Parents who choose a Montessori Canada Accredited Member school are joining those who want the best possible education for their children based on Montessori education.

Montessori Canada sets standards to protect the Montessori name. Accreditation by Montessori Canada holds schools accountable to each other, to parents, and to the larger community. Accreditation establishes a consistency of standards and the preservation of the Montessori philosophy of education. For parents, Montessori Canada provides information and education to make good choices and support their children in Montessori schools.

A Montessori Canada school offers your child:

• A carefully prepared child-centred environment
• Mixed-age (family groupings) per classroom
• An opportunity to progress at their own pace
• Activity-based learning
• Freedom and responsibility
• Co-operation and collaboration in a non-competitive environment
• Creativity and curiosity and leads children to ask questions, explore, investigate, and think for themselves as they acquire skills

A Montessori Canada school offers you as a parent:

• Ongoing feedback on your child’s progress
• An invitation to participate in many aspects of school life
• An environment where parents and teachers support each other with the desire to help your child be successful

An accredited member shall meet the following criteria:

• Are guided by the educational philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori.
• Have one teacher in each classroom who holds an age-appropriate diploma from an AMI or MACTE accredited teacher training institute or any other teacher training program that may be recognized by CCMA.
• Have a Full range of Montessori materials in each classroom as recommended by CCMA, which offers the broad curriculum to allow for sequential learning.
• Have an uninterrupted work cycle that is ‘age and stage’ appropriate (e.g. range from 1 to 2 hours for Toddler; 2 to 3 hours for Casa), to allow for the development of focus.
• Recordkeeping including: tracking, lesson planning, record of child’s work in progress, and weekly anecdotal notes on each child.
• Have a policy of admitting children to the program at the appropriate age level consistent with Montessori principles that follow the developmental stages and sensitive periods for learning.
• Have multi-age groupings in each classroom (with a span of 1 year or more in the Toddler classroom and 3 years in the Casa classroom), which supports the concept that learning is a social process.
• Require attendance 5 days a week, for consistency in learning, with consideration for a phase-in period for Toddler.
• Abide by the Montessori Canada Code of Ethics.

History

Montessori Canada was previously known as the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators (CCMA).

The CCMA was founded in 1977 by a small group of dedicated administrators who were committed to supporting each other and promoting public awareness of what an Montessori school offers to families. Today there are more than 110 schools in the organization ranging in size from an enrollment of 30 students to larger schools of over 700 students. Toddler, early childhood, elementary and adolescent programmes are all represented within CCMA schools.

Montessori Canada Mission

“Our mission is to unite the Montessori community to promote, advance, and deliver high-quality Montessori education for children across Canada.”

Montessori Canada Vision

“Our vision is transformative Montessori education for all children across Canada.”

Visit Montessori Canada here.