Info and Overview
Course History and Accreditation
Ursula Thrush, world-renowned Montessori lecturer and trainer, established the Maria Montessori Teacher Training Center in September of 1972. Ms. Thrush was AMI-trained in London and Bergamo, for both primary and elementary levels, by Mario Montessori, the son of Maria Montessori, and others. She established the MMTTC so that she could continue to share with others the transformation she had experienced with her introduction to the Montessori mission. Over the years she inspired hundreds of candidates and became a catalyst in American education, aiding in the creation of many excellent Montessori teachers. Along with her work to promote education for peace in Montessori training centers and classrooms around the world, she continued to direct and train teachers in San Francisco until her death in 2002.
Rebecca Keith and Susan Cohn, both trained by Ursula in 1973-75 and 1980-82 respectively, began training teachers under her watchful eye soon after completing their training. They are trained to work in both primary and elementary classrooms. They still teach in their classrooms today, along with running schools and delivering the teacher training and occasional workshops. This allows them to continually be renewed and inspired by the children whom they serve. It also affords their trainees the opportunity to watch their trainers “in action,” interacting spontaneously with children.
At Ursula’s request, Rebecca and Susan have continued the Maria Montessori Teacher Training Center, transporting it to their own school locations, One World Montessori School and Brush Creek Montessori School, to better maintain and monitor the environments and materials. Located in the South and North Bay, both of these schools are non-profit organizations. The classrooms are fully equipped with Montessori materials that are available for MMTTC students to use for practice every school day between 3:30 and 6:30 P.M. In 2015, Susan decided to retire from her long and distinguished career in Montessori education. Jed Burchett has taken her place as Co-Director of the MMTTC and oversees the training at the North Bay location. Rebecca and Jed will continue to maintain the quality and rigor that has always been associated with the MMTTC, as well as introduce new techniques and perspectives that increase the richness and depth of knowledge that they can confer to their students.
The main office of MMTTC is at One World Montessori School, Foxworthy Avenue. The Brush Creek site is an additional location. Courses are taught simultaneously at both locations, but on different schedules.
The MMTTC has received approval to operate from the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education* (“BPPE”). An approval to operate means the BPPE has determined and certified that the institution meets the minimum standards for integrity, financial stability, and educational quality, including offering of bona fide instruction by qualified faculty and the appropriate assessment of students’ achievement prior to, during and at the end of its programs. (*formerly the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education, BPPVE.)
The MMTTC was a charter member of the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE), and continues to hold Full Accreditation Status, which lasts through 2021. For more information about MACTE, please visit www.MACTE.org. MACTE is accredited by the United States Department of Education.
Academic upper division units (undergraduate) are available for the Primary courses through the California State University, East Bay Extension (CSUEB, formerly known as CSU Hayward) at an additional per unit fee. These units qualify towards Early Childhood Education unit requirements. The entire Primary teacher training course is 23 semester units delivered in 3 unit segments. Applying for this credit is optional, and is done through the MMTTC Course Administrator.