Understanding Interventions and Therapies in a Montessori Setting

3 Part Online Course

Understanding Interventions and Therapies in a Montessori Setting

$495 USD (for all 3 parts)
This includes university credits from Loyola University Maryland, USA for those who complete all parts

Total Hours: 54.0 (18.0 hours per part)

Credits Received: 5.4 CEUs

Certificates Issued:

  1. Certificate of Completion from MMPI
  2. Certification of CEUs from Loyola University Maryland
Administrative Details
This course is being delivered online through Google Classroom and live Zoom meetings with the instructors

Course Contact: Catherine Massie ([email protected])

Course Dates: September 1 – November 30, 2022

Virtual Information Webinar: Sunday, July 24th (8:00PM – 9:00PM EST)

Technical Orientation: Sunday, August 28th (12:00PM – 1:30PM EST)

Required Text: Montessori Strategies for Children with Learning Disabilities: the MACAR Method by Dr. Joyce Pickering (https://montessori4inclusion.org/hot-topics-books-and-articles/ )

Part 1 - Meeting the Needs of Children with Sensory-Motor Disorders

Saturdays: September 10 and 24 – 10:00am – 1:00pm, 6 hours online

OR

Tuesdays: September 13 and 27 – 7:00pm – 10:00pm, 6 hours online

+ 12 hours of online self-study (total 18 hours)

Overview of Content

Part 1A

  • Scientific and Medical Pedagogy – collaborative teams
  • OT & Montessori – kindred spirits and unique perspectives
  • Sensory Integration Theory
  • General preparation for the Montessori classroom

Part 1B

  • Environmental Preparations
  • Preparations for the Individual Child
  • The Power of Visual Schedules
  • The Role of positioning in supporting attention and success

Instructor: Barbara Luborsky - BA, B.Sc, OTR/L

Barbara is a pediatric occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience as a developmental practitioner and 17 years as a Montessori mom. Barbara sees a strong affinity between occupational therapy (OT) and Montessori education. After many years of providing workshops and consultations at Montessori schools, Barbara’s work became more focused in 2010 when she began collaborating with Catherine to look at the issue of inclusion in Montessori education through integrated practice. Barbara has presented internationally to Montessorians at conferences and at the Montessori World Congress on the role of the OT as a member of the team, the affinity between OT and Montessori practice, addressing the needs of children with attention difficulties and the benefits of multi-disciplinary collaboration in a Montessori environment.

Part 2 - Orton-Gillingham & Montessori: An Integrated Approach

Saturdays: October 8 and 22 – 10:00am – 1:00pm, 6 hours online

OR

Tuesdays: October 11 and 25 – 7:00pm – 10:00pm, 6 hours online

+ 12 hours of online self-study (total 18 hours)

Overview of Content

Part 2A

  • Dyslexia defined
  • From developmental differences to different needs with Dyslexia
  • Developmental versus therapeutic language exercises
  • An overview of Orton-Gillingham language therapy

Part 2B

  • Observations and identification of needs
  • Building a collaborative resource team to support students with Dyslexia
  • Enhancing the therapeutic value of Montessori lessons and activities
  • Tracking skill development
  • Accommodations with technology in a Montessori setting

Instructor: Catherine Massie Montessori Special Educator

Catherine has been studying and researching Montessori education, Special Education and the uniquely powerful developmental impact of combining the two. She studied Montessori Education at CISM, Bergamo, Italy, and has a Masters degree in teaching Elementary and Special Education. Catherine has experience as a Montessori mom of 4 children, an Orff Schulwerk music teacher, a Montessori teacher, a dyslexia tutor and a Montessori school director. She was a founder of two (including the very first) Montessori Public Charter Schools in Maryland. Catherine has travelled and presented internationally advocating for inclusive Montessori schools through the integrated application of Scientific and Medical Pedagogy.

Part 3: A Montessori Approach for Children with Autism

Saturdays: November 5 and 19 – 10:00am – 1:00pm, 6 hours online

OR

Tuesdays: November 8 and 22 – 7:00pm – 10:00pm, 6 hours online

+ 12 hours of online self-study (total 18 hours)

Overview of Content

Part 3A

  • How Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined today
  • Description of common characteristics of ASD
  • Understanding the diverse needs of students with ASD
  • Presentation of case examples

Part 3B

  • How a blended Montessori ABA approach supports children in building skills
  • Overview of Montessori ABA Therapy
  • Data Collection using Michelle’s Program Tracking Manuals
  • Creating a Montessori ABA lesson plan

Instructor: Michelle Lane-Barmapov Montessori Autism Expert Montessori Teachers College Faculty

Professor Michelle Lane-Barmapov was the founder of the Lane Montessori School for Autism (2003-2010) in Toronto, Canada. This not-for-profit school was the first of its kind to combine Applied Behavior Analysis with the Montessori curriculum. In 2005 Michelle was the recipient of The Premier’s Award from the Ontario government for her program blend. Michelle is currently working on her Doctorate in Health. She has a Master of Health Studies as well as certification in Cognitive Behavior Therapy for children and youth. Michelle, who attended Montessori as a child, is an AMS credentialed Montessori teacher (early childhood) and a registered early childhood educator. She currently works as a professor for the Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies at Sheridan College in Ontario, Canada and is a faculty member at Montessori Teachers College.

Learning Outcomes

  1. To gain an understanding of how to work with children with autism, children with sensory dysfunction and children with Dyslexia in a Montessori setting.

  2. Develop general skills to support a collaborative approach when working with behavioural, occupational and Orton-Gillingham professionals.

Evaluation Plan

Assignments: To qualify for a Certificate of Completion from MMPI, the participant must have a Pass on all assignments.

Assignment Part 1Case Study (Pass/Fail)

Assignment Part 2 – Integrated Lesson Plan for a Specific Child (Pass/Fail)

Assignment Part 3 – Montessori ABA Lesson Plan (Pass/Fail)

Attendance: Participants are expected to attend the live Zoom meetings and may not be absent more than 3 times during the course. To qualify for the MMPI Certificate of Completion, all missed sessions must be made up by viewing the recording of the missed Class session and submitting a written response to the Breakout room assignments from that day.

CEU Credits from Loyola University Maryland: Participants who meet the requirements for the MMPI Certificate of Completion are eligible to receive 5.4 CEUs from Loyola University Maryland.

Additional Details

Respectful Behaviour: Our course is geared to support collaboration with other professionals in Montessori and medical communities as such MMPI is committed to providing a respectful learning atmosphere. Any discrimination or harassment will not be tolerated.

Accessibility: We will do our best to accommodate your ADA needs; please contact us to let us know how we can make the course more accessible to you, by emailing us at [email protected]

Technical Requirements: To access this course, you must have a device with an internet connection, a webcam for video capability, and audio input/output capabilities. A computer with a mouse and keyboard is highly recommended. For computers, you will need a current browser, the software capability to read documents in MS Word and pdfs, an up-to-date software system (Apple OS X or Microsoft Windows 10), and security software (antivirus protection/firewall).

You must also have access to Google Classroom and the Padlet App. To access Google Classroom, you will need an email address that is not associated with any educational institution or any other course running in Google Classroom.

Copyright: The online materials used in the course are protected by copyright. Only course participants are permitted to have access to the course content (not including other online resources that are also subject to copyright protection). Participants may use the content for learning purposes as long as it complies with the Copyright Act. No work is permitted to be copied or reproduced in any format without the express permission of the copyright owner.

Academic Integrity: The purpose of the course is to learn in collaboration with the other participants. All work that is submitted must be original work (or group/collaborative work within the course). When referring to content that is not your own, ensure that you are citing and referencing the sources. If there are any questions regarding academic integrity, please connect with your instructor.

Information presented in this course is solely for educational purposes. The content of this course is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or psychiatric advice, but rather to identify the benefits to the child and Montessori Guide of medical-educational collaborative partnerships. Participants retain full responsibility for decision-making regarding implementation of strategies to support inclusion and shall exercise independent professional judgment in the performance of serving the needs of all students under their care.

How to Register

Please visit https://aspire.loyola.edu/product?catalog=Understanding_Montessori_Fall22 to sign up and pay for the course.