Early Childhood

May River Montessori School
Bluffton SC

Early Childhood hours
​
June 10-14 1:00-5:00 online (live and asynchronous sessions) 
​
June 17-28 2024 8:30-5:30

June 16-27 2023 8:30-5:30

Bimonthly webinar evenings
 
Resident Weekend Seminars in November and April 

Early Childhood 308 hours total

Course Components

Educational Philosophy
  • Historical background on Dr. Maria Montessori
  • Fundamental concepts of Montessori philosophy
  • The role of the Montessori Teacher
Child Development 
  • Current research in child development from birth to 6
  • Seacoast mentors support course participants 
Practical Life Curriculum
  • The vital role of practical activity in self construction 
  • Material presentations and supervised hands-on practice sessions
  • Cooking, Nutrition, and Food Preparation
Sensorial Curriculum
  • How the young child’s senses support formation of the child’s intelligence
  • Rationales for the use of traditional Sensorial Materials
  • Material presentations and supervised hands-on practice sessions
Math Curriculum
  • Historical background on the origin of math
  • Development of the child’s “mathematical mind”
  • Material presentations and supervised hands-on practice sessions
Language Curriculum
  • Building children’s oral and auditory skills through literature, poetry, songs, fingerplays, and movement
  • Introduction to the Montessori materials for pre-reading and pre-writing
Classroom Leadership
  • Responsive Clasroom Environmental Design
  • Freedom and liberty for the young child
  • Orienting new children into the class
  • Goals and  methods of observation and recordkeeping
Cultural Studies
  • Peace Education
  • The child and the natural world
  • Music, Movement and Art
  • Geography and History

Natasha McKenzie, Executive Administrator, Faculty, Site Director 

Natasha is a teacher educator and school consultant. She has been a classroom teacher and administrator for Early Childhood and Elementary I. Natasha is a core faculty member for Northeast Montessori Institute as well as for the Seacoast Early Childhood Program. Natasha is active in AMS teacher education in the USA and Asia. 


LaDene' Conroy, Instructor

LaDene' is past Principal of Mary Ford Elementary in North Charleston SC and  Montessori and Reading Specialist and Consultant for Charleston County School District. She holds the AMS Administrators Credential and is a frequent presenter of professional development workshops and teacher education sessions. 

​Kathleen Gasbarro, Instructor
 
Kathy is Head of Woodside Academy in Millis MA. Kathy’s teaching experience ranges from infant and toddler through Middle School. She holds AMS Certification for Early Childhood and Elementary I.
​
​Cathy Constantine, Instructor 

Cathy has been a Montessori educator for more than thirty years. She holds AMS certification from 3-12 and has been a classroom teacher and administrator during that time in New England and North Carolina.  


Our Early Childhood  program sites in Bluffton, SC and Needham MA are applicants for affiliation by the American Montessori Society and accreditation by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education.  Applicant for Accreditation status in no way determines the outcome of the accreditation decision by MACTE.

Our program in Needham MA is a private contract. Enrollment is subject to space limitation. 






























​​