Gulf Coast Montessori Teacher Education Center

We offer a blended learning model that incorporates both online and in-residence training. Gulf Coast Montessori Teacher Education Center (GCMTEC), located in Houston Texas, was initially conceived after several years of our trainers working with other Montessori teacher education programs. The Director, Erika Ohlhaver, was also working with public school Montessori programs and realized that the

previous timeline for educating Elementary I-II (ages six through twelve) teachers was not practical for the implementation of the Montessori method for new teachers. The American Montessori Society (AMS), a Montessori accreditation and certification agency, changed the required number of contact hours in 2012 for the Montessori I-II credential from a two year program (one full Elementary I course, and one full Elementary II course with a full year practicum usually totaling 1,698 hours) to a course with Elementary I (325 hours) Elementary II (175 hours) and a full year practicum (1080 hours) for a total of 1,580 hours. This new structure allows for Elementary I-II teachers to complete the entire course in a more timely manner. It is the opinion of the course Director that this model will allow emerging teachers to be better supported through their first year of teaching by receiving instruction of Elementary II practices during their first year, instead of waiting until the second year course is taken. In addition, employers of GCMTEC Elementary I-II teachers can be assured of having a credentialed teacher in the classroom sooner than under the previous model.