Montessori Leadership Institute Online Courses

If you would like more information about course content, please contact
Tim Seldin at timseldin@montessori.org or call 941-729-9565 / 800-655-4183.

Important Notes About Our Leadership Courses

These courses are professional development programs that are offered online. They are intensive, and collaborative learning experiences. While individual course certificates of completion are offered, they do not, at this time, represent a formal credential in Montessori school leadership.

Participants are encouraged to explore issues that they are currently working on at their schools. Many have described the experience as individual school consultation for a much lower cost, with the added advantage of the shared perspectives and experience of the other leaders participating in the course.

Although the course runs for a specific number of weeks, you can set your own schedule. Do you have a trip or specific time during this period when you will not be available? No problem! While it is best to participate with the entire group in ongoing discussions. You can catch up when you return.

The first week is orientation. The last is for reading, reflection, and wrap up. Plus you will have access to the entire course online classroom and resource collection, the video talks, and ongoing discussions with the instructor and your fellow students, for an entire year after the course ends!

During the course, you will be working on weekly learning activities and projects that will directly benefit your school. You should expect to invest at least five hours a week reading the extensive course materials, viewing online video presentations, or listening to audios, collaborating with fellow students and Tim Seldin, and working on PR, marketing, and recruitment strategies.

Practical Insights, Strategies, and Skills

The Montessori Foundation’s Montessori Leadership Institute (MLI) has developed strong leaders of Montessori schools around the world since 1992.

In 2006 we pioneered online learning in Montessori leadership development, using streaming video and audio presentations, libraries of resources, dynamic online discussions, conference call-ins, and a network of fellow Montessori school administrators.

Our online courses offer:

practical information and resources
a fellowship of professional colleagues
individual counsel from our faculty
and the convenience of working from your school

They offer invaluable insights and skills used by successful Montessori schools around the world.

Our Montessori Leadership courses are designed for:

Heads of Schools
Curriculum Coordinators
Admissions Directors
Development Directors
Board Members
Parent Leaders

Final Note: None of our leadership courses are preparation to teach a Montessori class. Workshops are for school leaders, who may or may not have Montessori training. These workshops are not intended as a substitute for Montessori teacher education at any level.

Reminder: Members of the International Montessori Council save money on registration fees for Montessori Leadership Institute Council.

Join the IMC and save!

IMC School and Individual Membership Plans

Feedback from Previous Participants

“This has been one of the best learning experiences in which I have been involved. Every aspect of school organization and development has been addressed. All the information has been essential to the work I am …

… establishing in our community. Because of its authenticity (tried and tested), I consider it my roadmap to a successful Montessori program. I thank all of the Montessori Foundation staff and associates for their assistance and support.”
–Dr. Limmie Flowers, who is organizing a new school in Mississippi

“This having been my first course on line, I felt less than competent in using a computer to communicate with a group of people. Talk about contextual learning! I had to learn computer skills while learning the material for the class.

As far as the technical aspect, once I got the hang of it, the course …

… started to move faster. I liked the assignments because they went along with the things I was already planning to put into practice with the school. For example, during the week of defining you identity, I was dealing with a parent who was not sure whether to keep her child at our school. This was a catalyst for me to begin a list of what our school had to offer and what made us special. The head presented this document to the parent, let her compare it to the other school she was considering and then let her decide. When she decided to send her child to the other school strictly on the basis of convenience (her older children attend there) I did not feel one bit of regret. Thanks to this course I realized that she was really not interested in quality, only cost and convenience. I did not see it as an insult to our school and was glad she made a space available to someone who was delighted to have her child in our program and plans to stay through kindergarten.

The confidence the school has gained by the knowledge gained in this course was evident at our latest parent meeting. We were able to answer the parents’ questions with more affirmation and I could see that our confidence gave them confidence in us. Interesting, I just took my first born child off to college this weekend. My daughter and I were required to attend a 2 1/2 day orientation session. The speakers spoke of many things that I have learned in this course. They spoke of being partners in the child’s education, allowing the child to things for herself, understanding that tears are normal. They addressed the same parental concerns that you told us about; parents want to know that their children are safe, that someone cares about their whole well being (emotional, physical, and spiritual), as well as if they will get a high quality education. They also gave several talks selling the unique qualities of the school and what makes it special, (why you would want to send your child there). I thought to myself, “did they take Tim’s course, too?” – Shawn Ross M.D., Board Chair, Nativity Montessori, Maysville Kentucky

“I would totally recommend this kind of online course, I found that it was very helpful and interesting for me, considering I live too far away to attend to one of the conferences. And I think, just like me, there are other very interested people that do not attend to such because of distance or economical issues.

I think now I will be more prepared to open my preschool and to make things right from the beginning. Maria Montessori and this Leadership Course have given me the right tools to create a small community in the lands of San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

I look forward to your next online course. It is definitely worthwhile!” – Gabriela Gonzalez, who is organizing a new school in San Pedro Sula, Cortes, Honduras