Welcome to
Chestnut
Montessori
School
Teacher
Education
Chestnut Montessori School Teacher Education (CMSTE), affiliated with the American Montessori Society (AMS) and MACTE - (www.macte.org ) accredited through 2024, specializes in Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education. With over 40 years of experience and expertise, Jeannine Hanson provides education to children, parents, and adult learners on one campus.
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Our Philosophy
A program dedicated to training Montessori teachers must have as its guiding values the fundamental principles upon which Maria Montessori based her philosophy. The same principles that pertain to children’s education need to be applied, whenever possible, to adults. CMSTE demonstrates that if this same philosophy is upheld, adult learners taking the training will develop a love of the Montessori philosophy and methodology that will continue long past the completion of their Teacher Education Program.
The CMSTE Philosophy, therefore, includes the following principles:
In following Montessori’s concern for the adult learner’s freedom of choice, CMSTE is guided by a deep respect for each adult learner’s individual process of development. Examples of methods used to encourage the adult learner’s freedom of choice are: open-ended discussion, questions in Independent Study, and individually selected research projects.
Because Montessori emphasizes the active participation of the learner, this teacher education program focuses in on the activity of the adult learner. Class participation, written assignments, illustrated lesson albums, and practical final evaluations are methods by which CMSTE provides opportunities for active adult learner participation.
Montessori felt that the process of development was much more important than the end product. Therefore, CMSTE attempts to provide an atmosphere of positive cooperation among all individuals in the program. Closely supervised self-evaluations, constructive guidance, and an emphasis on objective evaluation are some of the methods used to implement this belief.
Meet Our Faculty
Chestnut Montessori School Teacher Education – CMSTE was founded by Jeannine Hanson in 1997 to provide excellence in Early Childhood Montessori teacher education. A talented, dedicated and experienced faculty is committed to assist you in your Montessori studies.
Jeannine Hanson
Jeannine Hanson is the Founding Director and owner of Montessori Center for Teacher Education. She is the Founding Director of Chestnut Montessori School. She has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Washington and completed her American Montessori Society certification at Seattle University in 1984. She is a former classroom teacher where she led an on-going parent education program. Jeannine has presented workshops at national, regional, and international conferences. She was on the Board of Directors for NCME and has served on numerous state and MACTE committees and task forces. Jeannine oversees all student academic advising and counseling. She is a Washington State Approved Continuing Education Trainer through MERIT and presents continuing education teacher workshops to fulfill Washington State required STARS (State Training and Registry System).
Rani Appiah
Rani Appiah has been a Montessori teacher since 2007 when she was certified through the Montessori Center for Teacher Education in American Montessori Society Early Childhood. She have also received her NAMC Montessori Lower Elementary Teaching diploma and gained a few years’ experience leading kindergarten and 1st grade education. The Pacific Northwest has been her home since She moved here two decades ago from India where She grew up. There, Rani earned her bachelor's degree in Commerce and Economy. She enjoys travelling the world and like to hike on the weekends!
April Malley
April Malley grew up in Oak Park, Illinois, and earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology at the University of Arizona. She received her American Montessori Society Early Childhood teaching credential through the Montessori Center for Teacher Education in 2011. April earned her Masters of Education (MAED) degree with a focus on Montessori studies through St. Catherine University in 2017. In her free time, April enjoys cycling and participates in many group rides and events.