The Association Montessori Internationale is the oldest Montessori organization in the world. Maria Montessori established AMI in 1929, with the headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The internationalhead office of AMI is still located in Amsterdam. The organization was founded to maintain the integrity of her life's work and to ensure that it would be perpetuated after her death: "The AMI was to function not only as organizer of courses and overseer of teacher training, not only as a way of keeping the various worldwide Montessori schools and societies in touch with each other and disseminating information about the movement's ideas and activities, but also as a firm, controlling rights to the publication of Montessori's books and the manufacture and sale of the materials as well as recipient of training-course fees." Mario Montessori, Maria’s son and personal assistant, was given the task of safeguarding the Montessori movement after Maria Montessori's death. "At death she appointed Mr. Montessori as her successor in the task of directing and coordinating the work of the Association Montessori Internationale... A responsibility laid upon Mr. Montessori's shoulders was the delicate task of safeguarding the integrity of the Montessori movement, in the many countries where it is active, by recognizing under the aegis of the Association Montessori Internationale only such "Montessori" schools and training courses as faithfully interpret, both in spirit and practice, the Montessori principles." Mario Montessori sent Margaret Elizabeth Stephenson to the United States in 1961. A trainee of Maria Montessori herself Stephenson first operated as Mario Montesori's personal representative in the United States. As the movement grew, Montessori granted her request to set up a branch office of AMI in the United States. AMI/USA was founded in 1972 and directed for its first ten years by Karin Salzmann. In 1988, Virginia McHugh succeeded Jon Osterkorn as Executive Director of AMI/USA. Today there are thousands of :Category:Montessori schools in the United States|Montessori schools across the United States. However there is no central acredidation nor specific set of standards they must hold to. During the past twenty years the amount of scientific research confirming the Montessori method has increased: "Maria Montessori, through observation of children, developed materials that engage both the hands and the mind of the child. Science and research, especially in the past twenty years, have come to prove that Montessori's observations accurately describe the learning needs of children and have shown as well that the principles Dr. Montessori envisioned do create joyful learners."
Mission
The mission of the Association Montessori International of the United States, as stated on the organization's website, is to bring the principles of Dr. Maria Montessori to the education of children, to help them attain their full potential in our society. AMI/USA collaborates with affiliates such as the Elementary Alumni Association and the North American Montessori Teachers' Association.
A certificate of recognition is granted to a subset of Montessori schools who prove that they meet a set of specific Montessori as derived from Maria Montessori’s original research and methodology. Schools must apply annually for one of the following levels: recognition, affiliation, and association. Professional Development
AMI/USA facilitates two each year. The annual refresher course and workshops cater to all AMI trained professionals, as well as classroom assistants, administrators, and, beginning in 2009, parents. Additionally, each fall AMI/USA sponsors a public school forum for school districts with AMI Montessori programs. Membership
AMI/USA facilitates membership benefits to AMI members living in the United States. is offered on an individual basis; schools and institutions are not eligible for AMI membership. Membership benefits include a yearly subscription to AMI and AMI/USA publications, including the quarterly AMI/USA newsletter AMI/USA News and the bi-annual AMI scholarly journalCommunications. Members also receive a preferred rate on AMI/USA publications, and receive a discount from AMI approved Montessori materials distributors. Teacher Training Program
AMI/USA works in partnership with to help ensure the caliber of AMI teacher training is maintained in the United States. "The standards of Montessori practice were originally delineated by the Association Montessori International in 1929. They represent an integrated body of materials, methodology, psychology, and philosophy that provides Montessori teachers with a common reference point." We Are Montessori
AMI/USA also coordinates the "We Are Montessori" project, which has the objective of "celebrating Montessori alumni and bringing awareness to the benefits of Montessori education." The initiative collects information to showcase alumni they consider as successful, and the schools that fostered their education. To date, AMI/USA it is the only organization systematically collecting information on Montessori alumni in the United States.
