Vanguard Council

The Vanguard Council is the research arm of AIMA,which plays a central role in leading the movement for change and innovation in Islamic Montessori Education (IME). The primary work of the Council is the conceptualization and development of high-fidelity Montessori applications,specifically designed for use in the Islamic school environment. Council members are involved in all aspects of concept development and research. They pilot, test and refine new programming within the controlled environments of AIMA incubator schools.

The efforts of the Vanguard Council will culminate in the creation of a concentrated and comprehensive repository for scientific research in IME.The establishment of a centralized hub for conducting and collecting research enables AIMA to identify best practices. This in turn, will support the critical need for establishing quality standards in Islamic schools around the country. Schools that meet these standards will be identified as AIMA Affiliate Schools. By virtue of their excellence, these schools will attract a broad and diverse student body and they will aid in the retention and engagement of Muslim students, parents, and teachers across the United States.

How You Can Participate

Participation in the Council is available to Montessori Educators, to Montessori schools, as well as to academics and scholars. Opportunities for participation are classified into three categories, as outlined in the paragraphs below, along with the qualifying criteria attendant to each category. Council participation is entirely voluntary and without compensation. Individuals and schools that dedicate themselves to serving in this select unit of AIMA, do so out of genuine desire to promote quality education for the greater good. AIMA is indebted to the Vanguard Council, whose members have chosen to serve at the forefront of IME research, to lead the way in a nascent and swiftly growing movement to revolutionize education in the United States.

I. Montessori Educators: A qualified Montessori Educator is eligible to apply as a Vanguard Council Educator (VCE)Participant. VCE participants are actively involved in research through the collection of data within their own classrooms and schools. Invited to survey the listing of various topics and studies that are currently, and soon to be underway, interested Montessori Educators will be asked to complete and submita VCE Participant Profile. Following submission, a Council Representative will be in contact to discuss and explore project suitability. This important exchange of information will help to insure the successful engagement of resources in every research project. Due diligence enables optimization of VCE members’ valuable time and energy, and it maximizes the probabilities for project success

VCE Participant Criteria

Shall be an AIMA member in good standing
Shall possess a Montessori credential at the level of education for which they are currently in practice (i.e. Infant-Toddler or Early Childhood), from a Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) accredited teacher education program

II. Montessori Schools: A qualified school whose administration is interested in contributing to the growing library of IME research, is eligible to serve as a Vanguard Council School(VCS) Participant. VCS participants provide important incubator sites that are vetted and approved for data collection in the furtherance of IME research.Interested school administrators will be asked to complete and submit a VCS Participant Profile. Following submission, a Council Representative will be in contact to discuss the benefits and responsibilities attendant to VCS participation. In addition, a site visit will be arranged, as a necessary step toward identification of the school as an AIMA-approved incubator site.

VCS Participant Criteria

School shall be AIMA Accredited or an AIMA Affiliate in good standing
School administrator shall hold the minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree

III. Researchers: A qualified researcher, university professor, student and/or scholar engaged in graduate level study and graduate and post-graduate level research,is eligible to apply as a Vanguard Council Research(VCR) Participant. VCR participation bridges real-world practice and intellectual inquiry by providing researchers with ready and qualified subject pools for scientific study, especially, in the furtherance or completion of an approved university degree program.Interested researchers will be asked to complete and submit a VCR Participant Profile. Following submission, a Council Representative will be in contact to discuss the scope and nature of the research project. A site-visit may be arranged, in order to meet with the VCR Participant, as well as with any supervising research committee or board, to discuss methodology and timeline for project completion.

VCR Participant Criteria

Shall be an AIMA member in good standing
Student applicants shall be currently enrolled in a degree seeking program from an accredited university
Student applicants seeking membership for purposes of conducting or advancing formal research (i.e. for thesis or dissertation) shall operate under the formal supervision of a university advisor and/or an approved university research/dissertation committee
Research applicants other than students, shall be currently employed by an accredited university or research organization that includes an established Ethics Review Board (or its equivalent), which recognizes and practices in accordance with all DHHS standards for human subjects research