WATERPARK MONTESSORI - EMPLOYER GUIDE    
SEE ALSO DOWNLOADABLE VERSION OF THIS PAGE                        

The purpose of this short guide is to help employers in Montessori pre-schools and schools to support their staff in becoming qualified Montessori teachers.

EMPLOYEES DURING TRAINING             

CHOOSING STUDY PROGRAMME AND AGE GROUP TO STUDY                                                           

CONTRACTS BETWEEN EMPLOYEE AND EMPLOYER     

TEACHERS & ASSISTANTS IN A MONTESSORI CLASSROOM

DEMONSTRATION OF MONTESSORI MATERIALS                

WITHDRAWAL AND REFUND POLICY

SUMMARY

·         Montessori schools or pre-schools need trained Montessori teachers. We recommend that at least 50% of those employed in the Montessori school or pre-school should have completed Montessori training.

·         When your employees take training it will require time and money but the benefits will be felt immediately in your Montessori school or pre-school.

·         Help your employee to choose the right study programme and age group.

·          A student working full time should study theory slow track.

·         If you support an employee financially with the study programme we suggest a clear contract between employer and employee.

·         Waterpark has several payment options. A considerable reduction applies to advance payments. The conditions for refund of this payment are limited and we advise employers to become familiar with these conditions.

EMPLOYEES DURING TRAINING                                             _{back to top}

·         This study requires attention and time. Support your employee by allowing time for study. A student working full time should study theory slow track

·         If one of your employees enrols late for a programme (after 1^st May for spring enrolment/ after 1^st October for autumn enrolments) they will need time to catch up in the introductory stages of the programme, or else they will find themselves at a disadvantage understanding the course structure and learning methods.

·         Waterpark has a contract with the student, not the employer, regardless of who pays the fee.

·         Waterpark has a policy for students who have enrolled and who subsequently “drop out” of the training for any reason. Although a refund may not be due Waterpark is willing to negotiate with an employer that has paid for that student to replace them with another employee from the same school or pre-school. An administration charge will apply.

·         Progress reports are available to students. Students can access a personal Progress Tree on the website. If an employer is sponsoring an employee for this study Waterpark is not able to give reports to the employer without the permission of the student. We suggest that an agreement or contract should include a clause that ensures the employer is informed about ongoing progress.

·         Students during training may be asked by their employers to help others in the school or pre-school with Montessori materials and theory. It is difficult to study and understand Montessori and it is not advisable to try to share with others while in training.

·         A Waterpark student has access to a wide range of copyright notes on Montessori materials and theory. When the diploma is completed Waterpark graduates have access to a range of classroom materials. These are copyrighted by Waterpark and others involved in their creation. It is illegal to copy or share the notes with others, even within the same school or pre-school. Waterpark printed materials may not be lent, hired or re-sold. The student may share Montessori materials created by him/her using these notes and resources and, of course, may share the knowledge and skills acquired.

CHOOSING STUDY PROGRAMME AND AGE GROUP                                       _{back to top}

Waterpark Montessori offers a variety of study programmes and training options. The Montessori method uses mixed age group classes of about 3 years span.  Waterpark programmes are designed around these age groups. Here are some points to keep in mind when making a choice.

·         QUALIFICATION:  It is not necessary to be a teacher or pre-school teacher to study Montessori but these qualifications may be required to work in a school in your country. Before you study Montessori, a qualification in any area is useful but not essential. General knowledge, an interest in children and a good basic education are what you will need.

·         CHOOSING A STUDY PROGRAMME: Waterpark Montessori offers a variety of training options.  If a student, for some reason, is not ready to commit to training for a full diploma, then, individual Modules or Stepping Stones may be an option. The student can build towards a Montessori diploma.

·         CHOOSE THE AGE YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH but of course within a school or pre-school there will be other factors to take into consideration. If you cannot decide between two age groups, choose the younger age as Montessori activities are possible to use beyond the recommended age.

·         TEACHERS IN SAME SCHOOL OR PRE-SCHOOL: It is useful that a school or pre-school tries to get people qualified in a variety of ages so they can share responsibilities.

·         3-6 FOR NON-READING CHILDREN IN SCHOOL: If you will work with 6-7 year olds starting school and many of them have not been to Montessori kindergarten, we advise you to take full Diploma 6-9 plus 3-6 Practical Module B (which includes the materials to help children to learn to read and write)

·         6-9 AND 9-12 =TWO PROGRAMMES: Many Montessori colleges teach 6-12 years as a single study programme but Waterpark has divided this into 6-9 and 9-12 because of the volume of work involved. There is only one theory programme for 6-12 years.

·         ADOLESCENT = 12-19 YEARS: The Adolescent programme covers children 12+ and is suitable for those working in schools up to 18 or 19 years.

·         ADOLESCENT IF NO PREVIOUS MONTESSORI: If you are studying Adolescent and have never studied Montessori before, we advise you to take full Diploma Adolescent plus 9-12 Practical Modules A & B (which will give you a thorough knowledge of the materials that will be useful to adapt in a Montessori 12+ years classroom)

(Note: The Adolescent programme for Montessori has not been fully developed anywhere in the world although a core research group in USA promise a curriculum in 2012. Training programmes (including Waterpark) are based on adapting the Montessori core principles, including Erdkinder, to the demands of a modern day school and curriculum for this age group. )

CONTRACTS BETWEEN EMPLOYEE AND EMPLOYER - SUGGESTIONS         _{back to top}

Here are SUGGESTIONS for creating study contracts with employees. These models are already in use by some employers.

·         The employer who wishes to make Montessori work well will include a clause in the original employment contract that says the employee must commence studying for their Montessori diploma within one year and must have a Montessori diploma within four or five years.

·         The employer pays the full fee for study - in advance or in two instalments or monthly. The employee signs a contract to work for the employer for an agreed number of years. This is usually the length of training (1.5-3 years) plus 2 to 5 years. If the employee leaves before that date he/she must repay a proportion of the fee to the employer. If the employee fails to finish the training within the specified time he/she must repay an agreed portion of the fee to the employer.

·         The employer pays fully in advance and deducts a monthly sum from the employee until the fee has been fully repaid. If the employee leaves before the fee is fully paid he/she will pay the remainder before leaving. This may also have an additional incentive option to repay the employee all or some of the fee when he/she receives the diploma.

·         The employee pays the fee and the employer refunds all or some of the fee to him/her when he/she receives the diploma.

·         The employer and the employee share the fee. This may also have an additional incentive option to repay the employee all or some of his/her share of the fee when he/she receives the diploma

TEACHERS & ASSISTANTS IN A MONTESSORI CLASSROOM             _{back to top}

·         Waterpark does not recognise that a student is a qualified Montessori teacher until all four modules are fully completed. Waterpark suggests that students do not call themselves Montessori teachers until they have received their diploma.  It will help parents and others to understand the importance of Montessori training if qualified Montessori teachers display their diplomas.

·         In a Montessori environment an assistant refers to one who is not yet qualified in Montessori. It does not refer to other qualifications.

·         It is not necessary to have a teacher or pre-school teacher qualification in order to take Montessori training. Dr. Montessori believed that traditional teacher and pre-school teacher training were not an advantage as there was much to be unlearned. She preferred to train people qualified in engineering or science or some other cultural area.

·         From a Montessori viewpoint, the only qualification required to lead a Montessori class is a Montessori diploma. However given curriculum and legal obligations in schools and pre-schools, employers will have to employ state qualified teachers or pre-school teachers. We advise that they take Montessori education immediately as they may have to undo much of their work if they try to run a Montessori class without Montessori training. With Montessori training they will develop the ability to interpret their previous teaching skills through Montessori theory and practice.

DEMONSTRATION OF MONTESSORI MATERIALS                               _{back to top}

·         The understanding of Montessori philosophy is essential for Montessori teachers. Knowledge of Montessori materials is not sufficient to create a Montessori learning environment.

·         Those working in Montessori classes may attend Waterpark practical workshops to give them knowledge of Montessori materials. This is useful if they are assisting the Montessori teacher. However the overall running and pedagogical management of a Montessori class can only be done by a qualified Montessori teacher.

·         Students who have not completed the practical module for relevant materials should not demonstrate those materials to children, unless discussed and agreed in advance with the Montessori lead teacher.

·         The presentation of materials is a precise and complex skill. It is not recommended that Montessori teachers demonstrate to other non-Montessori teachers. Such a practice could lead to minor mistakes being magnified and multiplied within a school. Demonstrations should only be done by qualified Montessori trainers/tutors.

·         Waterpark has a strict copyright on the notes issued to students. Copying or circulating to others infringes copyright law. These notes are designed to be used only by qualified Montessori teachers.

·         Students produce personal files/albums. These are their personal property and may be shared only at their discretion. Qualified Montessori teachers may help and advise others but the Waterpark notes within these files/albums remain under copyright.

WITHDRAWAL AND REFUND POLICY                                       _{back to top}

·         There is no refund  for the following:

a.       registration fees

b.      stepping stones units

c.       modules

d.      programmes under Other Courses

e.       deposits paid on diploma programmes

·         If a fee is paid before the due date the student may have a ten day “change of mind” period but that ten days must not extend beyond the due date for fees.

·         In the case of monthly paying students for diploma programmes all monthly fees, up to one month after withdrawal notice is received, are due. Deposit and paid monthly fees to that date are not refundable.

·         Advance paid fees attract a considerable reduction and it is a condition of accepting this reduction that the terms and conditions of withdrawal are accepted.

·         In the case of advance paying students for diploma programmes, no refund is payable except on receipt of medical certification stating that the student is unable to complete the programme of study at any time within the maximum time allowed (3, 4 or 5 years).

·         The refund for such advance paying diploma students will be paid at the end of the 3, 4 or 5 year period if supporting medical evidence at that time confirms the student's inability to complete the study programme. The refund for such students will be the fee paid less the deposit amount that applied at the date of enrolment, less administration fee equal to the deposit, less charge of 17500 nok per single module or 10000 nok charge for a module which has been started but less than 25% of the module has been completed. 

In all cases where there is no refund possible Waterpark is willing to negotiate credit for further study.                                                                                             _{back to top}