Pre-Training Work

Low-Residency

Before you get started on your journey with CMStep, you will have some work to complete. Applicants are expected to download and read their student handbook and discuss any questions or concerns in the admissions interview with the Low-Residency cohort director.

Preparation for the Academic Phase

1. Begin the self-paced Online Overview course (required only for those who do not already possess a Montessori EL I-II teaching credential). It is recommended that adult learners complete it before the start of other coursework, but the final deadline will vary by section. Reading requirements:

  • The Secret of Childhood by Maria Montessori
  • The Discovery of the Child by Maria Montessori

2. Online Introduction to Secondary Montessori course. Please check here for dates.

3. Purchase the following books for use in Minimesters 1-3 and Summer 1 coursework:

  • Children of the Universe, Cosmic Education in the Montessori Classroom, by Michael and D’Neil Duffy
  • Montessori Today: A Comprehensive Approach to Education from Birth to Adulthood, by Paula Polk Lillard
  • Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain, by Dan Siegel
  • The Little Book of Restorative Teaching Tools by Lindsey Pointer, Kathleen McGoey, and Haley Farrar (Cohort 4 & Cohort 2 MKE)
  • Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond (Upcoming Cohort 5)

All other books and materials will be provided during in-person coursework.