Since its conception, Montessori pedagogy has always been associated with teacher training, without which it is impossible to follow the child and fulfill the role of the Montessori teacher as a mentor, model and guide. Our participation to AMI teacher training programs and refresher courses, as well as in research and discussion groups, educational conferences, workshops and seminars worldwide, has helped us to establish a strong heritage of best practices in Montessori education.
It has consistently informed the dynamics of our school and it has reassured us that the Montessori pedagogy is the best suitable method to guide the child. It has given us the opportunity to promote the exchange of ideas, perspectives and practices between and amongst all those interested in Montessori education, and universal concepts such as education for peace and social change.
The Montessori Palau Girona organizes refresher, review and counseling courses delivered by AMI qualified trainers on a regular basis, as well as introductory courses to Montessori pedagogy that provide teachers, psychologists, educators and other professionals in the education field a basic understanding of the Montessori approach, and makes them aware of the importance of rigorous teacher training. These introductory courses are accredited by AME and delivered in liaison with experts from different Montessori centers around Spain.
The school also coordinates with the University of Vic the only European Master’s Degree in Montessori Education (0-6) recognized and validated worldwide by the Association Montessori International.
In recent years, the Montessori Palau Girona has also been offering in-depth expertise and high quality consulting services regarding Montessori practice to teachers, parents, school administrators and boards that wish to gain a better understanding of the Montessori pedagogy, and see concrete examples of how it looks like in action at the classroom level –where the process of teaching and learning lives.
In this context, the School provides counseling for the opening and management of new schools, and helps other schools to implement ideas and systems that support student learning, enhance faculty development and improve school culture and environment. It also offers professional development workshops for teachers and parent education presentation. All of this, drawn from the experience gained during almost two decades of Montessori practice at our school.
Building on this vast experience, and with the aim to channel, coordinate and promote initiatives related to the Montessori pedagogy, the Montessori Palau Girona decides in 2015 to explore the idea of developing a training center of its own, the International Montessori Palau Research and Training Center (MIRTC). The creation of the center also responds to the lack of AMI training courses in the Spain and the need to disseminate the Montessori approach in the country. Three of the school’s faculty members are currently undertaking the rigorous AMI Trainer of Trainers Program and they will be responsible for leading, coordinating and supporting all the activities related to the MIRTC.
The MIRTC is the only center in Spain that offers the AMI International Elementary Teacher Training (6-12) course and it is envisaged to offer the AMI Montessori Orientation to Adolescent Studies Diploma in the future.
