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A trained Montessori teacher is well versed not only in Montessori theory and philosophy, but also in the accurate and appropriate use of Montessori materials. They have observational skills to guide and challenge their students, a firm foundation in human growth and development, and the leadership skills necessary for fostering a nurturing environment that physically and psychologically supports learning. In order to earn AMS Accreditation, all lead teachers must hold Montessori teaching credentials for the ages they are teaching. Visit our AMS Accreditation Standards page for more detail – including which credentials are valid.

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.

AMS is committed to increasing public awareness of Montessori education and promoting its growth. When your school becomes a member, you gain a vital ally, dedicated to helping your school succeed, improving the quality of your Montessori programs, supporting your communications, advancing the professional growth of your staff, and achieving your strategic goals. Some of the benefits include: a unique school profile page on the AMS website, with detailed information about your school and programs; the ability to post open employment opportunities on our job board, opportunities to promote your school’s achievements in Montessori Life magazine, and other AMS social media platforms; the option to enroll in the AMS Pathway of Continuous School Improvement, which provides a framework to work towards your goals for improving, refining, and sustaining your school’s Montessori programs as well as a wide array of resources to support your practice, all available upon login.

AMS offers access to specifically designed insurance plans for our individual members. Learn more here.

Please visit our AMS School Accreditation page for information on the process, standards, and getting started for more information.For any questions about Accreditation please email accreditation@amshq.org.

Membership is available to any school that needs resources and support for their Montessori program. Having an active AMS School Membership provides eligibility for accreditation. Once a school is interested in becoming an AMS Verified School, an orientation and/or evaluation of certain met requirements must be completed through the Pathway of Continuous School Improvement.

The next step would be to join the AMS Pathways of Continuous School Improvement also known as Pathway. It is a framework that supports member schools in their ongoing commitment to providing and sustaining quality Montessori programs. For any questions about the Pathway please email pathway@amshq.org.

Although AMS does not offer consulting services, we offer mentorship opportunities for Heads of Schools of our member schools through an online platform, AMS Connect, to connect with other HOS to discuss topics of their interest. We also host monthly zoom call meetings for HOS on various topics.

Member schools may request a frameable letter showing your membership with AMS. Once school dues are paid, please email membership@amshq.org to request the letter. The letter will then be emailed to you within 48 hours.

Based on your application request, a payment is due immediately upon receipt of your invoice in order to activate your School Membership.

School membership is based on a scale of how many enrolled students your school has. Discounts apply to AMS accredited schools, public schools, international schools and satellite locations. Visit our school membership page for additional information.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Member schools are schools that have signed up for AMS School Membership. AMS membership is available for any schools looking to show their commitment to Montessori and take advantage of the member services we offer. Visit this page on our site to learn about the benefits of school membership, and more. An AMS member school becomes verified once AMS confirms they uphold the 5 core components of Montessori education. To learn more about the 5 core components, visit this page on our website. An school earns an AMS accreditation after writing a self-study and hosting a visiting team that verifies compliance with AMS school accreditation standards. We lay all of this out and more here!

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.

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.

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.

Yes, AMS provides logo files and language for promoting membership status. For more information, visit The Pathway of Continuous School Improvement page.

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.

One of the greatest benefits of school membership is the increased visibility which families can find your school in our Find A School Directory. School Memberships also provide eligibility to pursue AMS school accreditation and access to post open positions on the AMS Jobs Board. Visit our AMS School Membership page for a comprehensive list of benefits.

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