Flex Record

How does it work?

• Each of our diplomas is accredited by MACTE (Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education – www.macte.org)  
• About two thirds of each course is delivered online in a carefully structured and well supported programme. 
• Each programme has between 18 and 22 days onsite – what we call a practical workshop.  Our main college site is in Oslo, Norway. We may apply to MACTE for permission to deliver those onsite days in another venue, an Additional Location.  We can apply for your venue to be an Additional Location. 
• Each of our trainers has been approved by MACTE. We can apply for approval of your trainers following a period of training, provided they have the qualifications and experience required by MACTE. They must also follow our WMI Training of Trainers programme.  
• We work with you to ensure your site has reached the quality required. 
• You will then be permitted to deliver our diploma programmes. 
• You will also be permitted to deliver our other “study in stages” modules, Foundation level and short courses. 
• We will visit you regularly to advise you and ensure standard quality in all our programmes. We will also keep close contact with you using remote access.   
• You will pay us a percentage of your income for this service. See fees. 

Getting Started – Stage 1 – Training of Trainers – first part 

• WMI charges a fee per person for the Training of Trainers programme, payable in advance. (See Fees). 
• The first stage of the WMI Training of Trainers programme includes apprenticeship at one full course (onsite and online), a short online course to support this plus a short Action Research project. (There may be some exemptions when a person is already an experienced Montessori trainer.) 
• Trainer/s must complete the first stage of the WMI Training of Trainers programme before they can move to Stage 2, when we apply for your trainer/s and your centre to approved by MACTE. 
• Trainer/s must have been accepted by MACTE as a trainer, before you can be approved as a centre. 
• Trainers need to already hold a Montessori qualification for the relevant age group before they start.  They should hold a qualification for a second age group before the programme is finished. (There are occasionally exceptions to this rule.) 
• MACTE requires that their qualification meet certain standards – for example it must have included internship. 
• They need three years’ experience with the relevant age group to be approved as a MACTE trainer. 

Options for training location:

• Trainers can visit Oslo, for four workshops over two years (one course-total 18-22 days), and they will be an apprentice at one of our courses.  They will also take part in online training and assessment as a trainee. 
• OR you can invite one of our trainers to visit your site to deliver those workshops. In that case  

If training takes place at your site:

• You recruit students. They pay you.   
• You pay our fee (See Fees), our travel and subsistence, and the standard percentage of income fee.  
• We train your students  
• Trainers apprentice with us on your site and online (there will be quality criteria to satisfy before we can arrange this – materials and facilities for example).   
• Note: If these students do not complete their final exam before your centre has been approved as an Additional Location by MACTE they can still receive a MACTE award.

Getting Started – Stage 2 – MACTE application & set up your WMI centre 

• We, with your assistance, apply to MACTE for approval of your trainers. 
• We, with your assistance, apply to MACTE for approval of your site as an WMI Additional Location. 
• We train you in the systems for managing a MACTE Additional Location. 
• We train you in the systems for managing a WMI centre 
• We open your Additional Locations online portal (“school”) in Flex Learn, our online learning platform. This means that all your students register through this portal and you manage their enrolment, records and so on. 
• You pay us the relevant fee for each of the above services in Stage 2. (See Fees.) 
• We sign a 5-year contract with you. 

Getting Started – Stage 3 – Second part of Training of Trainers programme 

• Trainers continue with the Training of Trainers programme.  The second stage includes indirect supervision of the trainer/s, a short online course to support this, plus an assignment on Adult Learning.  
• Yous centre delivers one full programme in which the trainer is under indirect supervision as part of the Training of Trainers programme.  Indirect supervision means a supervisor is there for part of the programme, or, if the supervisor agrees, there is video conference communication each day of the workshop, and each stage of the online part of the programme.  
• Trainers complete the Training of Trainers programme. 
• Trainers visit Oslo, the main centre, at least once during this programme, usually for an examination workshop. 
• You pay us the agreed percentage of your income for this programme. 

Independent Centre – Stage 4. 

• You complete the 5-year contract, renewable as per agreement. (No WMI materials are available to a location, if it does not fulfil the conditions of that contract or if the contract has expired.) 
• You run courses in the agreed age group(s) as an independent business. 
• You deliver the courses exactly according to the WMI curriculum. 
• You protect the copyright of WMI content as per contract. 
• You visit Oslo at least once every two years, and preferably every year, as per agreement with the college leader. 
• You communicate with WMI through the Additional Locations Officer.  
• You communicate directly with MACTE and pay all MACTE fees directly to them. 
• You pay all travel and subsistence costs for WMI staff visiting your centre. 
• You pay the agreed percentage for ongoing WMI services.

Ongoing Services Include:

• Use of extensive copyrighted materials online and printable 
• Participation in accredited MACTE WMI programme 
• Participation in modules and Foundation level programmes (“study in stages”), certified by WMI as stand-alone study units, or towards a MACTE award 
• Use of Flex Learn, the online learning platform and student management system 
• WMI administration and management including awards 
• WMI quality control including one visit every course OR once every three years onsite plus video conference meeting three times in each course 
• Access to WMI team expertise and experience