Professional Development

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Where are you on your Montessori journey? VMA is here to support you!

Professional Development is the work you do to continue strengthening your understanding and practice of the Montessori Method and pedagogy. On this page, you will find an extensive and carefully curated list of resources that will help you on your journey. Keep checking back for periodic updates.

Virginia Center for Montessori Studies

Richmond, VA (AMS-affiliated)

Virginia Montessori Teacher Education Center

Chesapeake, VA (AMS-affiliated)

National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector

On-site public Montessori teacher training, MACTE-accredited

Montessori Institute of McLean

McLean, VA (AMS-affiliated)

Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies, Barrie School

Silver Spring, MD (AMS-affiliated)

Montgomery Montessori Institute

Rockville, MD

Washington Montessori Institute

Riverdale Park, MD

(AMI-affiliated, MACTE-accredited for

3-6)

Social Emotional Learning:

Are You Listening, Lisa Burman
The Explosive Child, Dr. Ross Greene
The Trauma-Sensitive Classroom: Building Resilience with Compassionate Teaching, by Patricia Jennings
Ecoliterate, by Daniel Goleman, et al

Educator Self-reflection:

Onward, Elena Aguilar
Tao of Montessori: Reflections on Compassionate Teaching by Catherine McTamaney
Mindfulness for Teachers: Simple Skills for Peace and Productivity in the Classroom by Patricia Jennings
The Courage to Teach, by Parker Palmer

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging/ Anti-Bias Anti-Racism:

Montessori Inclusion by Ann Epstein
Be the Change, Sara K. Ahmed
Equity Examined, AMS
Nurturing the Spirit, Aline Wolf
Literacy is Liberation, by Kimberly Parker

Lesson Planning Resources:

Grammar Tells a Story, Michael Dorer
The Writing Strategies Book
The Reading Strategies Book
6 +1 Traits of Writing, Ruth Culham
The Deep Well of Time, Michael Dorer
Poetry Pauses: Teaching With Poems to Elevate Student Writing in All Genres by Brett Vogelsinger (Secondary Classrooms)

Classroom Management:

Better than Carrots or Sticks: Restorative Practices for Positive Classroom Management by Dominique Smith and Douglas Fisher
Positive Discipline in the Montessori Classroom, Nelsen and DeLorenzo
The Little Book of Restorative Teaching Tools by Lindsey Pointer, Kathleen McGoey, and Haley Farrer

Assessment:

Montessori Assessment Playbook, NCMPS

This is just a snippet! Check out our GoodReads page for a full list of books we love.

Videos (TED talks, lectures etc.):

The Danger of a Single Story, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Dealing with Challenging Behaviors in a Montessori Classroom, Pam Shanks
Work-Life Balance is a Lie: Finding Alignment, Katie Keller Wood
Do Schools Kill Creativity? Sir Ken Robinson
The Puzzle of Motivation, Dan Pink
Indigenizing Education, by Embracing Equity
From Fragility to Stamina: How White People Can Get Proximate and Stay Engaged, by Embracing Equity

Podcasts:

Voices in Montessori
The Montessori Notebook
Science of Reading: The Podcast
Public Montessori in Action
Bright Morning podcast, Elena Aguilar
Midweek Montessori: Elevate and Educate
Tilt Parenting

Scholarships to help pay for Montessori training:

The Virginia Montessori Association Scholarship Fund. Apply here
The Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children (VAAEYC) has established an annual scholarship project to assist providers working with young children to obtain their Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential, as well as other scholarships. VAAEYC will reimburse half of the direct assessment credentialing fee, or half of the renewal fee paid by candidates.
Black Montessori Education Fund - Grant funding to support Black Americans looking to receive Montessori certification.
Margaret Elizabeth Stephenson Fund - Supporting Montessori Teacher Training for over two decades.
Montessori Global Growth Fund - Funding grassroots Montessori initiatives that support optimal human development with a focus of serving under-resourced communities around the world.
Information about scholarships to pay for college courses can be found here.