, they may have to experience several three-year cycles so that he or she has the opportunity to experiment with the curriculum and see the different possibilities," she explained, emphasizing that in her time as a guide she never had a cycle that was the same as another and she always learned something new.

While turning a career to a Montessori philosophy is not a decision to be taken lightly, for Annabel so much is gained by embracing this philosophy that for her there is "no going back". "This is a life transformation, as an educational philosophy in many directions. I don't see myself doing anything else. I live in love with this methodology and philosophy. One practices many of the principles that children are taught in their daily lives because there is no way to genuinely teach it if you don't live it," explained Annabel.

INE is the only institution in Puerto Rico, accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE), that offers Montessori certification courses for teachers from infants to high school. Those interested in receiving orientation for the next courses can complete this form or write to academia@inepr.com.