Montessori Early Childhood Education

The diploma program provides the content of the Basic program in addition to Montessori Specialization.

Students in this program will develop a broad range of skills through the study and practice of certified courses in order to develop and lead daily age-appropriate activities for children aimed to help promote social, emotional, physical, cognitive and early literacy development. Students learn to observe children and communicate professionally, when appropriate, children’s progress and/or needs with parents, other staff members and individuals involved with the child’s development.

Students will also examine the six major areas of the Montessori curriculum: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Math, Socials, Art, Music and Movement and how they interrelate. Montessori is designed to foster learning through a holistic approach, where education takes place through movement, connects mind, body and spirit, values collaboration and unfolds through love.

This program includes practicum placement. This experience within a workplace enables Instructional staff to observe the student in a practice situation while providing the student with the opportunity to gain direct exposure to the chosen career field.

Graduates are eligible to apply for an Early Childhood Educator Basic license from the Ministry for Children and Family Development.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this program the student will have developed a broad range of skills through the application and understanding of the following learning outcomes:

Cultural, economic, and generational influences on development
Main categories and methods of observational recording
Current licensing and registration regulations, development of
policies and procedures, floor plans, and childcare center design
Development of partnerships with parents, colleagues, and other service providers
Positive contemporary child guidance practices, causes and characteristics of inappropriate behaviour
Planning and implementing comprehensive program plans, focusing on social, emotional, cognitive, physical, language and cultural development
Activities to facilitate diversity and multi-cultural experiences and concepts to enhance the curriculum
Creating a positive learning environment that includes fun and engaging music and movement activities, enhancing other learning such as language and language skills
The use of concepts and activities from LEAP BC 2010
Resource Booklet and recognizing movement categories and motor skills
Creativity and open-ended, process-oriented creative art activities and experiences
Verbal and non-verbal communication skills and techniques.
Design newsletters and communication tools for parents, children and staff
Signs and symptoms of common communicable childhood illnesses
Discover Maria Montessori’s theory and vision for young children
Review the stimulating environment where children are free to respond to their natural drive to learn
Examine the six major areas of the Montessori curriculum
Analyze the relationship between the educator, the child and the environment
Measure the value of social learning and participate in active learning
Implement Montessori activities that promote ELF and SPICE
Connect nature to the learning indoor and outdoor environments
Value sensorial exploration and foster learning through the senses
Bridge the Montessori environment to the greater world environment
Identify the “sensitive periods” of growth to foster children’s development
Plan and prepare a variety of Language acquisition cards and games
Review the criteria for selection and presentation of DAP Montessori activities
Manipulate Math materials and create activity extensions
Connect order, coordination and concentration to Intellectual development
Evaluate the hierarchy of the decimal system and its functions
Link numbers, shapes and patterns to the real world
Explore continents, people, languages, foods, flags, celebrations, multiculturalism
Examine living and non-living things and describe life cycles
Classify animals and plants and collect pictures
Value interconnectedness in the classroom setting and extend it to the society
Appraise family dynamics and their significant roles in children’s learning
Value emerging creativity, originality, exploration and expression
Appreciate aesthetic beauty, which in turn can foster discovery learning
Examine Art and Music healing properties
Appraise the “process” not the “product” and its importance in enhancing children’s development
Develop a sense of guidance rather than instruction
Implement learning that extends beyond academic learning
Appraise Self-education and Self-evaluation
Construct lessons promoting imagination, creativity and expression
Research interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit

Diploma Program

Total Program Hours:

2040 Hours

Full-Time Program Length:

80 Weeks

(Includes holidays and professional days)
Program content is subject to change.

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Admission Requirements:

Grade 12 / GED or mature student status (all transcripts must be “true certified copies” or originals)
Applicants must successfully complete the admissions interview and may be required to do an entrance assessment (with a minimum composite score of 42)
Preference will be given to those who can provide letters of reference detailing volunteer or professional experience working with children indicating their suitability for working in the field of Early Childhood Education
You will also need to have an interview with an instructor/director
Excellent communication skills (composition), signing a medical/criminal waiver, providing physician’s waiver, submitting a criminal record check (must be Public Safety & Solicitor General: Schedule B), and clear testing for TB. (All must be done no more than three months before the start date of the program).

Note: English level assessment will be required for international students (with a minimum score of 20/40 in language).

Diploma Requirements:

70% average upon successful completion of all courses.

Additional Notes:

CPR, First Aid and FoodSafe will be completed during the program. After successful completion of this certified and approved ECE Certificate Program, in order to register as an Early Childhood Educator in BC (five-year registration), you must apply to the ECE Registry for registration and provide the following:

An official transcript issued by Sprott Shaw College of courses completed (photocopies not accepted)
A letter of reference attesting to the applicant’s personal suitability to the field of Early Childhood Education and satisfactory completion of the required 500 hours of work experience, written by the supervising Early Childhood Educator with whom the applicant worked
The application can be made for a one-year certificate while obtaining 500 hours of work experience
After successful completion of one of the following courses, an application can be made for Assistant Status (EC100, EC110 or EC180)

Note: Successful completion of any of the following courses – EC100, EC110 or EC180 individually or as part of a program will allow the student to apply for assistant status.

Successful completion of EC100 includes attendance of a minimum of 90 instructional/classroom hours to be eligible for this certificate.

Note: Child Care sites may require more current and/or additional CRC (for instance: RCMP) TB testing and/or other immunizations (to be done at student’s expense) prior to practicum and/or observing. Students are responsible for their own transportation. Practicum sites are subject to availability.

Practicum training may be conducted in shifts to accommodate placement facilities’ needs (such as 8-hour shifts).

Necessary Ministry licensing requirements will be included in the curriculum and scheduled throughout the program.

Important Websites:

Similar Programs

Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education

Early Childhood Education Program

Early Childhood Education Assistant Program

Early Childhood Education Basic Program

Early Childhood Education Post-Basic Program

* Early Childhood Education – Montessori was reviewed and approved by the registrar of the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training.

Students can expect to complete one to three hours of homework per day.