Uplifting the standards of Montessories

Montessori is a place where a strong foundation is laid for our future generations. To operate a Montessori you must meet three important requirements. That is: A prepared environment, qualified teachers and Children of mixed ages in the same class. A Montessori is a place where the children develop the five senses. Further they must also develop intellectually, socially, emotionally, creatively, mentally and psychologically. These are as important as the nourishing food the child needs. The child is exposed to the opportunities of working with hands on materials (hands open the mind). To handle these materials the teachers must be qualified. When there is mixed aged children teachers are comfortable to handle the class room.

Mrs. Pushpa Aluthgamage has come forward to meet all these requirements and to lift the standards of Montessori’s in Sri Lanka,. She is an experienced Montessorian having more than 15 years experience. She is a graduate from the Montessori Institute of America and holds the international license for Sri Lanka. She is also a board director MIA, managing directress Tiny To t s M o n t e s s o r i , Kiribathkumbura and Montessori Worl d , Nugegoda and is also the president of Early childhood Educators’ Association Sri Lanka.

Pushpa was selected in 2003, by the Montessori Institute of America which is a charter member of Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education is recognized internationally. Sharlet McClurkin is the president of Montessori Institute of America and Don McClurkin is the master teacher for Montessori teacher preparation of Washington. MTP of America trains adults in the education of the devolving child through Montessori philosophy, educational equipment. The teacher training program started in Sri Lanak in the year 2003 and has seen many stu- dents obtaining diplomas. More than 300 students who have obtained their diplomas have now gone abroad. MTP teacher training centers are located in America, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Korea, China, Thailand and Vietnam. In 2007 a training program was approved by MTP of Washington at the request of Pushpa Aluthgamage to conduct a local diploma. This is for the teachers who are working in Sri Lanka.

In 2006 Mrs. Pushpa Aluthgame was invited to the all Japan Montessori Association annual conference. As a result of that Mrs. Kubota Yasue of Japan decided to invest in Sri Lanka in the opening of a Model Montessori and a teacher training center in Colombo. ( Montessori World, 97/ 10, Thilaka gardens, 1st lane, Nawala Road, Nugegoda). I thank Mrs. Sachiko Aluthgamage for all her hard work in this connection.