Amsive

This vibrant community is comprised of 20,000 individuals across the globe. They are teachers, parents, school administrators, teacher educators, adult learners, and others who are committed to providing an authentic Montessori experience by upholding quality standards.

Take advantage of these helpful resources all year long.

Professional Development
  • Unlimited access to the AMS Learning On-Demand library with 275+ CPD hours, live courses, and regularly added webinars.
  • Discounts on live courses and certificate programs like the Anti-bias, Antiracist (ABAR) Certificate Program and the Elementary Reading Certificate Program.
  • Access to professional development events throughout the year.
Publications
  • A subscription to our quarterly magazine, Montessori Life, plus free access to the 10-year digital archive.
  • Access exclusive Member-Only Resources, including sample handbooks, policies, report forms, guides, and expert-created content for Montessori schools, programs, and educators.
  • AMS Compensation & Benefits Survey Report (published every-other year).
Community Connection
  • Access AMS Connect, an online platform to connect with peers in the Montessori community.
  • Participation opportunities in AMS Connect Live, networking sessions held monthly for teachers and heads of schools.
  • An opportunity to start and join AMS Affinity Groups.
  • Voting privileges in annual AMS Board of Directors elections.
Community Discounts & Benefits
  • Discounted registration for The Montessori Event.
  • Discounts on other AMS events.
  • 10% discount at Shop AMS (School Brochure Packets).
  • Access to more than a dozen specially designed insurance plans including professional liability insurance, individual and group health, plans, term life insurance, home coverage, and Farmers auto insurance. §

  • Print edition only available for U.S. delivery.
  • § Not available in all states or outside the United States
  • “The teacher’s task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for cultural activity in a special environment made for the child.”

    Dr. Maria Montessori
    The Absorbent Mind

Do I have to renew my AMS membership every year?

Yes, whether it is your individual or school membership, AMS is an annual membership that begins on July 1 and expires on June 30th. AMS sends out communication via emails and newsletters to remind individuals and schools when it is time to renew.

Does AMS provide any parent education resources?

Yes, AMS provides parent education webinars, publications, and form templates on Member-only Resources.

Can I talk with other AMS members online?

Individual AMS Members can connect with other teachers within their credentialed area on our AMS Connect platform, here.

Additionally, a terrific guideline to ensure you are meeting best practices and understand the overall framework for a school is to download the AMS Accreditation standards which can be found here.

Does AMS Individual Membership include discounts for professional development?

Yes! We offer discount on professional development events throughout the year, as well as certificate programs and live courses. For a full list of Individual Membership benefits with helpful links, visit our Individual Membership page.

AMS hosts an annual conference every year called The Montessori Event. You do no need to be a member to attend, but discounts for members are offered.

Does AMS provide guidance on how to start a Montessori School?

You can visit our webpage for Starting a Montessori School.

Once you become a member, you will have access to our membership resources page which has some policies and procedure resources, as well as webinars on our learning platform AMS Learning.

Our memberships include access to our communication platform AMS Connect, where you can speak with other AMS members who have started their own schools.

How do I access benefits from my AMS School or Individual Membership?

Your AMS membership is driven the email address you chose to use when signing up. Each member will choose one email address on file, and should consistently use that address when logging into our website.

If for any reason you need to change your email address associated with your account, you can do so by logging in and uptating your profile information. Please note, your unique account may have credentials, professional development certificates, or other information tied to it, so it is important that a new account not be created when changing schools, or when having difficulty logging in. If you are having difficulty accessing your account, please reach out to membership@amshq.org, and we will be happy to assist you.

If there are specific benefits you’re looking for, or would like more information on what benefits are included with membership, please visit our Individual Membership or School Membership information page here.

Note that we no longer have a separate login account for schools. If you are a head of school or an administrator with access to perform school functions, such as complete applications, post to the job board, and pay open invoices, you will access these functions from your individual membership account. If you are a new head of school and need access to complete school functions, please contact us at membership@amshq.org and we can transfer access for the school from the previous head to you, with verification of your role. Please do not change the email or password for any accounts that are not yours.

How do I go about purchasing Montessori materials for my school or certain classrooms?

AMS does not require that your school purchase materials from any particular company although AMS members, but will receive a 5% discount through Nienhuis. Visit the AMS Marketplace for more companies.

To download our lists of suggested materials by classroom age, visit this page.

How do I know if my Individual Membership is active?

Your AMS Membership will be activated, once payment is received. Once logged in to ‘My Account’, the AMS Account Manager will be on the left side of your dashboard. From there, the ‘Print Membership Card’ can be selected and the Membership card can be printed for your wallet. AMS sends out communication via emails and newsletters to remind individuals and schools when it is time to renew.

How much does an AMS Membership cost?

An individual membership is $101, but a School Membership costs are based on the enrollment of the school. Member schools have the benefit of special bundle pricing to add individual memberships for all of their teaching staff (teachers, assistants, and specials teachers).

Please visit the School Membership or Individual Membership page for specific details.

If I am employed at a school, will my school buy my individual membership?

That depends on your school, but schools are encouraged to purchase membership bundles for their staff.

AMS accredited schools are required to purchase memberships for all their lead teachers. Check with your school to be sure.

What are the benefits and resources that come with an AMS School or Individual Membership?

You will be part of an 18,000 international member network of teachers, school administrators, teacher educators, adult learners, and many others who are committed to high quality Montessori education and lifelong learning. We have several events and online platforms to further facilitate connections like AMS Connect and AMS Affinity Groups.

There are also several professional development opportunities that qualify for professional development hours, including our on-demand, online courses on our AMS Learning platform. You will receive community discounts on events like The Montessori Event and on certificate programs like the Anti-bias, Antiracist (ABAR) Certificate Program and the Elementary Reading Certificate Program.

You will have a subscription to and full access to the 10-year digital archive of our quarterly magazine, Montessori Life.

You will also have full acess to Member-only Resources, which has sample handbooks, policies, report forms, how-to sheets, and curriculum guides.

School Memberships provide eligibility to pursue AMS school accreditation, a unique school profile page in the Find-a-School directory, and access to post on the AMS Jobs Board.

What kind of professional development opportunities come with an AMS Membership?

AMS has an online professional development library called AMS Learning that makes learning available 24/7. Choose from single videos, multi-module classes, or a combination of both. AMS Members have unlimited access.

There are also opportunities to earn professional development hours by attending in-person events such as The Montessori Event and symposia, certificate programs, and more. We offer thought-provoking and enjoyable professional development tailored to a comprehensive range of needs and interests.

What steps are involved in the AMS membership application process?

There is no application to become an AMS Member, you just need to fill out our online form and pay the applicable membership fee. If you’re a member school and looking to pursue AMS school accreditation, please visit this page for more information on that process.

Please visit the School Membership or Individual Membership page for more information on each membership.

As part of the process of joining AMS, all members are required to attest that they will comply with the AMS Code of Ethics.

Where can I buy the Montessori curriculum?

The Montessori curriculum is much more than lesson plans and materials, therefore hiring Montessori Teachers with credentials from an accredited training center, like those affiliated with AMS, is the best way to ensure that the curriculum is properly executed. Credentialed teachers learn the curriculum through their rigorous training and practice – building “albums,” or curriculum guides, during the training process.

If you or your school have an AMS membership, you can access examples in our member resources portal when you’re logged in.

Still have questions?