We Love Who We Are
American Montessori Society
We are a vibrant community of schools, teachers, teacher education programs, families, and friends determined to make Montessori a strong and positive force in education throughout the world.
Founded in 1960 by Dr. Nancy McCormick Rambusch, AMS set out to revive American interest in Montessori education, which had briefly flourished in the early part of the 20th century. The organization crafted a uniquely American approach to Montessori, and soon drew educators, scholars, parents, and others eager to embrace the Montessori method.
Fifty years later and counting, the American Montessori Society is an active, committed body of many thousands whose members give freely of their time, knowledge, creativity, and experience, year after year, on behalf of excellence in education.
Parents who choose Montessori education are looking for the best possible learning experience for their children. But any school can call itself Montessori—the term is not trademarked, and schools vary in how they interpret the Montessori approach.
International Montessori Council
The International Montessori Council (IMC) is a world-wide umbrella organization of Montessori schools, the men and women who lead them, own them, or serve on their boards, and other organizations interested in supporting the goals of the IMC. It is the first independent Montessori professional and accrediting organization designed to serve the entire Montessori community.
Today our members — individuals organizations — can be found in more than 45 countries around the world. Our mission is to encourage Montessori educators, parents, and schools to work together regardless of affiliation, and to provide those of us who lead Montessori schools with meaningful resources and support.
Our focus is on issues of concern to Montessori school leaders: administration, curriculum development, recruitment and hiring, supervising teachers and staff, insurance, finance, facilities, working with boards, recruitment, building community, fund raising, public relations, and much more.