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Aspiring educators
Build foundations in Montessori-inspired practice through a guided sequence.
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Japan intake · October 2026
Digital Montessori Education Diploma
A one-year, 360-hour SEELS teacher-formation pathway for educators, aspiring educators and future operators—delivered in Tokyo classrooms and live online.
360 total hours
9 specialist modules
Classroom or Zoom
October 2026–September 2027
A professional pathway shaped by SEELS graduate employment experience and continuing school-implementation support.
Start with a manageable first step
Two-Day Introductory Course
Take the IC independently for practical learning and a Certificate of Completion. Continuing into the one-year diploma pathway is optional.
¥18,000Tax included · classroom or live online
Explore the Two-Day IC
- A short, practical entry into the SEELS learning pathway
- Certificate of Completion after the required activities
- Eligible tuition may be credited when upgrading under written terms
Program owner and diploma issuerSEELS Co., Ltd., Japan
Authorized Japan implementorStepup English School
Curriculum and quality assuranceRemain under SEELS authority
Since 2011Teacher formation and graduate support in Japan
1,000+Graduates have used the SEELS Diploma as a professional credential
Approximately 85%Secured school-based teaching positions in Japan
Graduate totals and employment rate are based on SEELS internal graduate records. “Hired” refers to graduates recorded as securing school-based teaching work; individual outcomes vary.
Designed for practical growth
Who this pathway serves
The program combines structured study with material preparation, practical assignments and required lesson demonstrations.
02
Working teachers
Strengthen lesson presentation, material use, literacy, numeracy and classroom practice.
03
Future proprietors
Prepare for a possible home tutorial, neighborhood juku or partner-school pathway under separate requirements.
04
Partner-school teams
Develop a shared implementation language while working under SEELS standards and quality assurance.
Certification pathway
Begin with the IC, then choose your pace
The Introductory Course is required before the specialist modules. It is a separate foundation course and is not one of the nine modules.
Complete the IC
Orientation, readiness and foundation learning.
Choose a route
Join the complete cohort or proceed module by module.
Complete practical work
Prepare materials, submit outputs and present lessons.
Earn the SEELS diploma
Complete all requirements and competency demonstrations.
Confirmed October 2026 batches
Choose a classroom or live-online schedule
All four batches follow the same curriculum, assessment standards and tuition and are scheduled for completion in September 2027.
Batch 71 · Classroom
Kitasenju, Adachi-ku
- Schedule
- Every Monday · 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- Starts
- Venue
- UCCJ Kitasenju Church, 1-20 Senju-Asahi-cho, Adachi-ku, Tokyo 120-0026
Batch 72 · Classroom
Tama City
- Schedule
- Every Sunday · 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- Starts
- Venue
- Stepup English School, Hagyuda Building 202, 2-31-17 Minamino, Tama-shi, Tokyo 206-0032
Batch 73 · Live online
Weeknight Zoom
- Schedule
- Monday and Wednesday · 7:30–10:30 p.m. JST
- Starts
- Venue
- Live online through Zoom
Batch 74 · Live online
Weekend Zoom
- Schedule
- Saturday and Sunday · 7:30–10:30 p.m. JST
- Starts
- Venue
- Live online through Zoom
Venue clarification: UCCJ Kitasenju Church is the Batch 71 classroom venue. Venue use does not indicate church sponsorship, accreditation or responsibility for the program.
Nine specialist modules
A complete Montessori-inspired learning sequence
Each module includes lectures, practical assignments, material preparation and required presentation or demonstration work.
1 · Cry to Code
18h · 12 lecture · 4 practical · 2 demo
Development from human need, expression, order, symbol and learning.
- Observation as a teaching foundation
- Need to symbol; symbol to system
- Reflection, concept map and mini-demo
2 · Montessori Digital Cosmos
27h · 18 lecture · 6 practical · 3 demo
Montessori philosophy, child development, prepared environment and the SEELS reformulated framework.
- Planes of development
- Role of the guide
- Prepared-environment exercise
3 · Practical Life
63h · 42 lecture · 14 practical · 7 demo
Order, independence, coordination, concentration, grace and responsibility.
- Care of self and environment
- Grace and courtesy
- Album, material tasks and graded demos
4 · Sensorial Development
54h · 36 lecture · 12 practical · 6 demo
Perception, comparison, classification and preparation for abstraction.
- Visual, tactile and auditory discrimination
- Language extension
- Adapted material preparation
5 · Language Program
63h · 42 lecture · 14 practical · 7 demo
Oral language, sound awareness, writing and reading readiness, and early grammar.
- Three-period lesson
- Sandpaper letters and moveable alphabet
- Language album and graded demos
6 · Arithmetic
45h · 30 lecture · 10 practical · 5 demo
Quantity, symbol, sequencing, decimal awareness and concrete arithmetic.
- Counting progression
- Teens, tens and decimal concepts
- DIY numeracy materials
7 · Geography and History
27h · 18 lecture · 6 practical · 3 demo
Home, community, maps, place, time, identity and first historical orientation.
- Land and water forms
- Local-to-global identity
- Beginning timeline work
8 · Life Science and Experiments
45h · 30 lecture · 10 practical · 5 demo
Zoology, botany, biology, anatomy and scientific curiosity.
- Living and non-living things
- Plants, animals and life cycles
- Science material and experiment planning
9 · Cosmic Education
18h · 12 lecture · 4 practical · 2 demo
Integration, connection, stewardship, peace and purposeful education.
- Unity of knowledge
- Integrated lesson planning
- Implementation plan and capstone demo
Japan tuition options
Choose the commitment that fits your goal
All amounts include Japanese consumption tax. Classroom and live-online participants pay the same tuition for the same pathway.
Full DME Cohort
¥198,000 tax included
Example: ¥16,500 monthly × 12
- Required two-day IC included
- Complete nine-module sequence
- Regular cohort and instructor guidance
- Practical and demonstration assessment
Flexible Module Route
¥216,000 if all stages are completed
IC ¥18,000, then ¥22,000 per module
- Complete IC before specialist modules
- Pay before each available stage
- Take selected modules or build toward the diploma
- Schedules and places vary
Independent IC
¥18,000 complete two-day course
Certificate, practical skills and professional knowledge
- May be taken without joining DME
- Classroom and live-online options
- Certificate after required activities
- Eligible credit when upgrading
Upgrading after the IC: When the ¥18,000 credit applies, the remaining full-cohort balance is ¥180,000. An example arrangement is ¥15,000 monthly for 12 months. Final dates, eligibility and conditions are governed by the learner’s written enrollment agreement.
A credential used in practice
From professional preparation to education leadership
Since 2011, more than 1,000 graduates have used the SEELS Diploma in professional development and job applications. SEELS internal records indicate that approximately 85% secured school-based teaching positions in Japan. Others have progressed toward tutorials, juku, preschools and SEELS-related programs.
Classroom practicePrepare and demonstrate lessons and materials.
Job-ready profilePresent stronger evidence of training, practice and professional commitment.
Home or neighborhood pathwayDevelop a tutorial, Montessori-inspired juku or afterschool concept.
Partner-school developmentApply for SEELS authorization, implementation guidance and quality support.
From SEELS graduate to education leader
Real pathways operating in Japan and across Asia
SEELS-trained educators and authorized implementors have translated professional formation into preschools, international-school programs and neighborhood learning centers, adapted to their communities and local requirements.
Japan · Chiba
Chiba SEELS DX International School
A graduate-led Montessori-inspired bilingual preschool opened in April 2023 after earlier school development and SEELS-linked training.
Read the founder’s story ↗Japan · Tama City
Stepup English School
A graduate-operated SEELS program license holder supporting preschool, afterschool and authorized DME implementation in Japan.
Visit Stepup ↗Vietnam · Haiphong
SEELS Vietnam Montessori Bilingual Preschool
A regional Montessori-bilingual implementation and a potential support connection for graduates returning to Southeast Asia.
View SEELS services ↗Myanmar · Naypyitaw
Myanmar SEELS International School
An active preschool and school-program implementation that can help connect Myanmar graduates with local mentoring.
Visit MSIS ↗Philippines · Iloilo
Speak and Code Juku
A neighborhood learning-center model combining communication, literacy, coding and future-ready learning.
See the Iloilo program ↗Teacher formation
Practical implementation
SEELS program authorization
Local regulatory compliance
Continuing quality assurance
Philippines reintegration and enterprise pathway
Build your teaching career in Japan today—prepare your education venture in the Philippines for tomorrow.
Japan-based graduates returning to or investing in the Philippines may request implementation assistance from SEELS Training Center Corp., a Philippine SEC-registered corporation, through Organizing and Managing Montessori Program in the Asia Context (OMMPAC).
Concept Development
Clarify the learners, community need, educational model and proposed services of the learning venture.
Program and Operations Guidance
Receive guidance on curriculum planning, the prepared environment, teacher development and basic operating systems.
Implementation Pathway
Explore appropriate home-tutorial, juku, afterschool, literacy, Montessori-inspired or partner-school pathways.
Home tutorialMontessori neighborhood learning centerSpeak and Code JukuEarly-childhood or preschool programEnglish, literacy or afterschool center
Company registration does not replace permits or recognition required for a particular school, preschool or child-development center. Final requirements depend on the location, age group, services and Philippine authorities.
日本語でのご案内
SEELSデジタル・モンテッソーリ教育ディプロマ
2026年10月開講予定の1年間・360時間の教員養成プログラムです。東京での対面授業とZoomによるライブオンライン授業から選べます。
まずは2日間の入門コース（18,000円・税込）についてご相談いただけます。詳細、受講条件、日程についてはStepup English SchoolまたはSEELSにお問い合わせください。
Frequently asked questions
Employment, implementation and continuing support
Do I need prior Montessori or teaching experience?
The pathway is designed for educators and aspiring educators. Contact Stepup for a readiness conversation if you are uncertain about your entry point.
Is the Introductory Course required?
Yes. The IC is the entry requirement before the nine specialist modules. It is separate from those modules and may also be taken independently.
Are classroom and online tuition different?
No. Participants following the same pathway receive the same curriculum, guidance, assignment expectations and assessment standards, so the tuition is the same.
Who awards the diploma?
The SEELS Digital Montessori Education Diploma is an institutional award of SEELS Co., Ltd. It is granted only after the complete required pathway is successfully finished.
How has the SEELS Diploma supported graduates in Japan?
Since 2011, more than 1,000 graduates have used the diploma as a professional credential in job applications and career development. Based on SEELS internal graduate records, approximately 85% secured school-based teaching positions in Japan. The program strengthens preparation through knowledge, practical work and demonstrations; individual hiring decisions also consider experience, communication, interviews and work eligibility.
Have SEELS graduates established schools and learning centers?
Yes. Public examples include Chiba SEELS DX International School and Stepup English School in Japan, SEELS Vietnam Montessori Bilingual Preschool, Myanmar SEELS International School, and Speak and Code Juku in Iloilo, Philippines. A diploma holder may apply to develop a Montessori-inspired home tutorial, neighborhood juku, Speak and Code Juku or SEELS-related school pathway. SEELS program authorization, a separate implementation agreement and applicable local requirements form the next stage.
Does SEELS continue supporting graduates who return to their home countries?
Yes. Depending on the country and the proposed program, support may include mentoring, school observation, curriculum localization, teacher development, planning, introductions, SEELS licensing and quality assurance, and orientation to the local regulatory pathway.
| Region | Potential support connection |
|---|---|
| Japan | SEELS Co., Ltd., Stepup English School and Chiba SEELS DX International School |
| Myanmar | Local mentoring may be coordinated through Myanmar SEELS International School, with regional support from SEELS Vietnam |
| Vietnam | SEELS Vietnam Montessori Bilingual Preschool |
| Philippines | SEELS Training Center Corp., OMMPAC and Speak and Code Juku |
| Other Asian countries | SEELS assessment and referral according to the location and project |
Wherever your journey takes you, your SEELS connection continues.
What is Stepup English School’s role?
Stepup English School is the authorized Japan implementor and the Tama City learning center. SEELS retains ownership of the program, the curriculum, diploma authority and quality-assurance standards.
Ask first—no obligation
Which entry point fits you?
Tell us whether you are considering the two-day IC, the complete cohort or the flexible module route. Stepup will guide your next step and confirm current availability.
Request program guidance
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