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AMI Diploma - Teacher Training

AMI Montessori Diploma 6-12

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AMI Montessori Diploma 6-12
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Overview

The sought-after AMI Diploma – the original course developed by Maria Montessori in collaboration with her son, Mario. With AMI training at the 6-12 years stage you could become a Montessori Teacher and teach authentic Montessori for 6-12 year olds anywhere in the world, set up your own school or use the approach with your own children.

This blended format course is your opportunity to learn about child development and psychology and how to deliver the Montessori educational approach for this age group. The course includes lectures and discussions, both online and in-person and hands-on work with Montessori materials and observation and teaching practice in schools run by teachers who hold AMI Diplomas.

Details

course Part time
Location Blended
Next course October 2025 - July 2027
Entry requirements Degree or equivalent (life/ work experience considered), you do not need an AMI Diploma 3-6 - a foundation module is incorporated into the course
Suitable for those working in a school or new to Montessori/ education The scheduling of the course has been designed with those working in schools in mind and teaching practice could possibly be done in your own school if it is suitable
Open to international students International students will not need a student visa for the in-person modules and practice placements could be completed outside of the UK

A unique training opportunity

This course encompasses the Maria Montessori Institute's experiences from delivering the AMI Diploma 6-12 over many years. We believe it offers an exceptional opportunity for an effective and quality training experience that utilises the best of online learning without forfeiting the irreplaceable in-person training which provides opportunities for active engagement and social learning with and from your fellow students.
Our trainersTraining Information Session

Quality in-person training

Students will be on-site at our specially designed AMI training centre in central London for a significant part of the course, although the modules are short enough that you won’t require a student visa if coming from overseas. You will be able to engage directly with two experienced AMI trainers, the materials and each other – this is an experience that is becoming more difficult to find so we urge you to seize this opportunity while you can.

The very best training to enable you to meet the needs of children aged 6-12 years for many years to come

Whilst of course all the standard Montessori theory and pedagogy for this age group will be offered, the course will also offer a wealth of unique experiences that will help future teachers engage with children in a way that harnesses the characteristics of children of this age. There will be a focus on how to engage their imagination, follow their own interests and learn through collaboration with others. Students will be encouraged to develop reflective practices to support their own continued development both during the course and when working with children after gaining the qualification.

Flexible teaching practice placements to best suit individual students

A unique approach to teaching practice on this course means that students already working in a school will not need to take additional time away from their employment, as they will be able to engage in their own 6-12 Montessori classrooms. However, for those not working in a Montessori school, we will give support to set up placements for teaching practice in Montessori schools with AMI trained teachers  in the best location for them.

What Students Say

Read Student StoriesTraining Information Session
Stephanie Garrett
AMI Diploma 6-12 Graduate
“The course was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. What brought it alive were the discussions with our course leader and my fellow students. I made the most wonderful group of friends.”
Read Stephanie's story
Pablo Gonzalvo
AMI Diploma 6-12 Graduate
“Montessori is summed up by one of the things I often hear from parents: “I really wish I had had this education myself.” I think it’s the feeling we all have.”
Read Pablo's story
Charlie Worthington
AMI Diploma 6-12 Graduate
“Being with independent children who are eager to learn whilst also caring for their own environment and each other is an experience that you have to see to believe.”
Read Charlie's story

What can I do with this qualification?

  • Work in Montessori classes for children between 6 and 12  anywhere in the world
  • Set up your own Montessori school or expand your school to include children from 6 to 12 years
  • Use your qualification in your work as a teacher, educator or school administrator or for social work, research in child development, nannying or childminding
  • Run ground-breaking child or family support programmes
  • Enhance and inform your approach with your own children
Montessori careers Training Information Session

Course Content

The approach to learning is unique - instead of the majority of coursework comprising the compilation of albums, students will be given album templates so more time and coursework can be dedicated to understanding the content and weaving the connections together - just as the children will do in an Elementary Class.

On the course learning will be facilitated by:
• Stimulating lectures and reading assignments
• Group discussion and collaborative project work
• Mind map work, both group and individual
• Reflection questions and reading responses
• Practice with materials supervised by a Trainer, who will engage in helping you find the answers to your questions
• Classroom observations and teaching practice placements

Graduates will not only leave the course with the much sought after AMI 6-12 Diploma, they will also have a portfolio of rich resources so they can make an immediate start with children.
Montessori Educational Theory
Learn in-depth Montessori philosophy, psychology and child development with a focus on children aged six to twelve years. You will also discover other educational theories of education and child development. Be introduced to concepts such as Cosmic Education, the Great Stories, children's sense of justice at this age and their growing ability for complex and abstract thinking.
Teacher training and Teaching Practice Placements
You will be fully trained to deliver the authentic Montessori educational approach as a Montessori teacher for children aged 6-12 years. You will learn how to prepare an Elementary environment and how to nurture children at this stage of development. You will undertake teaching practice placements at Montessori schools run by AMI qualified teachers.
Language, Literacy and Mathematics
Discover how to deliver the Montessori approach to literacy and mathematics for 6-12-year-olds. Learn reading and language exercises suited to the children's development as well as how to utilise literature and support spoken communication, vocabulary, grammar and composition. You will be taught creative writing activities across the curriculum with personalised examples to offer to children. You will learn about the entire writing process from idea to published product with an emphasis on how to support the children's development and understanding of the steps involved in each of the stages of writing. Explore the potential of the 6 to 12 year old's Mathematical Mind through direct and indirect preparation leading to abstract mathematical thought, as well as the story of numbers, arithmetic, geometry, algebra.
The wider curriculum - science, the arts, humanities
Learn how to support children to explore science through stories and experiments in areas including natural geography and the creation of the Earth, botany, zoology, ecology as well as human geography. Stories and timelines aid in the presentation of natural and human history including geology, the coming of life on earth and the development of civilisations. The 6-12 teacher needs to develop the skills to be a good story-teller to spark the children’s imagination – there will be training in how to write child friendly stories and how to prepare visual summaries to facilitate the storytelling process. Discover a cross-curriculum approach to the arts including how to introduce music theory, singing, listening, movement and rhythm and the playing of instruments, including the Montessori tone bars. In visual art you will introduce children to artistic principles and elements as explored through two and three dimensional materials and discover how drama performances aid spoken communication and literacy. You will engage in art activities that cover the spectrum of elements of art and principles of design and composition. Child friendly activities are offered in an integrated manner throughout the course, allowing you to also build up skills and vocabulary. You will also gain a thorough introduction to Montessori music spread across the entire course with opportunities to practice with materials supervised by a Trainer.
Material making and follow up work
We never quite know exactly where the children’s exploration will take them – so you will be trained how to make materials for the children in all areas of the extensive curriculum. However on this course you will not spend hours and hours writing up an album of activities and illustrating all the materials we can offer to children in this age range. We have already done this work for you and the Montessori album will be given to you as part of your course experience. This means that your time will be spent engaging with the content found in them and understanding it more deeply through personal research and hands-on collaborative and creative work. A peep in any 6-12 Montessori classroom will show you that there are many materials to engage with – but for the children this is a just a start – a stimulus to get them going – their real learning will come from what they then decide to explore – we call this follow-up work and sometimes it is hard for teachers to find ideas that are right for each child. On this course you will be helped to think about and create follow-up ideas that will guide the children to further exploration so that from the get-go in the class you will be prepared.
Knowledge Acquisition
Children of this age have a huge thirst for knowledge – so we need to have a lot of information at our fingertips – and this could be tedious to learn but on this course acquisition of knowledge is offered in an interesting way – through fun fact research across the curriculum.
Teaching Practice and Observation
A key component of this course is teaching practice placements and observation in AMI Montessori schools. These are include a short observation in a 3-6 years Montessori environment, an observation in a 6-12 years Montessori environment and teaching practice placements in a 6-12 years Montessori environment/s. See course dates and times for more information.

AMI Diploma 6-12 Trainers

Carla Foster

AMI Diploma 6-12 Course Director
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Carla Foster
AMI Diploma 6-12 Course Director
Carla has AMI 3-6 and 6-12 diplomas from MMI in London and the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee. She also holds a bachelor degree in Social Anthropology and Scandinavian Studies and a combined Masters degree in Old Icelandic Literature and Norwegian Literature from UC Berkeley. Carla has worked with children at the levels 3-6, 6-9 and 9-12, working in both private and public Montessori schools. She has been an elementary trainer since 2011. Carla has worked with children in 3-6, 6-9 and 9-12 classes from 1985-2010, both in public and private settings. She has given keynote speeches and workshops on several continents covering many aspects of Cosmic Education and works as a consultant in Europe. She has completed the Bay Area Writers Workshop for teachers of writing and has many years of experience with dance and drama.

Kyla Morenz

AMI Diploma 6-12 Course Director
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Kyla Morenz
AMI Diploma 6-12 Course Director
Kyla Morenz is an AMI 6-12 Elementary Trainer from Toronto, Canada. She has taught in 6-9, 9-12, and 6-12 elementary Montessori environments in Canada and Morocco. She has particular interest in bilingual education, developing language materials for the elementary classroom, and adult learning and education. In addition to her work on diploma and orientation courses, Kyla regularly presents online and in person workshops for parents, classroom guides and assistants. She is a mentor for teachers and school staff internationally, supporting them through school visits, online small groups, and individual coaching.

Course Dates and Times

This is a blended course with in-person modules at our Central London training centre, online sessions and teaching practice.

The in-person days run from 8.30am – 5pm.

The online sessions will be live 3-hour sessions held in the evening (European time zones) twice a month.

In-person Module One: 20th- 31st October 2025 (2 weeks)
Online Sessions One: 31st October 2025 – 30th March 2026
In-person Module Two: 30th March – 24th April 2026 (4 weeks)
Online Sessions Two: 24th April 2026 and 22nd June 2026
In-person Module Three: 22nd June – 17th July 2026 (4 weeks)
Online Sessions Three: 17th July 2026 – 29th March 2027
In-person Module Four: 29th March – 23rd April 2027 (4 weeks)
Online Sessions Four: 23rd April and 21st June 2027 (review sessions)
In-person Module Five: 21st June – 17th July 2027 (4 weeks)

The observation and teaching practice placements will take place at a time to suit the student but include the following:

9 hours observation in a 3-6 environment run by an AMI qualified teacher
90 hours observation in a 6-12 environment run by an AMI qualified teacher
120 hours teaching practice in a 6-12 environment run by an AMI qualified teacher

Training Information Session Ask A Course Advisor

Student Stories

Fees

Course fees for October 2025 start:

  • Early Bird Fee (paid in 1 instalment – by 31st May 2025) – £10,000
  • Discounted Course Fee (paid in 1 instalment) – £12,000
  • Standard Course Fee (paid in 4 instalments) – £12,700

Further information:

  • Non-refundable £99 application fee
  • £500 deposit on acceptance of course place (offset against your first fee payment)
  • AMI examination fee of £380 which includes student membership of AMI
Training Information Session Ask A Course Advisor

Apply for this course

Part time

Apply for AMI Diploma 6-12

from £10,000
  • Next course dates
    20th October 2025 - 17th July 2027
  • Course format
    In-person modules in London plus online sessions and teaching practice placements

This two year course requires you to attend our London training centre for modules lasting up to 4 weeks. International students will not require a student visa but from some countries made need a visitor visa. You will also need to attend online sessions and undertake teaching practice placements. You will qualify as a Montessori elementary teacher.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Training Information Session

What will I need to do to gain the qualification?

  • 90% course attendance
  • 100 hours of child observation
  • 160 hours of practical sessions under the guidance of your assigned mentor
  • 120 hours of teaching practice at an approved school
  • Submission of written assignments
  • Written and oral examinations

Do you accept students from outside the UK? Do I need a Visa?

Our students come from all over the world and our fees are the same for everyone. You will not need a student visa for the in-person modules in London. However, depending which country you come from you may need a visitor visa. Please see https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa and contact us with any visa queries at course@mariamontessori.org

The practice placements can potentially take place outside of the UK at an approved school with an AMI trained Montessori teacher.

Where is the training located?

The course is blended with online sessions and in-person modules at our training centre at 41 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7BE. You will also undertake teaching practice placements at an approved school – this could be in an AMI Montessori school if you already work at one.

What are the dates and times of the course?

This is a blended course with in-person modules at our Central London training centre, online sessions and teaching practice.

The in-person days run from 8.30am – 5pm.

The online sessions will be live 3-hour sessions held in the evening (European time zones) twice a month.

In-person Module One: 20th- 31st October 2025 (2 weeks)
Online Sessions One: 31st October 2025 – 30th March 2026
In-person Module Two: 30th March – 24th April 2026 (4 weeks)
Online Sessions Two: 24th April 2026 and 22nd June 2026
In-person Module Three: 22nd June – 17th July 2026 (4 weeks)
Online Sessions Three: 17th July 2026 – 29th March 2027
In-person Module Four: 29th March – 23rd April 2027 (4 weeks)
Online Sessions Four: 23rd April and 21st June 2027 (review sessions)
In-person Module Five: 21st June – 17th July 2027 (4 weeks)

The observation and teaching practice placements will take place at a time to suit the student but include the following:

9 hours observation in a 3-6 environment run by an AMI qualified teacher
90 hours observation in a 6-12 environment run by an AMI qualified teacher
120 hours teaching practice in a 6-12 environment run by an AMI qualified teacher

Do you offer help in finding a job after completion of the Diploma course?

AMI Diploma holders are sought after for employment both in the UK and internationally. We advertise jobs at the Maria Montessori School on our Current Vacancies webpage where you can also find links to AMI and Montessori Society job listings. We share details of school vacancies and other external vacancies with our students.

What if English isn't my first language?

You need a good level of English to succeed on our courses. All applicants need to demonstrate their ability to understand and express themselves in both written and spoken English.

For applicants without English as a mother-tongue, a copy of a recent recognised English Language test which must be equivalent to CEFR Level C1 or higher in reading, spoken and written English. If you have studied at degree level or above in an English-speaking university, please enquire if this is required. Please email us with any questions about this – course@mariamontessori.org

Do you provide student accommodation?

We do not provide accommodation but we can send you general information about finding accommodation in London for the in-person modules. We will also connect you to other students before the start of the course as students sometimes organise accommodation together.

What is the application process?

Applicants are asked to complete our online application form.

You will then be asked to email a number of supporting documents including a personal statement, a fitness to teach health form, references and education certificates.

You may also be asked to have an interview online or by phone with the Course Director. You will be notified during the application process if this is required.

Successful applicants will be offered a course place.

More information on required documents

Does the Maria Montessori Institute arrange the teaching practice placement?

The teaching practice placement is arranged by the student in collaboration with the Institute and can take place in the UK or outside of the UK at an approved Montessori school with an AMI trained lead teacher.

The Maria Montessori Institute will advise on how to contact an appropriate school and provide support with this process if needed.

How long is the teaching practice?

You will observe children and undertake teaching practice in an approved AMI Montessori school:

9 hours observation in a 3-6 environment run by an AMI qualified teacher

90 hours observation in a 6-12 environment run by an AMI qualified teacher

120 hours teaching practice in a 6-12 environment run by an AMI qualified teacher

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