Early learning
Marika Tozer studied music at the University of Surrey. After a year of employment she enrolled on the Montessori Early Childhood Diploma Course at Montessori Centre International in London. She talks us through her experience so far. When I graduated I wanted some time to decide what I really wanted to do with my career, so I took up work in London in the meantime. After a while I discovered the Montessori Course. The teaching methods and philosophy behind Montessori really interested me. It is unlike any other early years childcare course and offers a uniquely child-centred approach to learning that develops the ‘whole child’. It also provides me with a more obvious vocation and incorporates many of my skills and interests. Montessori Centre International is the largest Montessori teacher training college in Europe and has part-time regional centres throughout the UK. It has an excellent teaching reputation, particularly in child development, where the lecturers really have their finger on the pulse. It’s based in central London too, which is very convenient. To fund the course I have taken on a loan from a family member and have a weekend job in a café near to home to make up the difference. Students can get funding from the Montessori St Nicholas Charity, which is attached to the college, but this is awarded on a case-by-case basis. Childhood developmentI’m learning about childcare and education (ages two and a half to six years) and how my actions and attitudes can impact a young person’s life. The course is really rigorous but great fun. It involves planning, time management, observations, essays, projects, a child profile, a practical exam and written exams at the end of the year. I am completing the course on a full-time basis, which will take a year, but it can be studied part time or even by distance learning. There are lectures twice a week, covering topics such as Montessori philosophy, special needs and child development, as well as the Early Years Curriculum from literacy, maths and culture to music, drama and art. Instruction in the use of the special Montessori teaching aids is an integral part of the syllabus and you must also complete 420 teaching hours in a Montessori nursery school, where you are assessed by a tutor from the college and a mentor from the nursery school. You definitely need to be enthusiastic and energetic to keep pace with the children! Career choicesOne of the major benefits of the course is that it is an international qualification which allows you to work anywhere in the world. Montessori is a global educational movement, with over 22,000 schools worldwide, so working and travelling abroad is definitely an exciting option for me. There’s never been a better time to work in childcare, with more and more parents both in full-time employment. There are a huge range of career choices available to you, having completed this course. I can set up my own Montessori school, become a child minder, nanny or work in a Montessori preparatory school. When I graduate, I hope to work in a primary school, teaching six to seven year olds. There are now three state primary schools (with two more to follow) that have adopted the Montessori method with striking success. The more widely Montessori becomes established within mainstream education, the more career opportunities will follow. I could also embark upon a three-year degree in Early Childhood which follows on from this course. I really believe the money I have invested in this course is will be worth it. No further study can be a waste of time or money. Education and learning feeds the soul, which I believe needs to be continually built upon. Further information:www.montessori.uk.com More on Education:
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