The AMI Training Centre at St. Bridget’s Convent celebrates 70 years
Sister Stanislaus Vas has spent many years at the head of the AMI Montessori Training Centre in St. Bridget’s Convent, Surangi Jayatilaka is in her 40th year of teaching here, and Sherene Alles Fernandopulle, Secretary of the Guild was herself a graduate of the programme – it would be hard to find three women better qualified to discuss the Montessori method in Sri Lanka.
They sit down with the Sunday Times in advance of the 70th anniversary celebrations of The AMI Montessori Training Centre to talk about the long history of Montessori training in this country and its continuing relevance. The only one of its kind on the island, the centre’s first training programme was conducted by Dr. Montessori herself when she visited here seven decades ago. Speaking with them it’s clear that the method has in their experience withstood the test of time. At its heart is the respect for the dignity of the child, says Sr. Stanislaus.
The centre has seen hundreds graduate from their programme, a number of whom have gone on to work in the field, even setting up Montessori schools of their own (one of the first Sri Lankans trained by Dr. Montessori was Deshabandu Joyce Gunesekera.) The label of ‘Montessori’ is bandied about rather easily these days though, with many schools laying claim to it without either practising its tenets or hiring Montessori trained staff. An actual Montessori is founded on several elements that make it unique – among these are the mixed classes that bring children of different ages together, the emphasis on applying insights from child psychology and cultivating independence in children. Montessori’s method, so revolutionary in its time, is now widely imitated – from the carefully designed activities to the child-sized furniture.
This has been an important year for the AMI Centre. They signed a MoU with Nienhuis – one of only five approved manufacturers of AMI approved Montessori materials worldwide – and the latter is coming in as a sponsor for the 70th anniversary celebrations. Students will also be working with equipment provided by the company. Like the tools, the programme itself is world class. Diplomas are awarded after two years of study at the Training Centre and are from the AMI Headquarters in Amsterdam. Visiting examiners from overseas AMI Training Centres are present for the exams conducted in Sri Lanka and some universities in the USA give AMI Diploma holders exemptions when following degree programmes in Psychology.
For Sr. Stanislaus and the team, their work continues to bring meaningful change to the lives of their young charges and their families. However, this is still a time of transition, offering new challenges: “the programme has stayed the same, the people have changed,” says Sr. Stanislaus. Acknowledging the difficulties of parenting in a family where both parents work long hours, Mrs.Fernandopulle stresses the need for parents to carve out time for their children, even if it’s only a half an hour before bedtime.
It’s not just the families but the teachers too who can sometimes have different priorities – with the AMI certificate seen as a passport to immigration and a qualification in a good marriage prospect, fewer trainees are enrolling because they consider it their true vocation, says Ms.Jayatilaka. For the three women, a pillar of the Montessori’s methods success has been the dedication of their staff, which is why they hope to train more young people in the true art of Montessori. For them the focus must always be on the child. As Maria Montessori herself said: “The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”
| The 70th anniversary celebrations will reflect these many achievements. They will be held from September18th – 20th . On the 18th , the Centre will have a Thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebration at the St. Bridget’s Convent Auditorium. The chief celebrant will be the Rt. Rev. Dr. Raymond Wickramasinghe, Bishop of Galle.
A Montessori Exhibition will be open to the public on Friday, September 19 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and on Saturday 20th from 9 a.m. – 12 noon. A guild banquet marks the end of the celebrations. The exhibition will give the public an insight into the Montessori Method, the exclusive material used and the presentation of this material to the children. There will also be a unique opportunity to observe ‘children at work,’ the organisers promise. |