About MILT
Contents
MILT 2023-2024
MILT Quality Steering Model
“ADKAR” is an acronym for the five outcomes an individual needs to achieve for a change to be successful: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement.
How does MILT work for Montessori quality?
Organizational change requires individual change. Therefore, we follow the research-based ADKAR model for Change Management, applied to our setting as the MILT Quality Steering Model.
MILT offers five settings for driving strategic, positive change:
MILT Open Hours for our own awareness;
Staff and community Montessori presentations for training and guiding whole-campus Montessori initiatives, to stimulate desire;
Montessori Stewardship, for developing leadership capacity among a wider group of colleagues; planning practical details of visibility; and exchanging information between the organization and the broader staff knowledge;
Collegial coaching of educators on campus, both
1-1 and in department groupings, to gain new abilities;and a visible presence of regular collaboration with PTO, SBDM, and campus admin, and the broader Montessori community, as a reinforcement of our high standards.
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5-YEAR PLAN
By the close of 2025-2026, our fifth year open as a school, MILT aims to see PWM complete two rigorous goals:
(1) Achieve and sustain 90%+ on the National Council for Montessori in the Public Sector's Essential Elements, a rating of Exemplary implementation;
(2) Complete the second year in the process of American Montessori Society accreditation, to receive and maintain the highest available level of AMS accreditation.
Members 2023-2024
Dr. Johnny Boucher, Ed.D, AMI
MILT Chair, Primary Department Chair, Director of Montessori Laboratory Classroom (DallasISD Model - AMI Observation Site), Primary Amplify Lead, former District Montessori Specialist
Rodney Gilbert, M.Ed, AMS
Montessori Stewardship Chair, Upper Elementary Amplify Lead, former PWM Campus Instructional Coach
Mary Simmons, M.Ed, AMI
Lower Elementary Department Chair, former District Montessori Coordinator
Liz Rincon, M.Ed, AMI
Dual Language Department Chair (All levels)
Ralph Ibarra, M.Ed, AMS
Upper Elementary Department Chair
Qualifiers for Membership
MILT leaders qualify for roles on this steering and advisory group by exemplifying the highest standard of professional expertise in all three categories:
(1) Montessori pedagogical mastery
(2) Distinguished as a public educator by TEI rating or peer recognition
(3) Montessori Department Chair; as Montessori Stewardship Chair.
Who We Work With
Illustration (c) JB, V.0 23
MILT's compass in the work of Dr. Maria Montessori
MILT respects that AMI (AMI-USA) and AMS both set standards for Montessori classrooms; support teacher preparation and affiliated Training Centers; offer professional development opportunities; provide resources for parents and the public about Montessori education; and more.
AMI is the only organization founded directly by Maria Montessori, presently respresenting The Child in a permanent nation-seat at the United Nations, UNESCO, since founding of The League of Nations. AMS represents the largest-membership Montessori body in the world.
Local collaborators in MILT's work
National partners in MILT's work
MILT supports NCMPS’ mission to help public schools deliver high-quality, personalized education through Montessori, through the respected Montessori Assessment Playbook, Essential Elements rubric, and DERS classroom rating scale. NCMPS is advancing data collection for the Montessori Census, an NCMPS project compiling information about Montessori schools (public and private) in the U.S. This data provides critical support for policy work from various research compilations that NCMPS has created.
MILT works in partnership with the research community at The Center for Montessori Studies, as an intellectual community of researchers and practitioners contributing to Montessori education and the broader implications of Dr. Maria Montessori’s theories on human development, learning, and social reform.
MILT works in partnership with the research community at The University of Kansas Center for Montessori Research, which seeks to build a robust body of knowledge so that Montessori education and philosophy will benefit all children.
MILT cooperated with the policy arm of the Association Montessori International/USA (AMI/USA) and the American Montessori Society (AMS), as MPPI serves as the national unified voice for Montessori policy and equips the Montessori community with advocacy skills and tools to effectively change the policy landscape. MPPI’s Montessori Essentials align with both AMS and AMI/USA standards and define Montessori for policy makers and form the foundation for state advocacy strategy.
International engagement in our work
MILT respects MACTE as the international standard setting and accrediting body for Montessori teacher certification. MACTE has been recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education since 1995.
MILT recognizes NAMTA as a support to schools, teachers, and parents, in Montessori principles and understanding. NAMTA is a central source for the scholarly NAMTA Journal, NAMTA bookstore, school job listings, and the online Montessori school directory to keep parents and practitioners updated on Montessori needs and offerings.
MILT follows ESF's work identifying innovative educational initiatives worldwide that are based on Montessori principles. ESF, as a division of AMI, supports innovation with mentorship and resources, guiding them towards sustainability, expansion, and replication.
MILT associates with Montessori for Social Justice as a critical thought partner in understanding the intersection of policy and equity. MSJ’s mission is to support the creation of sustainable learning environments that dismantle systems of oppression, amplify voices of the Global Majority, and cultivate partnerships to liberate the human potential.