At the Montessori Training Center Northeast (MTCNE), we believe deeply in the Montessori philosophy as an aid to life at every developmental stage. Rooted in dignity, independence, and respect, Montessori offers powerful tools not only for children and adolescents, but also for older adults and individuals living with dementia or disability.
As an AMI Affiliate Training Center, we are proud to support the growth of Montessori for Dementia, Disability & Ageing (MDDA) by preparing practitioners across the Northeastern United States and beyond. We have successfully offered this specialized course twice and are committed to expanding access to this meaningful work.
We are currently exploring interest in offering a new cohort. To ensure a rich and engaging learning experience, we aim to gather a minimum of 15 participants.
If you are interested in joining the next course, please take a few moments to answer some brief questions. Your response will help us plan our next steps.
Montessori for Dementia, Disability and Ageing is an innovative approach to dementia care that can be adopted for individuals or groups as a philosophy of care. The goal of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) program is to support older adults and people living with dementia and disability by creating a prepared environment, filled with cues and memory supports, that enables individuals to care for themselves, others, and their community.
Montessori for ageing and dementia is a person-centered approach to care based on the philosophy of famed Italian physician Dr. Maria Montessori. The Montessori method has been practiced for over 100 years to support the natural development of one’s own initiative and natural abilities, through self-directed activities and hands on learning. While often thought of as just a method of education for children, the Montessori ethos of ‘help me to do it myself’ transfers across all ages in the context of cognitive development.
Whether Montessori is applied to childhood development or aged care, the philosophy respects (rather that infantilizes) the individual, and works with a person’s strengths to foster independence and high self-esteem in a prepared environment to create opportunities for true choice and meaningful engagement.
Montessori practice for aged care, disability, and care communities supports enhanced quality of life and encourages independence for all people receiving care services. Compared to traditional methods of care, individuals in a Montessori environment have displayed:
The Montessori approach seeks to establish a ‘culture of care’ that will enhance quality of life. Montessori practitioners strive to develop communities that treat individuals with respect and dignity and honor their choices so that they may live as independently as possible.
Montessori for dementia, disability and aged care practice in a care community creates an active and thriving environment for residents. Organizations from around the world have implemented the Montessori method for aged care and report the following benefits to care recipients, families, and staff:
Many of the organizations that have implemented the Montessori approach in a dementia care community proceed to roll out the Montessori approach across their whole care community.
The AMI Montessori for Dementia, Disability & Ageing Course (12 hours) is the theoretical component of the AMI Montessori for Dementia, Disability, & Ageing Certified Practitioner qualification.
Current Offerings
Course Outcomes
Students who complete the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Montessori for Dementia, Disability, & Ageing 2-Day Course (12 hours) are eligible to progress to the AMI Montessori for Dementia, Disability & Ageing Certified Practitioner Course. This in-depth course enables you to implement roles and activities and create a prepared environment for older adults using Montessori principles. You can serve as a role model and leader in your community and help to establish Montessori programming.
The certified practitioner program consists of a range of assignments that will demonstrate the student’s ability to apply the knowledge required to develop and implement a Montessori prepared environment.
Certified practitioners will be able to:
The Montessori Training Center Northeast (MTCNE), an organization managed and operated by the Capital Region Education Council (CREC), was founded in 2003 as an Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) affiliated Training Center to meet the need for quality trained Montessori teachers in the New England region. The Training Center, while based in the Hartford area of Connecticut, has expanded over time and now operates national and international satellite training centers in collaboration with communities seeking to increase access to quality Montessori training(s) in their region.
Specific AMI affiliated programs offered through MTCNE:
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