The Center for Guided Montessori Studies

Virtual Information Session: Certification Programs
2022-04-12 13:00 - 14:00, 2022-03-01 20:00 - 21:00, 2022-02-22 13:00 - 14:00, 2022-02-08 13:00 - 14:00, 2022-01-06 20:00 - 21:00, 2021-12-08 20:00 - 21:00, 2021-11-17 17:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York)
Want to learn more about how CGMS teacher certification programs work? Join us for a Virtual Information Session about our CGMS Teacher Education Programs.
Find out about:

How our interactive online course structure provides more opportunity for reflection and deep discussion of Montessori theory and practice.
The advantage of continual online study during the practicum phase, enabling learners to observe and practice course topics and lessons as they learn them and then get quick feedback from instructors and fellow learners in weekly live video classes.
Our commitment to continuous support for adult learners and schools to assure success.
Our unique approach to our residential seminars with an emphasis on providing a Montessori Experience for adult learners and preparing them for their practicum classrooms.

This will take place on our Zoom video conference platform. Email info@cgms.edu for a reservation and the link or save the link: https://zoom.us/j/4227351717

Professional Development: Early Childhood Level
2022-04-04, 2022-03-07, 2022-02-14, 2022-01-17
This program is designed for Montessori assistants, volunteers, substitutes and support staff, plus it makes a reinvigorating refresher for an experienced certified teacher. Combining our extremely popular Classroom Leadership course with our new Early Childhood Overview course, the combined 10 week course includes:

An introduction to Montessori philosophy and key concepts
Qualities of the Prepared Environment
How to start the school year
Positive discipline
Classroom roles
An introduction to each Early Childhood curriculum area (Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Math, Cultural and Science) with video lectures about the purpose of the area, best practices, and many lesson videos

Course content includes: an introduction to Montessori key philosophical concepts, classroom roles and working in partnership with co-workers, designing and maintaining the prepared environment, establishing daily routines, lesson strategies, as well as techniques for positive discipline and problem solving in implementing effective classroom strategies. This course primarily focuses on 3-6 classrooms, but many of the topics relate to all age groups.
Those who complete the entire 10 weeks and all assignments will be awarded a CGMS Professional Development Certificate.

Professional Development: Infant-Toddler Level
2022-04-04, 2022-03-07, 2022-02-14, 2022-01-17
Montessori Beginnings is an introduction to supporting development during the earliest years of life. This course will provide information that can be useful to assistants, administrators, parents, and anyone interested in learning about how to apply Montessori philosophy, principles, and practices to caring for the youngest members of our human family.
Topics will include:

Montessori Principles and Practices at the Infant Toddler Level
Caregiving the Montessori way
Child is the Curriculum
The Importance of Responsive Care (Empathetic Gestures and Nonverbal Communication)
Supporting Transitions
Creating Healthy Rhythms and Routines
Matching the Timeline of Development with Environmental Design and Supports
Preparing Ourselves to Work With Young Children
Being Part of a Montessori Faculty

Those who complete the entire 10 weeks and all assignments will be awarded a CGMS Professional Development Certificate.
To register for a course, please download our application file and email it to us. For questions about our professional development program, or to inquire about group discounts, please contact us.

Teacher Training Programs Begin!
2022-03-21, 2022-01-24
CGMS Montessori certification prepares you to work with every age, from infants through adolescents.
You can download our combined short brochure or click below on the program you are interested in for more information. You can also view samples of some of our videos.
Each program is offered in two tiers, either a Full Certificate or an Associate Certificate program. These are essentially the same programs, except that the Full Certificate program includes either one or two short residencies in addition to the online component. The Associate Certificate is not generally made available to North American Elementary adult learners because of the increasing requirement of schools to have teachers with certificates from MACTE-accredited programs.
For more information on our programs, click here.

Professional Development: Elementary Level
2022-03-07, 2022-02-14, 2022-01-17
After much anticipation, CGMS has launched our new Elementary Fundamentals professional development course. This 10 week program is designed to introduce the wonders of Montessori at the elementary level to assistant teachers, support staff, and Montessori administrators who are new to Montessori or Montessori for the elementary years.
Topics will include:

Key Montessori principles
Classroom leadership for elementary classrooms
Classroom roles and supporting the work of the elementary child
Positive Discipline
An introduction to the Montessori Elementary Curriculum for children 6-12 with a focus on the Cosmic Curriculum as the heart of the classroom.

Those who complete the entire 10 weeks and all assignments will be awarded a CGMS Professional Development Certificate.

EC Assistant Training Begin!
2022-03-07
By successfully completing this 11-week course, you will earn an IMC Early Childhood Assistant Teacher Credential for supporting teachers and children in a 3-6 years old classroom.
What to expect:
Approximately 8 hours of coursework each week including video viewing of Montessori lectures and lessons, online discussion forums, observation and or other practical assignments to put what you are learning in practice, journaling, and a 1 hour live video class in zoom each week.
Instructors:
Your course will be led by one of our experienced CGMS Instructional Guides. Video instructors include: Kitty Bravo, Tim Seldin, Cathie Perolman, Jana Morgan Herman, and Lorna McGrath.
Tuition: $650
If you have previously completed the Montessori Fundamentals Professional Development Course with CGMS, please contact admissions@cgms.edu for a payment link that will provide a discounted rate.
For more information on our programs, click here.

Professional Development: Special Needs
2022-03-07, 2022-01-17
Most of us have asked and been asked this question many times: Is Montessori for every child? In this 5 week course we will explore that topic while we look at practical ideas for how to adapt to, and meet the needs of children with challenges. The course will survey a variety of issues in special education including emotional and behavioral, academic, developmental, speech and language challenges, and children with multiple concerns. Video lectures and discussion forums will explore characteristics of children with learning differences with an emphasis on how to more effectively guide them to success. Topics also include school policies to address issues of children with special needs, communicating with parents, and working in partnership with specialists.
Participants will receive two manuals, one on Supporting Children with Special Needs in the Montessori Environment and another focusing on Movement and Motor Development. This manual is filled with activities to help active children with attention and motor challenges. Many of the ideas and movement activities presented in this course and the manual are also great for typically developing children and provide many opportunities to support the growth and development of the whole child. Participants who complete the entire 5 weeks and all assignments will be awarded a CGMS Professional Development Certificate.

Virtual Information Session: Secondary (12-18) Program
2022-02-24 20:00 - 21:00
Interested in the Secondary I-II Certification Program?
Becoming a Montessori Secondary Guide is a transformation, not just a certification. It means you are on a Montessori journey, an ongoing voyage where you are ever-growing as a practicing Montessori Secondary Guide. CGMS invites you to take this journey with us.
This session is specifically for those interested in the Secondary Certification Program and will take place on our Zoom video conference platform.
Email info@cgms.edu for a reservation and the link or save the link: https://zoom.us/j/4227351717

Virtual Information Session: Leadership Program
2022-02-17 13:00 - 14:00
This Leadership Virtual Question and Answer Session is designed for those interested in the School Leadership Certification Program and is hosted by our Director of Education, Kitty Bravo and Leadership Course Director, Martha Carver! During this information session, you will learn about the training program for school administrators, which is designed to give school heads everything they need to manage successful, authentic, and long-lived Montessori schools. As with our other programs, the Leadership Credential is a blend of the best of online learning with a single, short on-site residency.
The Leadership program is taught by leading Montessorians with decades of experience in Montessori school administration, teaching, finance, marketing, community building, and more. For more information on the leadership faculty, click here.
This session will take place on our Zoom video conference platform. Email info@cgms.edu for a reservation and the link, or save the link: https://zoom.us/j/4227351717

Montessori for Dementia-Providing Respectful ElderCare
2022-02-08 19:00 - 20:30
In this very interesting webinar, we will discuss the ways that Montessori practice can be used successfully to support those with dementia, and we will discuss some basic activities you can use with elders. This will be a great introduction for those who think they may want to seek additional certification in this area.

Jana Herman’s been involved in Montessori education since 1992, first as a parent sub, then as a teacher, school director, teacher trainer, and Director of Training for VMAT, an IMC/MACTE teacher education program in Hanoi, Vietnam. Jana has a BA in Literature, and a Master’s in Montessori Education. She teaches university literature and writing courses and is a co-founder of The Kentucky Montessori Alliance. Jana developed a course for parents who wish to use Montessori principles at home called Montessori Homeschool by Design on the Trillium Montessori website. She is a co-author of the Montessori Parent Coronavirus Survival Guide and numerous articles for parents and teachers. Jana holds additional certification in Montessori and Dementia Care and is a certified End of Life Doula.
General registration, $45, one session, please enroll here: General Registration
CGMS Alumni and Faculty, $35, one session, please enroll here: CGMS Registration

Nomenclature-Something for Everyone in 3-6 Classroom
2022-01-25 19:00 - 20:30
Come and explore the depth and breadth of the Nomenclature Materials in the 3-6 classroom. Learn how these common materials in Botany and Zoology can truly meet the needs of all levels of learners in your community. From extensions with “Part of” Puzzles to Three-Part Cards through Definition Books and Definition Matching Cards, this workshop will extend the learning of these materials across all levels. We will share the basic work as well as extensions in Nature, Art, and even the Movable Alphabet. This workshop can help you entice children to enjoy and benefit from these materials to their fullest across all three years.

Cathie Perolman is a reading specialist, elementary educator, author, consultant, and creator of educational materials for primary and elementary students.
Cathie guided an Early Childhood Montessori Classroom for 29 years and is honored to share her love of Language and creativity with others. She has a particular interest in other than typical learners and enjoys the challenge of fine-tuning the curriculum and meeting the needs of each child.
Cathie has served as a Montessori Teacher Educator and is the creator of The Rainbow Reading System, a phonics-based system of teaching reading to young children. She is a regular contributor to Tomorrow’s Child and Tomorrow’s Leadership magazines. You can find her materials at cathieperolman.com
Cathie Perolman holds a BS in Early Childhood Education and an M.Ed. in Elementary Education with a concentration in reading. She is credentialed as a Montessori teacher. She is married and has two adult children and two adorable granddaughters. Cathie lives in Ellicott City, Maryland with her husband.
General registration, $45, one session, please enroll here: General Registration
CGMS Alumni and Faculty, $35, one session, please enroll here: CGMS Registration

Poetry in the Language-rich Classroom
2022-01-20 19:00 - 20:30
What better way to spark the joy of language and build community in the classroom than with poetry? Children are naturally attuned to rhythm and easily drawn to experiences that include poems that immerse them in the richness of language and the joy of reciting together.

In this webinar, we will explore practices that use thoughtfully selected poems, seeing how they can become vehicles for ELA instruction, teaching empathy, creative self-expression, curriculum enhancement, and strengthening a sense of community in the E1 classroom. As a participant, you will listen to sure-fire poems as we explore the benefits they offer and the possibilities they inspire. We’ll also see how teaching a new poem each week can be a delightful group experience that exposes the students to a wide range of literacy skills. Resources for creating your own collection of poems will be provided. While much of this may be applicable and adaptable to E2 classrooms, it is geared towards younger children.

Julie Cash is a Bank Street graduate who grew up singing and playing guitar at summer camp and worked as a preschool music specialist before becoming an E1 Montessori teacher in a public school in Kingston, NY. She has a special interest in teaching Language Arts and has developed creative classroom activities that integrate SEL, community-building, curriculum, and ELA instruction through songs and literature. Recently retired, she is excited to share some of the “golden nuggets” of her teaching experiences with other teachers!
General registration, $45, please enroll here: General Registration
CGMS Alumni and Faculty, $35, please enroll here: CGMS Registration

The Leap from Childhood to Adolescence
2022-01-13 19:00 - 20:30
What happens as children make that important leap into the third plane and become young adults? How do we guide them as their focus turns from the academic to the social? How do we support the once organized sixth-year student in embracing big change? How do we provide the right learning experiences for our young adult learners as they reorient from the concrete to the abstract and avoid what would distract? Let’s tackle these questions and explore how structure, purpose, and spirit can escort that leap from childhood to adolescence!

Jocelyn Swanson, M. Ed, co-developed the CGMS Secondary program, and now serves as the Secondary Director. She began as many Montessorians do – as a parent. After becoming involved in her local Montessori school as a board member, she pursued Montessori training and earned her Montessori credential in Secondary I-II. While guiding middle and high schoolers, Jocelyn established and founded an independent Montessori high school with an agriculture component. She then designed and implemented a Secondary program centered on aquaculture and formatted it as a museum school. Jocelyn has been training instructors in Montessori Philosophy and Methodology and the Socratic style of learning and teaching since 2010. She holds a Master’s Degree in Education.
Located in Williamsburg, Virginia, Jocelyn enjoys horseback riding, cycling, goats, horses, chickens, and her human family.

General registration, $45, one session, please enroll here: General Registration
CGMS Alumni and Faculty, $35, one session, please enroll here: CGMS Registration

Deadline for Training Program Registration
2022-01-10
The Center for Guided Montessori Studies (CGMS) is currently accepting applications to our teacher training programs.
All applications must be submitted by May 31st for enrollment consideration. Infant/Toddler (0-3), Early Childhood (3-6), Elementary (6-12), Secondary (12-18), and School Leadership cohorts will all begin on January 24th.
For more information, read on below:

Montessori Training Enrollment and Application
Training Center Information
Admissions Process
Tuition
Frequently Asked Questions

If you are interested in more information, send us an email at: admissions@cgms.edu
