Infant & Toddler

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

MI-NE intentionally exceeds the minimum requirements of a typical Montessori teacher education program because we recognize that developing an authentic Montessori teacher is a holistic and complex process. Our curriculum provides additional time for study, practice, observation, reflection, and mentorship, ensuring adult learners are prepared not only with knowledge and skills, but with the habits of mind and heart that define exceptional Montessori educators.

The academic workshop and practicum phases may be concurrent, with the anticipated successful completion in June of the same academic year. Adult learners may voluntarily defer the practicum phase to the following academic year, with the anticipated successful completion at the end of the second year in June.

Students entering without a Montessori Early Childhood teaching credential are required to attend the Montessori Overview Course.

Click Here to View or Download the Infant & Toddler Course Calendar 2026 – 2027

Child Development

A deep understanding of child development is the foundation of authentic Montessori practice. This course explores the developmental journey from the prenatal period through the first three years of life, examining physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and neurological growth. Adult learners study major theories of development, attachment, brain development, infant mental health, and the impact of early experiences on lifelong learning. Through current research and reflection, participants develop the ability to recognize developmental milestones, respond to individual needs, and understand how culture, family traditions, language, and lived experiences shape each child’s development, preparing educators to provide responsive, relationship-centered care that honors every child’s identity and potential.

Montessori Philosophy and Pedagogy

Montessori education begins with a profound respect for the child and a belief in the human potential present from birth. This course introduces the philosophical and scientific foundations of Montessori education, with particular emphasis on the child from birth to age three. Adult learners explore Dr. Maria Montessori’s understanding of human development, the role of the prepared adult, and the importance of observation, responsive caregiving, and carefully prepared environments. Through study and reflection, participants cultivate the habits of mind and heart necessary to guide young children with confidence, compassion, and intentionality while embracing Montessori’s vision of education as a force for peace that honors the diverse identities, cultures, and experiences of every child and family.

Inclusive Practice

Inclusive Montessori classrooms are built on the belief that every child belongs. This course prepares participants to create environments where children with diverse strengths, abilities, and learning needs can participate fully within the Montessori community. Through the study of child development, educational law, neurodiversity, observation, collaboration, and practical classroom strategies, adult learners will develop the knowledge and confidence to support all children while remaining faithful to Montessori philosophy.

Communities for Belonging

A true sense of belonging emerges from thoughtful observation, intentional environments, respectful relationships, and a commitment to continuous reflection. In this course, participants will examine how Montessori philosophy supports communities where every child, family, and adult is known, valued, and empowered. The course progression moves from the prepared adult to the prepared environment, to the prepared community, emphasizing that belonging is intentionally cultivated rather than assumed.

Environmental Design

The prepared environment serves as the child’s teacher, inviting exploration, independence, concentration, and joyful discovery. This course prepares adult learners to design beautiful, orderly, and developmentally appropriate environments that respond to the sensitive periods of infancy and toddlerhood. Participants examine classroom layout, material selection, movement, language, independence, and sensory development while considering health, safety, licensing requirements, and best practices. Emphasis is placed on creating environments that foster individual growth and peaceful communities through materials, spaces, and experiences that reflect diverse cultures, languages, family structures, and perspectives, ensuring every child feels welcomed, represented, and valued.

Program Leadership and Administration

Strong Montessori programs require thoughtful leadership grounded in both educational vision and practical management. This course examines the administrative responsibilities involved in operating high-quality infant and toddler programs, including scheduling, budgeting, financial planning, staffing, licensing, regulations, and childcare policy. Adult learners gain an understanding of the organizational structures and leadership practices necessary to support children, families, and educators while maintaining the integrity of Montessori principles and cultivating inclusive school communities where equitable policies, culturally responsive practices, and meaningful family partnerships are integral to program excellence.

Child, Family, and Community

Montessori education flourishes through meaningful partnerships between the child, family, school, and broader community. This course explores the essential role of families in child development and prepares adult learners to build respectful, collaborative relationships with parents and caregivers. Topics include parent education, family engagement, child-rearing perspectives, health and nutrition, community resources, and effective communication. Participants develop the knowledge and skills to partner with families in ways that honor their languages, traditions, values, and lived experiences, recognizing that strong, culturally responsive relationships enrich both the classroom community and each child’s development.

Observation

Observation is one of the most essential tools of the Montessori educator. This course develops the ability to observe children objectively, thoughtfully, and without judgment in order to understand development, guide instruction, and prepare responsive environments. Through guided classroom observations, discussion, and documented field experiences, adult learners refine their capacity to distinguish observation from interpretation, recognize their own assumptions, and understand children’s behavior within the context of their developmental, cultural, and family experiences, leading to more responsive and equitable educational practice.

Personal Growth and Development

Montessori teacher preparation is as much a process of personal transformation as it is professional study. This course encourages adult learners to cultivate self-awareness, ethical practice, professionalism, and reflective habits that support lifelong growth. Through introspection, dialogue, peace education, and collaborative learning experiences, participants strengthen the qualities of the prepared adult—patience, humility, observation, respect, and responsiveness—while developing the cultural humility, self-awareness, and collaborative leadership needed to build authentic relationships with children, families, and colleagues from diverse backgrounds.

Program Leadership

Effective Montessori educators serve as instructional leaders within their classrooms and contributors to the broader school community. This course explores Montessori classroom leadership, curriculum planning, record keeping, assessment, classroom management, and the evolution of Montessori education alongside other educational models. Adult learners examine multiculturalism, diversity, organizational leadership, and the legal and organizational aspects of Montessori administration while learning to create equitable learning environments where every child experiences belonging, respect, and meaningful opportunities to flourish.

Action Research

Montessori educators are lifelong learners who continually refine their practice through observation, reflection, and inquiry. In this course, adult learners design and implement an action research project focused on a meaningful question arising from their own classroom experience or professional interests. Using systematic observation and evidence-based reflection, participants investigate strategies that enhance teaching, deepen understanding of children, strengthen partnerships with families, and promote inclusive, culturally responsive Montessori practice.

Practicum

The practicum is the culminating experience of Montessori teacher preparation, where theory becomes lived practice. Over a minimum of 540 supervised hours in a pre-approved infant and toddler Montessori classroom, adult learners gradually assume increasing responsibility under the guidance of an experienced mentor teacher and field consultant. Through observation, lesson presentation, reflection, feedback, and professional mentorship, participants integrate Montessori philosophy with daily classroom practice while learning to respond thoughtfully to the unique developmental, cultural, linguistic, and family contexts of each child, ultimately developing the confidence, competence, and professional judgment required of an effective Montessori educator.

Practicum Recitation

Practicum Recitation is the companion course to the Montessori practicum, providing a dedicated space to reflect on, discuss, and document the journey from adult learner to Montessori educator. Throughout the year, adult learners submit monthly reflections, field supervisor observations, and practicum assignments while receiving ongoing feedback from instructors, field supervisors, and peers. Through this shared cycle of reflection, dialogue, and mentorship, adult learners connect theory with classroom practice, celebrate growth, and thoughtfully navigate each stage of the practicum experience. More than a course for submitting assignments, Practicum Recitation supports the personal and professional transformation that is at the heart of authentic Montessori teacher education.

Evaluation

Final review and examinations are a requirement of the MI-NE Teacher Education Courses. During Course III, students complete their examinations and present their final projects. Upon successful completion, students are recommended for an American Montessori Society (AMS) Infant and Toddler Credential or an American Montessori Society (AMS) Associate Infant and Toddler Credential.*