Worship Is Faith In Motion

	Catherine Varkas catherinevarkas@gmail.com 508-367-7254 Fax:  727-786-5160 Palm Harbor Montessori Teacher Education Center 2355 Nebraska Ave. Palm Harbor, Florida 34689
Catherine Varkas Avtgis: Director, Palm Harbor Montessori Teacher Education Center   BS Framingham State College, 1973   MA Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, 1983   Alumni Board Hellenic College/ Holy Cross   State (MA, ME)Certified Educator: Early Childhood Elementary Secondary Reading Supervisor   Montessori Primary A.M.S. Montessori Elementary A.M.S.   Orton Gillingham   Redirecting Children's Behavior,   Certified, Catechesis of The Good Shepherd	Director, Catherine Varkas began her religious educational studies in 1982, while a graduate student at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, in Brookline, Massachusetts. Within several years, Catherine had earned a myriad of certifications and designation within the early child and elementary Montessori programming, which sparked a life-long dream to apply Montessori principals and methodology to an early childhood program for the Orthodox Church.  It was obvious to Catherine that the Montessori Method and the more recent data on child-brain development, have confirmed the essential nature of the child’s senses. As a certified reading specialist and Montessori teacher trainer, Catherine understood how the rich traditions and sensorial characteristics of the Orthodox Divine Liturgy could play a central role in providing a child with a better understanding of Orthodox spirituality and practice. Over the last three years, Catherine has studied the work of Sofia Cavalletti and her adaptations of the Montessori Method to biblical passages. The first pilot school developed by Catherine, serves as the model for an Orthodox religious curricula.  Located in Tarpon Springs, Florida, the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral has fully adopted the Sunday School model. Catherine’s continued national work, involves creating a week day program for 2-6 year olds, which will serve as a steady revenue stream for parishes, while offering Orthodox families the assistance they need, in order to raise their young children.  The parish school teacher training program also provides a sound career path for early childhood teachers called to serve the Church.
May We Be Guided By The Grace of The Holy Spirit.
http://www.orthodoxcatechesis.org catherinevarkas@gmail.com
Montessori Teacher Certification Courses  Ams and Macte Accredited For more information concerning the Montessori Teacher certification courses, please visit the following website.  http://www.montessoriteachercenter.com
Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) The Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) is an autonomous, international, postsecondary accrediting agency for Montessori teacher education programs and is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. MACTE accredits (1) independent postsecondary educational institutions offering comprehensive, in-residence courses of Montessori teacher education; and (2) programs or departments offering such courses, which are located within institutions already accredited by another recognized agency. A Montessori teacher education course is defined as post-secondary instruction designed to (i) develop expertise in the education system designed by Dr. Maria Montessori, including its philosophies, teacher roles, and design of curricula and environments; (ii) assure basic knowledge of child development, including major theorists and contemporary research; and (iii) lead to certification in Montessori teaching with a specified child age range within the period from birth to age 18. A course is considered to be "in-residence" if it includes the minimum number of classroom hours, as specified by MACTE, of direct, on-site contact between instructor and student.
*Maria Montessori's pioneering work (1917) in the field of education and the developmental and spiritual needs of the child are the foundation of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Program. In 1954, Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi  developed the program drawing  upon Montessori's work: her religious schools, religious materials, research, and experience  as depicted in Montessori’s many books including; The Child in the Church, (1937).   Cavalletti's classic work describing her experience with children  is The Religious Potential of the Child ( 1992)