6-12 Diploma Course

Students will complete the required number of Observation hours and Practice Teaching in AMI elementary classrooms during the 2026-2027 academic year. All observation and practice teaching placements must meet AMI requirements and be approved by the trainer in advance.

Observation Requirements: 

• 90 hours at the 6–12 level, distributed as follows:
  • If the student is working in a Montessori 6–12 environment:
    • 60 hours in two 30-hour sessions in a classroom led by an AMI 6–12 diploma holder
    • 30 hours in the student’s own classroom
  • If the student is not working in a Montessori 6–12 environment: 
    • 90 hours in three 30-hour sessions in classrooms led by AMI 6–12 diploma holders

• 10 hours at the 3–6 level
  • In a Montessori 3–6 environment led by an AMI 3–6 diploma holder
  • (Waived if the student already holds an AMI 3–6 diploma)

Practice Teaching Requirements:

120 hours at the 6–12 level, distributed as follows:

• If the student is working in a Montessori 6–12 environment and remains in good standing:
  •  60 hours in a classroom led by an AMI 6–12 diploma holder
  • 60 hours in the student’s own classroom
• If the student is not working in a Montessori 6–12 environment, or is not in good standing:
  • 120 hours in two 60-hour sessions in classrooms led by AMI 6–12 diploma holders

Comprehensive written and oral examinations are scheduled at the end of the course to allow each student to express and share how they have met the standards of AMI training.

Oral Exam Dates: August 18-20, 2027
Written Exam Dates: August 19, 21 & 23, 2027

All students must be in residence through the last day of the oral examination period, no matter when their individual examination is scheduled. 

Albums

Students may choose between two album submission formats:

• Traditional printed albums: Full-color printed versions with course handouts and student work, organized with detailed tables of contents.
• Digital albums with condensed print versions: Full-color digital albums featuring clickable tables of contents, accompanied by a compact printed version (e.g. two pages per sheet), containing the same content.

All albums must meet course standards and submission timelines.

Material Making

Students will create selected hand-made materials during the course to support their understanding of key presentations and to begin preparing their classroom environments. Examples include:

• Language: Grammar charts, word study materials, poetry collections
• Mathematics: Felt decimal squares, fraction transparencies, paper decanomial
• Biology & Geography: Animal story sets, interdependencies cards
• History: Timelines
• Geometry: Extra triangles, area and equivalence materials
• Music: Tone bar songs, transposers, rhythm cards

English Language Proficiency Requirements 
Applicants who are international students or non-native English speakers must provide test scores. Refer to the Admissions page for more information.

Tuition: $17,500

Allan is an AMI 6–12 trainer and longtime Montessori educator dedicated to supporting transformative education in diverse settings. He earned his AMI Elementary Diploma from Montessori-CH in 2008 and has over 20 years of experience in Montessori education. After two years as an assistant in a 6–12 environment, he spent 15 years as a lead guide—10 in upper elementary and 5 in lower elementary. He has worked with private, public, rural, and community-based Montessori programs across Switzerland, Canada, New Caledonia, Panama, and Tanzania. Allan is currently leading the development of a new AMI 6–12 diploma course in South Africa, set to launch in 2026.

He now lives in Cambutal, a remote village in Panama, where he initially came to support a small Montessori school in transition—but mostly, he came to follow his partner, who is doing the beautiful work of launching the project. As the local team grows more autonomous, his role has shifted toward mentoring and occasional consultation, allowing him to focus on international training work. Allan is especially passionate about the spiritual and intellectual preparation of the adult, and about connecting Montessori education with broader efforts toward social renewal. He currently trains adults through diploma courses, orientation programs, and workshops.