AMS Teacher Credential Program
AMS-Affiliated
Teacher Credential Programme (10th Cohort)
2024 - 2025
Learning Montessori Pedagogy the Infinity Way
Our Teacher Education Programme (TEP) prepares adult learners for educating children aged 0 to 6 with Montessori approach. 210 to 360 Academic Hours and 540 Practicum Hours are required. Instruction will be at Infinity Montessori Academy, Hong Kong. Practicum will be at a full Montessori classroom. AMS Credential and HKMRDA Certificate will be granted upon satisfactory completion of the academic phase and the practicum phase. During the pandemic, some lessons will be held online.
Our TEP is the first American Montessori Society (AMS)-Affiliated programme in Hong Kong, a milestone in HK Montessori education. We have achieved the highest standards of AMS and MACTE. We have also further enhanced our curriculum for local situation, in child development concept, observation method, Chinese Language pedagogy and parent education. We offer the best professional skills with comprehensive teacher training courses essential to adult learners to become highly qualified Montessori educators in their career.
Since 2006, our school has been actively advocating Montessori philosophy and education in Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China, and have organised the tenth cohorts of AMS-Affiliated and MACTE-Accredited TEPs this year. The first three cohorts was cooperated with the Montessori Teacher Education Centre/SFBA, the others have been organised by our school. We also organised Hong Kong Montessori Research and Development Association-Affiliated TEP and serves as the practicum site for student-teachers to put theory into practice. We will continue to serve Hong Kong and provide support for the wider Chinese community, improve teacher performance, assist more children and parents to receive excellent Montessori education, and uphold Montessori's philosophy to create a peaceful society of truth, good and beauty.
【Special features of our AMS Programme】
1. The first international teacher credential programme in Hong Kong (American Montessori Association AMS-affiliated), a milestone in the development of Montessori education in Hong Kong.
2. Learning Montessori Pedagogy the Infinity Way: Since 2006, we have adopted the Montessori pedagogy as the core, integrating various excellent pedagogies of China and the world, to meet the needs of Chinese people. Our programme emphasises the development of comprehensive observation, analysis and judgment skills. Adult learners familiarise the use of various Montessori materials, and explore the relationship between each material to make an integration from macro and micro perspectives, in order to realise their creative potential.
3. Integrating Chinese and Western medical knowledge in nurturing of children.
4. Learning about Montessori Parent Education that our school has practiced for nearly 20 years to help parents and families grow with children in a harmonious life.
5. One-stop apprenticeship: Practicum in our school and following the all-inclusive learning and practice with teachers with rich Montessori education experience.
6. Learning Montessori's careful and precise observation method to understand the normality and abnormality of children, and then use the Montessori peaceful and positive parenting methods to guide the children.
7. Learning how to foster auto-education in children to help them realise their potential.
8. Learning the principles of Montessori materials and teaching activities to create new ones.
9. Caring for adult learners' personal professional development, mentors become life-long advisors to students and work together to develop Montessori education.
10. Those who have completed the course with satisfactory performance will be awarded the AMS Teacher Credential and the Hong Kong Montessori Research and Development Association HKMRDA certificate.
Early Childhood Teacher Credential Course (Aged 3-6) 2024-2025
Academic Schedule 360 hours | ||
2024 | ||
Montessori Philosophy | September | |
Practical Life | October | |
Sensorial | November | |
2025 | ||
Mathematics | January | |
Language Arts | February | |
Child Development | March | |
Observation | April | |
Classroom Leadership + | April | |
Social Studies + Physical Science + | May | |
Peace Education + Practicum Seminar | June | |
Art + Practicum Seminar | June | |
Music and Movement + Practicum Seminar | July | |
Parent Involvement /Education + Practicum Seminar | July | |
Year-long Project + Practicum Semniar | August | |
Practicum: 540 hours |
Infant and Toddler Teacher Credential Course (Aged 0-3) 2024-2025
Academic Schedule 210 hours | |
2024 | |
Overview of Montessori principles | July |
Montessori Philosophy | July |
Pedagogy and Environmental Design | August |
Child Development | November |
2025 | |
Art, Music & Movement | January |
Observation + Practicum Seminar | January |
Personal Growth and Development + | February |
Program Leadership + | February |
Practicum Seminar | February |
Program Leadership | March |
Practicum Seminar | March |
Practicum Seminar | April |
Child, Family, and Community | May |
Practicum: 540 hours |
Excellent Faculty
Programme Director | |
Founding Chairman of Hong Kong Montessori Research and Development Association | |
Instructors | |
Helen DeVere | Jana Morgan Herman |
Programme Director, Teacher Trainer and Field Consultant of AMS-Affiliated TEP (Early Childhood ) | Programme Director of MACTE-accredited TEP (Early Childhood ) |
Cindy Weiher | Chang Ting-Chih |
Teacher Trainer and Field Consultant of AMS-Affiliated TEP (Infant & Toddler) | Teacher Trainer and Field Consultant of AMS-Affiliated TEP (Infant & Toddler) |
Sister Maria Yu | Lin Mei Yun |
Teacher Trainer and Field Consultant of AMS-Affiliated TEP (Early Childhood ) | Teacher Trainer and Field Consultant of AMS-Affiliated TEP (Early Childhood ) |
Horance Wong | Chan Hoi Man |
Chief Executive of AMS-Affiliated TEP of Infinity Montessori Academy | Teacher Trainer and Field Consultant of AMS-Affiliated TEP (Infant & Toddler) |
Guest Instructors | |
Dr. Lam Wai Fan Fanny | Wong Tin Tok Vincent |
Tutor, Association for Research in Infant and Child Development, UK | Former Conductor of Wong Tai Sin Children’s Choir |
Mok Tik Fai Samuel | |
AMS Teacher Credential (Early Childhood ) |
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Minimum Entry Qualifications
Post-secondary Certificate/ Diploma/ Associate or Bachelor Degree (in any discipline)
University/ college Credits
IMA does not have agreement with any university/ college on credits transfer. However, Master's degree from Chaminade University, Honolulu, Hawaii is available with around an additional eighteen (18) units of on-line coursework, and college tuition fee, upon successful completion of the Early Childhood Coursework and AMS teacher credential for those Adult Learners who have a Bachelor degree.
Medium of Instruction
Chinese: Infant and Toddler Teacher Credential Course (Aged 0-3)
English: Early Childhood Teacher Credential Course (Aged 3-6)
Application Procedure
- Please complete and send this application form with the following documents by email to montessori.ima.tep@gmail.com
- Mission statement, in Chinese or English, at least 1000 words, may include a short story about your childhood, personal philosophy on education, your understandings on Montessori education, reflection on Montessori education, reflection on Hong Kong early childhood education, expectation on yourself, expectation on the course, expectation on your children (if any) or students.
- A copy of your post-secondary Certificate/Diploma/Associate or Bachelor Degree.
- We will contact you for the first interview. We appreciate if your spouse can take the interview with you.
For successful applicants only: documents and fees required
- Three letters of recommendation;
- Official Transcript of College Degrees (must be evaluated by an outside agency to determine their equivalency to a United States degree.)
- Payment fo Tuition Fee
Enquiry: montessori.ima.tep@gmail.com
*All terms and conditions are subject to change without prior notice.
**AMS is widely recognised as the leading member advocacy organization, research forum, and resource collaborative for the global community of Montessori educators with members around the world.