Naoko is a primary trainer for the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). She has both Primary and Elementary diplomas. She was born and grew up in Tokyo, Japan. She received her B.A. in childhood education from Tokyo Gakugei University in Tokyo. She received her M.Ed. in Montessori education from Loyola University Maryland. She has worked for over 30 years as a teacher, assistant, examiner, consultant, and trainer in the Philippines, Japan, China, Canada, and the United States. Since 2009, she has directed assistant courses and Primary courses. She is also an AMI/USA consultant. Naoko loves working with children and adults to help spread Dr. Montessori’s educational philosophy and practice.
Tuition: $13,500
A $500 non-refundable tuition deposit is due upon enrollment and will be applied to total tuition.
Early Bird Discount: An early bird discount of $300 is available to those who submit a completed application by May 1, 2025.
Your interview and formal acceptance must be completed by May 1, 2025 in order to qualify. The discount will be deducted from your final tuition payment.
Payment: Please select from one of the payment plan options below.
All payment options exclude the $500 tuition deposit.
Option A – Full Tuition Payment due by Sept. 1, 2025
Option B – Two (2) Installment Payment Plan (includes $300 payment plan fee)
Option C – Seven (7) Installment Payment Plan (includes $500 payment plan fee)
Requirements for this primary course, to be completed before oral exams:
- 90 hours of observation
Half of these might be done in your own classroom if you work in a primary Montessori classroom, with approval of the course trainer. The other half will be done in a classroom led by an AMI trained teacher (the school does not need to be AMI recognized). Your trainer will assist you in finding a school in your vicinity and must approve these placements.
- 120 hours of practice teaching
80 hours can be done in your own classroom, again, with approval from the trainer. The other 40 hours must be done in a classroom led by an AMI trained teacher. Usually this is the same classroom you observed in, if possible.
- 140 hours of supervised practice at WMI
Flexible hours and scheduling will be provided to help students fulfill the 140 required hours. Please refer to the schedule to see when WMI will be open for practice.
Oral examinations are scheduled in conjunction with the Association Montessori Internationale. It is not possible to publish exact dates at this time. Oral examinations will be scheduled during the Summer 2026 Session. Students will be informed as soon as dates are confirmed. All students must be in residence through the last day of the oral examination period, no matter when their individual examination is scheduled. Oral examinations may be scheduled on a Saturday.
Applicants who are international students or non-native English speakers must provide scores from one of the following tests:
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- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) (80+)
- TOEFL Essentials Test (9.0+)
- Have testing service send the official TOEFL score to WMI
- WMI’s TOEFL Code is C741
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or IELTS Indicator (6.5+ band score)
- Duolingo English Test (DET) (WMI will consider scores of 105+)
Please refer to the Admissions page for more information.
If you are driving to WMI, there is ample, free parking in front of the training center.
If you are arriving by public transportation, WMI is located within walking distance of College Park Metro Station and Riverdale Park MARC train station on the Camden Line. Plan your trip by Metro bus or train.