Our Story

A black and white photo of a woman and a young girl hugging each other, both looking at the camera. The woman is wearing a large hat and a coat, while the girl has short hair and is wearing a light-colored dress.

Maria Montessori & Child

A black-and-white photo of a man and woman sitting on a patterned sofa, smiling and holding hands. The man is wearing a suit and tie, and the woman is dressed in a coat with a fur collar.

Maria & Mario Montessori

Black and white photograph of an elderly woman with curly hair, wearing glasses, a dark jacket, and a patterned shirt. She is smiling and appears to be in front of a brick wall.

Margaret Elizabeth Stephenson

At the behest of Mario Montessori, Margaret E. Stephenson came to the U.S. in 1960 to train Montessori teachers. Over the following decade, Miss Stephenson served as the primary AMI representative for the United States, answering queries of all kinds, helping open schools, and giving workshops. During this time, she founded and was director of training for the Washington Montessori Institute (WMI).

As the needs in the Montessori movement grew, and as WMI became increasingly identified with AMI, Miss Stephenson suggested that a separate organization be set up to serve the advancement of AMI in the United States. In 1972, AMI/USA was founded as a branch office of AMI, which is headquartered in the Netherlands. In 2011, AMI/USA transitioned to become AMI’s primary operational affiliate in the United States, granting AMI/USA a degree of autonomy to respond to the needs of the AMI Montessori Community in this country. 

Today AMI/USA is a vital operation, ever-evolving to serve Montessori educators, families, and children while advancing high-quality, accessible Montessori education in this country. The organization has expanded to provide training, support, and vision to more than 2,500 members. 

The principal purposes of AMI/USA include carrying forward the legacy and principles of Dr. Montessori to meet the current needs of children, families, and educators; and advancing high-quality, accessible Montessori education. Leadership on pedagogical matters comes from AMI, which performs vital tasks worldwide, such as clarifying understanding of Montessori principles through discussion and writing, resolving pedagogical questions, establishing and enforcing training standards, and disseminating genuine Montessori wisdom. AMI/USA assists AMI global in this effort through financial support from school recognition fees, membership fees, and conferences, the administration of certain programs, and counsel regarding affairs in the United States. 

Among AMI/USA’s central ongoing functions are the administration of the AMI Recognition and Consultation programs, sponsorship of AMI professional development programs for Montessori educators and leaders, and counsel to AMI global on potential solutions to challenges faced by Montessori educators in the USA. In addition, AMI/USA formulates and administers various programs including the orientation of consultants, resources and support for training centers and schools. 

AMI/USA is the primary operational affiliate of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Through support of AMI’s global network and initiatives, AMI/USA maintains the world view critical to the education of today’s children and to our responsibility to humans not just within the United States but across the world.