AMS STANDARDS FOR ALL PRACTICUM SITES
from the American Montessori Society Affiliation Handbook
An adult learner must begin the practicum phase within two years of the end of the academic phase.
1. AMS Membership:
It is recommended that the practicum site is an AMS member school. Programs report practicum sites annually to AMS using the AMS Adult Learner Registration and Practicum Report Form.
2. Non-Discrimination Policy:
The site must have a written non-discrimination policy for both children/adolescents and staff.
3. Licensing:
The site must meet all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
4. School Policies:
The site must communicate to the adult learner and the teacher education program, in writing, its administrative policies and standards relating to the adult learner.
5. Job Description/Contract:
The site must provide a job description and a contract of agreement acceptable to the site, the adult learner, and the teacher education program. This job description or agreement should include the nature and type of remuneration given the adult learner, if any.
6. Cooperation with the Teacher Education Program:
The site must agree to cooperate with the teacher education program in all matters relating to the practicum.
7. Job Responsibilities:
Adult learners in their practicum phase cannot be asked to provide service to the school other than that which would be found as the responsibility listed in the job description of any teacher/administrator during their practicum hours (i.e. janitorial services, before or after day care services, etc.). Adult learners may provide additional services outside their practicum hours if agreed upon by both parties.
8. Age Range of Class:
Infant and Toddler: The environment should contain children from birth to three years of age (dependent upon the model selected).
Early Childhood: The class should contain children in the full 2 ½ through 6 age span.
Elementary I, I-II, & II: The class should contain children in the full age span for which the adult learner will be credentialed (6 through 9, 9 through 12, or 6 through 12), except in the case of a beginning class, which may contain an age span of less than three years.
Secondary I & I-II: The class should contain students covering an age and grade level range of at least two years within the course level for which the adult learner will be credentialed (12 through 14/15 and/or 14/15 through 18 years of age).
Administrator:The school community has at least one Montessori class with an appropriate age range of children and complete complement of Montessori materials.
9. Classroom Environment:
To ensure that the adult learner is able to implement the Montessori curriculum, the environment must be designed and equipped to meet the developmental needs of the children or adolescents served. The classroom must include appropriately-sized furnishings and a full array of recommended Montessori materials for the age range of the class, arranged on open shelves accessible to all children or adolescents. See the AMS Suggested Materials Lists for schools on the AMS website.
10. Supervision:
Supervision of adult learners is provided by the supervising teacher and a field consultant or, in the case of a self-directed practicum, through the field consultant and/or mentor.
Supervision must be provided according to one of two options:
1. In the classroom with an approved supervising teacher
2. In a self-directed classroom with regular supervision by a qualified and approved field consultant.