Mission & History

Montessori Education Centers Associated is dedicated to serving the children of the world by preparing Montessori teachers and administrators, concentrating on infant and toddler education (birth to age three) and early childhood education (ages three to six). From its founding in 1970 by Celma Pinho Perry, MECA’s student teachers have been introduced to MECA’s three Chicago-area lab schools, learning to observe, practicing teaching skills, and being absorbed in a whole education community.

MECA is affiliated with the American Montessori Society, the largest association of Montessori schools and teacher preparation courses in North America, and is accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education. MECA’s graduates have brought the outlook and skills learned at MECA to communities all over the USA and internationally. Its graduates have also brought the MECA approach to teacher education to the world, starting teacher preparation courses in places as remote as Chile, Slovenia, Brazil, and Lithuania.