Accreditation limit on teacher number??

[Oana]

The school where my son (3) goes and where my daughter will join as a toddler in a few months is expanding. This coming new year there will be 2 toddler classes with 1 teacher plus one assistant each and one floating assistant who will share time in both classes. The max class size in both these classes is 14.

One parent discussed this with the school director, as this is a lower teacher/student ration than in the current toddler class, and she said that the acreditation committe (AMI) does not allow for more than 2 teachers. This seems strange so I thought I'd check with the experts.

Is there a maximum limit on number of teachers (main + assistants) for a given class size? If so, what is the reasoning behind this? What about for primary?

Thanks for any insight!
Oana

[kaydee]

Our AMS school classes have about 30-35 kids, and 3 teachers (1 main, 2 assistant). Not sure what AMI recommendations/rules are, as there are no AMI schools in my area.

I would imagine that state mandated ratios would come into play, as well.

[Oana]

Thanks for replying! Are these toddler classes in your case?

I would expect minimum requirements (as from the state) but am surprised to hear of maximum requirements. What would hurt, as far as the Montessori method is concerned, to have additional teachers? This is what I am trying to understand...

Oana

[kaydee]

Originally Posted by Oana

Thanks for replying! Are these toddler classes in your case?

I would expect minimum requirements (as from the state) but am surprised to hear of maximum requirements. What would hurt, as far as the Montessori method is concerned, to have additional teachers? This is what I am trying to understand...

Oana

These are the primary (3-6) classes. Our school no longer has toddler classes.

You might contact AMI and ask about this.

[Melda]

I am sure it has to do with Montisorri Philo. I know MM ideal classroom (i may be a little off on these numbers) was 1 adult to 40 children ... so maybe it has something to do with that type of ratio but being the state mandates it they have to have more to satisfy them.

[EmmaandKate'sMom]

I am not sure about toddler classes, but I can speak to the reason for a maximum number of teachers in the Montessori primary class. The reason is that Montessori teachers shouldn't be easily accessible to the children. If the children have questions about their work, then they need to exhaust every resource possible before asking for teacher assistance. We are trying to promote independence from the adult as much as possible. I think it is a natural instinct of an adult to want to help the child, but is it really helping the child when the child just needs extra time to figure it out him/ herself? If the child realizes that s/he must jump through several hoops before being able to get to the teacher, then the child often finds creative ways of answering his/her own question. And if the child is able to figure out the problem without assistance, the child feels a deep sense of personal satisfaction that could never be achieved with adult intervention.