Program and speakers

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Lectures • Day 1 • November 7, 2022

The Natural Way to Encourage Artwork

Every child is an artist, just like every child is a linguist. Like
acquiring language, children can go through the steps of
developing their artistic possibilities if we adults don’t block these passages. Let me share why art is so important and how you can help children unlock their inner artist. I hope you will join me!

Patricia Wallner

Patricia Wallner has been working in Montessori since 1970.  She took her A.M.I. 3-6 diploma in Washington D.C. 

After moving to the Netherlands in 1972, she worked at the AMI Office with Mario Montessori.  In 1985-86 she studied for the 0-3 diploma in Houston, Texas with Dr. Silvana Montanaro.  For 17 years she worked in a bilingual Infant Community in Amsterdam, The Netherlands where she lives.

In 1995 she began working with Dr. Montanaro to become an AMI Trainer for the 0-3 Age Group. During her years in training she earned her Master’s degree in Education.

She has trained students and lectured in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and the U.S.  Now she is training in the Netherlands and can live at home.  

Her big hope is to increase interest in Montessori 0-3 in Europe, work with parents and encourage more people to train and work with this age group.  

The Montessori Grandparent

Are you the grandparent of a Montessori child? Are you feeling a little 'out of step' with their Montessori lifestyle? Adding just a little Montessori to your grandparenting can help align family paths, allowing parents and grandparents to "follow the child” together. It’s really quite magical

Join me as I share some of the simple ways you can:

  • connect with the child in meaningful ways
  • prepare your home environment to engage the child
  •  foster the child’s independence 
  • experience the beauty (and magic) of Montessori grandparenting

Julie Mitaro

Montessori captured my heart while I was studying early childhood education at the University of Michigan and working as an assistant at a Montessori school. It became clear that I needed to follow my heart by "following the child.” After completing my AMI Primary certification at the Toronto Montessori Institute, I began guiding children ages two and a half to seven years in Montessori classrooms. After the birth of our first of three children, I left classroom and created a Montessori home environment for our family, which I continue to do so as a grandparent today.

I founded The Prepared Nest to help parents, grandparents, and caregivers understand how much they can enrich the child’s development by applying Montessori principles at home. Through The Prepared Nest website and social media, I share daily experiences and activities with young children and show how Montessori principles can be incorporated into our daily lives.

www.thepreparednest.com

Evolutionary Mindset: Stop Surviving Parenting And Start Thriving At It- In 4 Step

Let me guess… You’ve promised yourself you would be a peaceful parent this school year, but you’re still yelling. You’re not alone! Many of us have already fallen off the “intentional” parenting wagon a few times this year. I'll teach you the science and art of creating, sustaining, and most importantly repairing parent-child connection and harmony. So that you can go to bed knowing that your parenting is working without causing emotional harm!
 
Are you ready to stop surviving parenting and start thriving at it? This talk will help you:

  • Develop a state of mind that allows you to speak with love, respond effectively, and rise above all challenges.
  •  Replace yelling, threats, punishments, and permissiveness with strategies that work and create connection.
  • And use everyday challenges to grow your  family’s emotional intelligence. 
Lorena Seidel

Lorena Seidel

Lorena Seidel M.Ed. is a Social-Emotional Learning {SEL} Consultant, a certified Montessori teacher, a trained Positive Discipline Educator, a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction {MBSR} teacher, and a mother of three. Lorena helps parents to stay strong, calm, and remain effective even during the most stressful moments. She teaches adults how to become social-emotional coaches for their children. Lorena has transformed the home-life and the parent-child relationships of thousands of families!

www.lorenaseidel.com

The overload on moms in the first 3 years and how to support the birth of the mother

When a child is born so is a mother. Yet, unlike the birth of a child which is highly visible and tangible, the birth of a mother, matrescence, is often invisible to everyone, except the mother herself. The transformations that happens during matrescence, are less often discussed and explored. Few mothers know of this life transforming experience that happens when becoming a mom. Even fewer know and understand the psychological and physical changes that happens during matrescence and how to support new mothers in their lives.

A newborn visibly, audibly, and tangibly needs care. A new mom needs care too, however, she is usually the primary caregiver to her newborn and lacks support and care for herself. 

I believe, when we support the mother, we directly support the health and wellbeing of the child too. In this presentation, I will be exploring the overload on new moms, and how matrescence, shapes their new identity. I will also explore how to support a new mom while still supporting the development of her precious newborn, and suggest ways in which moms can ask for help and set boundaries within the first three years of their child’s life.

Catherine O’Reilly

Cath O’Reilly is a Mental Wellness, Parenting and Re-Parenting Coach. In 2020 she started her Coaching Practice, Nourishing Parenthood, to help support overwhelmed moms regain calm and joy in their parenting. Recently, she change the name of her practice to Nourished Coaching, to include more people. Through conscious living and conscious parenting practices, her clients gain healthy tools to regulate their own and co-regulate their children’s emotions, build resilience and gain more constant joy in parenthood. Cath O’Reilly has a passion for Mental Health, Maternal Mental Health, Child Development, Multilingual linguistics, and Conscious Parenting. She is an accredited NLP Practitioner and accredited Professional Coach. Before becoming a coach she worked in Early Childhood Education as a Montessori Assistant in China. Cath currently lives and solo-parents in Cape Town, South Africa with her toddler, they are planning their reunion with her partner in China soon.

Instagram: @nourishedcoaching

Facebook: @nourishedcoaching

Youtube:  @nourishedcoaching

TikTok: @nourishedcoaching

 

How Practical Life enhances the toddler's sense of order and personality

We will focus on the many facets of the sense of order, independence, and the development of the will. 

Dr. Maria Montessori realized that order and predictability play a critical role in the first three years of life, understanding that there is an external order relating to the child’s perception of the environment, and an internal order relating to the development and refinement of the muscular and nervous systems. 

The Montessori environment recognizes these dual needs for order and establishes a calm, orderly environment including practical life experiences where the child can expect to find things in their proper place and order and gain increasing independence. It is here that toddlers feel safe and secure with themselves and the world around them. They can become peaceful and normalized with their own will and personality. 

Mary Ellen Maunz

  • Founder and Program Director of Age of Montessori’s infant-toddler, early childhood and elementary teacher certification courses and pioneer in blended Montessori Teacher Education
  • Mother of three grown children
  • Holder of AMI certificate for 2-1/2 – 7, PAMS certificate for 6-12 and as Master Teacher, BS in Child Development and M.Ed. in Integrative education with Emphasis on Montessori
  • 50 years of experience in Montessori education, as toddler, early childhood and elementary teacher, administrator and teacher educator 
  • Co-author of Learning to Read is Child’s Play, 2001, Author of Nurturing Your Child’s Inner Life, 2012
    ageofmontessori.org/shop/nurturing-your-childs-inner-life
  • Creator of more than 75 webinars and 4-week virtual courses on numerous aspects of Montessori education
  • International speaker and trainer, presenter on five continents, founder of Montessori early childhood training program in St. Petersburg, Russia 
  • 10 years as a Commissioner and Member Board of Directors, Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) 
  • 2015 Recipient of MACTE’s Wisdom of the Elders award 
  • Currently serves as a MACTE on-site evaluator

When not working, Mary Ellen is an avid photographer and loves to read, hike, travel, collect stamps and spend time with her children and close friends

Nancy

Nancy McNabb

  • Nancy McNabb is a parent of four adult children, a grandparent of nine grandchildren, a Montessori teacher and school administrator, a Montessori consultant and parent coach.
  • She holds a BS in Psychology and a MS in Counseling from Florida State University.
  • Her love for children led to her pursuing the Montessori Early Childhood certification where she was trained by Dr. Elizabeth Caspari and Mary Ellen Maunz in1983.
  • Nancy founded her first school and later taught in and directed a large Infant/Toddler Community.
  • She received Infant/Toddler certification with the American Montessori Society in Boulder, Colorado in 1994.
  • She has taught in and been the administrator of two successful Montessori schools in Montana over the past 39 years. 
  • Nancy helped to develop the Montessori Infant/Toddler Teacher Course for Age of Montessori. She is the lead instructor and oversees and mentors the students and interns. 
  • In her spare time Nancy enjoys gardening, taking walks and playing with her nine grandchildren. 

Weaning

Do you wonder if there is an ideal time when to start weaning and how do we recognise it? Would you like to know what to do if your baby refuses solid food and which solids should we introduce first? Come and join me in this interview where we will also talk about what is baby-led weaning and if there are any differences in the weaning of brestfeeded babies and those on formula. 

Beth Wood

Beth is a 0-3 and 3-6 trained Montessori Guide. She is the owner of Our Montessori Life an educational consulting agency for homes, schools and communities looking to implement or refine Montessori principles in their environments.
Beth specializes in implementing Cultural Studies, Peace Education and Conflict Resolution in classrooms and authentic Practical Life activities in Montessori homes. She also works with schools and homes to find resources that are inclusive and culturally diverse.
She currently lives on the West Coast of Canada with her family and teaches in a 6-9 classroom. She enjoys traveling both locally and abroad documenting her travels with her photography.

www.ourmontessorilife.com

Observation the Most Important Tool to Master as Guides and Parents

November 7, 2022,  10am PST /  7pm CET via ZOOM

Observing children for who they are without judgement or preconceived ideas is an important skill to develop if we are to nurture their immense potential. 

Observing the environment to detect obstacles that could get in the way of children’s natural development and learning to observe ourselves with an open heart are critical tools to develop, whether parents or educators. 

Join Jeanne-Marie for an open discussion on being a scientific observer. 

"This idea, that life acts of itself, and that in order to study it, to divine its secrets or to direct its activity, it is necessary to observe it and to understand it without intervening -- this idea, I say, is very difficult for anyone to assimilate and to put into practice.” – Dr. Maria Montessori

 

Jeanne-Marie Paynel

Jeanne-Marie Paynel, M.Ed, is a Parenting Mentor and Home Consultant guiding parents to let go of feeling overwhelmed and enjoy raising self-sufficient and resilient children with ease.

She’s the host of The Art of Parenting podcast and founder of Your Parenting Mentor (formerly Voila Montessori) where she guides expectant parents, caregivers, and parents of young children to prepare their homes and themselves for children to thrive during the first years of life. 

She believes that a supportive and peaceful atmosphere at home will allow every child to flourish as an independent confident and capable learner. She combines her three passions: Montessori, Conscious Parenting, and Positive Discipline.

Her mission is to help parents appreciate the true importance of their role - not as servants or teachers, but as supporters and guides of their children's natural development.

 

 

Lectures • Day 2 • November 8, 2022

The everyday life of the toddler in the Montessori environment

This talk will look at the everyday life of a toddler in a Montessori environment. We will explore how it is not a watered down 3-6 programme, but is especially geared to meet the developmental needs of a child in the unconscious absorbent mind phase. We will discuss what the daily programme should look like, the concept of collaboration and Practical Life for toddlers.

Shamiemah Jassiem

Shamiemah Jassiem became involved in the Montessori Philosophy while working at a Montessori school as a university student. She simultaneously enrolled for the part-time Montessori training course and later took over the school. Shamiemah has over 7 years of experience as office manager and principal at Montessori schools. She also assisted in the management of two different schools, worked as a research assistant at the University of Cape Town and worked as a behaviour therapist assistant.

She has presented at several conferences and conducted numerous Montessori workshops in both townships, villages and more affluent areas in South Africa and Ghana. Shamiemah was awarded a distinction for her Masters thesis on Montessori & Religion (University of Cape Town). Her other qualifications include Honours in Psychology (University of the Western Cape; and a B. Soc. Sci. Degree in Psychology & Organisational Psychology
(University of Cape Town). She completed her Montessori Pre-Primary Diploma at the
Montessori Early Learning Foundation in South Africa (2007), and is a Registered Assessor and Moderator. She has trained Montessori teachers on a full-time basis since 2010 and was awarded the ABSA South African Early Childhood Development (ECD) Best Trainer of the year Award in 2012.

She is passionate about creating a world in which all children have access to good education, and believes that we begin by empowering women to offer quality ECD programmes. As a mother of 3, she has been inspired by the Montessori Philosophy and hopes to raise children who believe in themselves and are able to respect themselves, their communities and the environment.

Strategies to Support your Toddler’s Concentration

Toddlers are notorious for exploring everything around them and moving from one thing to the next, no matter how much time you put into designing the perfect activity. How do you keep a toddler engaged or concentrated on their tasks? In this presentation, I will be discuss my top five strategies to support your child’s engagement in work and play. Walk away feeling confident with an action plan you can start today.

Kari Nowosielski

Kari Nowosielski, MEd, is a Montessori momma of two. She lives in Connecticut, USA, with her family and is a Montessori lower elementary teacher that has been working as a Montessori toddler teacher for the past three years. She also runs Stella Nova Montessori, a judgement-free consulting business that offers lesson planning for homeschoolers, support for new teachers, parent education for schools, and prepared environment solutions for both the home and classroom. She creates Montessori printables that you can find in her Teacher’s Pay Teacher’s shop and her Facebook group.

www.stellanovamontessori.com
IG: @stellanovamontessori 
FB: @stellanovamontessorieducation

The unconscious absorbent mind: The child's power to construct

Without a teacher, the child (0-3) becomes mobile, learns to speak, and constructs intelligence. How do children manage to do this in just three years? Paul will summarize recent research that examines children's (0-3) physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional development. A conclusion? Children 0-3 have the most amazing and powerful learning brains on our planet. 

Dr. Paul Epstein

Paul is the educational director of Designs for Lifelong Learning. He has worked in education as an administrator, university professor, teacher trainer, classroom teacher, researcher, consultant, and author.

A highly regarded international and inspirational speaker, Paul brings transformative learning experiences to educators and parents throughout the world. He is the author of numerous articles and books including An Observer’s Notebook: Learning from Children with the Observation C.O.R.E. He is also the co-author of The 60-Day Montessori Observation Workbook and The Montessori Way, a definitive work on the Montessori experience.

His administrative experiences include working as a head of Montessori schools, and he brought the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program to one of the schools. Paul also works as a director and instructor of Montessori teacher education programs. He has been a Montessori classroom teacher in Montessori early childhood, middle, and high school programs.

Paul holds Montessori teacher certification in early childhood and secondary levels one and two from the American Montessori Society and his doctorate is in Cultural Anthropology.

Practical Parenting to Support the Brain

The brain gets more efficient at everything we do repeatedly. So, how do we make the things we do with our children everyday like toileting, dressing, cleaning, eating, chores, and redirecting contribute to a stronger brain? Join Julia for a look at brain development and practical ways that we can support it. We'll focus on the young child (from birth to around age six) with a few tips thrown in for working with the elementary and adolescent years.

Julia Volkman

Julia Volkman has been teaching children and mentoring teachers in private and public schools since 1997. She is a guest lecturer for Harvard University’s Neuroscience of Learning course, a Montessori mentor, and the founder/president of the educational project Maitri Learning. Ms. Volkman earned her AMI 3 to 6+ diploma from the Montreal Montessori Training Centre (a bilingual program) and her master’s degree from Harvard University. Her work focuses on transforming education into a transdisciplinary, scientific pedagogy grounded in mind, brain, and education.  Ms. Volkman is the mother of two (one by birth and one by adoption) and married to a biochemist/MBA. She enjoys kayaking, hiking, yoga, meditation, and conversation at the dinner table.

www.maitrilearning.com

Montessori and Autism: Why and how Montessori is ideal for Autistics

Does Montessori work for autistic children? Absolutely! Not only is Montessori appropriate for neurodivergent children it's beneficial and can even play a crucial role in understanding triggers, preventing meltdowns, and laying foundations for understanding. 

In what way do Montessori Method's principles apply to autistics? How does the Montessori philosophy support an Autistic family? Do the traditional materials actually benefit an Autistic child and even help discover triggers and glimmer? What is the significance of the prepared environment? We will cover the answers to these questions and more, as well as what you can begin implementing today. 

Amorette French

Author/educator/Autistic parent, she helps families of Autistic children better understand the way we think so that we may celebrate our differences and focus on strengths. The mother of 2nd generation homeschooled Montessori twins, she is passionate about Montessori and how it's beneficial for neurodivergent minds. A believer in guidance versus training, she offers Montessori-aligned one-on-one coaching to provide skills and techniques.

www.frenchfamilymontessori.com

IG: @French.Family.Montessori 

The Missing Ingredient for Your Child’s Potential

This liberating talk will teach you 3 key steps for doing the inner parenting work necessary so you can ensure your personal baggage does not become your child's. You will learn what reflective functioning is and why it's the key to your child's relational success. You'll leave this talk knowing how to foster a deeper connection to your child's internal world.

Bryana Kappadakunnel

Bryana Kappadakunnel is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (90464), an Infant-Family Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist, and a Perinatal Mental Health
Specialist-Certified. She is the owner & voice behind Conscious Mommy where she
teaches parents to become the conscious parent they never had. Since 2011, Bryana
has worked exclusively with families with very young children to navigate challenges
related to child development, behavioral &emotional issues, attachment problems,
and trauma. Guided by attachment theory and the neurorelational framework, her
approach is unique in that she works primarily with parents by helping them
discover their child’s nervous system and developmental needs. In this process,
parents also learn how to regulate their own triggered reactions and discover more
self-control and self-compassion. She also guides parents to develop vital skills in
self-reflection & deconstructing familial cycles of guilt and shame, which aims to
drastically shift the child-parent relational patterns.
Bryana also works with new moms experiencing perinatal mood or anxiety disorders. She uses a conscious- and mindfulness-informed approach to help moms realign their expectations with reality, deconstruct the guilt shame they’re experiencing, and shift into the present moment, where depression and anxiety cannot exist.
Bryana has a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology, has been licensed since 2015,
and has an extensive number of advanced certifications & specializations in
perinatal, infant, and early childhood mental health as well as conscious parenting.
She is the mom of 2 young children, and lives with her spouse in Southern California.

Setting up your home Montessori-style for infants and toddlers

November 8, 2022,  9am PST / 6pm CET via ZOOM

Our home environment can support or be an obstacle to our child’s development. In this live workshop, we’ll look at simple, inexpensive ways to set up our spaces at home. We’ll learn how to create inviting, engaging spaces which encourage our child's independence and help them to feel capable. We will also look at identifying and removing obstacles and how to continually adjust our spaces as our child grows.

Simone Davies

Simone Davies is the author of “The Montessori Toddler” book and popular blog “The Montessori Notebook”, host of “The Montessori Notebook podcast,” and currently runs parent-child Montessori classes in Amsterdam at her school Jacaranda Tree Montessori. She is also mother to two young adults. Finding Montessori helped her so much when raising her own children and it’s now her passion to help other parents introduce these ideas in their homes too. She is currently co-writing “The Montessori Baby” (0-12 months) and “The Montessori Child” (3-12 years) with Junnifa Uzodike

www.themontessorinotebook.com

Lectures • Day 3 • November 9, 2022

Reframing the "terrible two's"

There is this common misconception around the 'terrible twos' stage with parents & caregivers dreading the next stage of toddlerhood due to the 'tantrums, manipulation, attention seeking, misbehaviour' and more! That can't be further from the truth! 

In this session we are going to reframe the terrible twos to the 'terrific twos' as we understand what toddlers are really going through during this wonderful stage of their life! You will be able to build your skills and knowledge on how to feel confident and prepare for toddlerhood, supporting your child to be the best version of themselves!
We will:

  • Understand what is really happening developmentally in a toddlers brain
  • Prepare ourselves for this next stage and reframe our thinking 
  • Learn to respond to toddlers in a way that engages cooperation respectfully & increase independence
  • Tame tantrums & learn how to deal with BIG emotions
  • Allow for more opportunities for independence

I am looking forward to this session with you all so we can ditch the punishments, tame your triggers and build children's skillset to help you feel more confident and happy so you can enjoy the wondrous adventure of toddlerhood with your little one! Go from chaos to calm in just one session and learn practical tools & skills along with in depth knowledge so you can ace toddlerhood.

 

Sylvia Arotin

Sylvia Arotin has had over 12 years experience in Montessori teaching and is the founder and director of My Montessori (0-6 yrs) school in Sydney, Australia. She also sits on the Board of Directors for MSCA (Montessori Schools and Centres Australia). Her passion for children’s learning and development, as well as supporting and educating adults, has been fundamental in developing her well-established Guide & Grow brand. 

Guide & Grow is the largest online Montessori support platform for parents/educators in the world with over 210,000 members in the village and a new APP just launching to support caregivers on their journey: https://guide-grow-vip.mn.co/. Guide & Grow helps parents and educators to build their skill set through accredited workshops, online resources & training seminars; specializing in the art of Montessori communication, guiding behaviour & building children’s skill set.  

Her wealth of knowledge and drive has helped paved her way to success throughout the years. She holds an International Montessori 0-3yrs training, 3-6 AMI Assistants training, an International Communications degree and a Masters in Teaching specializing in early childhood (0-5 yrs) (Honours) from Macquarie University. Sylvia is truly an inspirational motivator to all those who cross her path, be it educators, parents or the wider community and she looks forward to continuing her global mission of spreading authentic Montessori in the years to come. 

 www.guideandgrow.com

 

Freedom of movement

It’s quite amazing how Dr Montessori, over a 100 years ago, theorised that movement is extremely important for enhanced learning. Today, modern research concurs with madam Montessori study and insist children move as much as they can in classrooms for better cognition. What is this freedom of movement which is so popular in Montessori practice? What does freedom mean? How can we incorporate this freedom of movement right from birth and why should we? In this video, you will understand the true meaning of freedom, liberty and discipline from a Montessori perspective. You will also get an overview of how to facilitate your child’s movement and meet their developmental needs right from birth and placing them on the path to independence.

Sruthi Yadlapati

Sruthi is a Teach for India Alum with
over 7 years of experience in conventional schools as an educator, teacher trainer, curriculum developer and school leader. Her 2 year old son, Krishna, inspired her to pursue the Montessori method. She and her husband have been raising little Krishna in the Montessori way right from birth. A trained Montessorian from birth to 6 years, Sruthi spreads awareness about Montessori in English and Telugu (hermother tongue) among thousands of parents on Instagram through her handle @theunskilledartist.

Infant Massage: The Power of Touch

Infant Massage is one of the most natural and rewarding methods of providing early nurturing contact for parents and caregivers.  Clinical evidence now echoes ancient wisdom, that Infant Massage has many powerful benefits. In this presentation, you will learn about the science of touch and how massage can play a vital role in supporting a child’s healthy development, body, mind, and soul. You will also learn how to perform a basic infant massage and receive practical tips for incorporating touch practically and playfully into your infant and/or young child(ren)’s lives. 

Suzanne Tucker

Suzanne Tucker

Suzanne Tucker’s mission is to raise an emotionally healthy world.  

A mom of four, physical therapist, and parent educator since 1992, Suzanne has been teaching parent education classes for over two decades, including infant massage, positive parenting classes, and more. In 2016, after a parent in one of her classes asked for help taking the ideas presented in class more practically into her busy life, especially when she was feeling stressed or the kids were acting out, Suzanne was inspired to found Generation Mindful, a company mainstreaming emotional education into homes and classrooms in practical, playful, evidence-based ways. She believes the most impactful thing we can do as a society to bring about a more peaceful and compassionate world is to evolve the way we discipline our children, replacing fear and shame with practices that nurture safety and connection.

Her mission-driven company, Generation Mindful, makes play-based tools, toys, and classes that take the latest brain science on emotional education and mindful living into everyday life for both children and adults.

www.genmindful.com

@genmindful

Music Making in a 0-3 Classroom: Benefits, Facilitation, and Fun!

Making music has the potential to be hugely beneficial, but also can be intimidating to begin to facilitate. And, above all else, it can always be fun for those involved. Through this presentation, there is discussion on the multifaceted role that music making can play within a community for children ages 0-3. It provides information on how making music, in different ways, can support the physical and language development of a child in this age group. It then continues by showing examples of how different types of music making can be presented in the classroom. This presentation is aimed at guides and assistants in toddler communities, but also has the potential to be enjoyed by families and out of school communities as well.

Úna Shea

Úna has been part of a Montessori classroom environment for a large portion of her life. She is part of a family of Montessori educators, and has great investment in the huge potential that all children have.
Úna holds a first class BMus (Hons) in violin performance from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, an AMI Assistants to Infancy Diploma from the International Montessori Institute in the Netherlands,
and is a certified Suzuki violin teacher the the Suzuki Association of the Americas. She has diverse experience working in a range of educational environments–from community music workshop facilitation, to private
violin tuition, to assisting in Montessori classrooms worldwide and has a great passion for child centered, accessible, music education.
Alongside her work, she is continuing her education and working to complete her MA in Music Psychology in Performance, Education, and Wellbeing from the University of Sheffield. She is also a newly published author creating resources for making music with early years children.
It is her firm belief that making music is something that should be enjoyed by all, which inspired her new project: Our Montessori Melodies. This provides accessible resources to support child centered music making in homes and classrooms. 

www.ourmontessorimelodies.com

@ourmontessorimelodies

Choosing Materials for Infants: Using Playthings to Promote Movement, Concentration, and Independence

In the first years of life humans are in a period of extreme growth and change. Babies' brains develop rapidly as they learn to move their bodies and explore the world around them. As Montessori parents, we need to understand the important role that the environment plays when it comes to supporting our child’s individual development. In particular, we need to know how the materials, or playthings, in our homes help to support a child’s needs. But, how do we know what will best support our child? 

In this presentation, we will discover how to evaluate playthings for our Montessori babies. We will explore some examples of how the right playthings can help support our child’s sensitive periods during infancy - in particular their need to move and explore language. And, ultimately, how playthings can help aid a child’s path toward independence.  

Nicole Kavanaugh

Nicole Kavanaugh

Nicole Kavanaugh is the writer, parent educator, and most importantly mom behind the Montessori website The Kavanaugh Report. For 10 years, she has shared her family’s Montessori journey with thousands of parents around the world in practical and real ways. She is mother to five Montessori kids ranging from preteen to infant. Nicole is also host to the popular Montessori podcast, Shelf Help, hosts parenting courses, a Montessori membership community, and can be found sharing daily Montessori inspiration on Instagram. In addition to sharing Montessori, Nicole loves gardening, children’s books, and a good museum gift shop!

www.TheKavanaughReport.com

How much does attachment really matter?

Attachment has been a well documented topic of research for the past 5 decades. But, what is attachment, how much does it really matter, and what are the long-term consequences of attachments gone wrong? Join Paula to understand the science behind attachment theory as well as learning how to build a strong attachment with your child. 

Paula Zhou

Originally from the UK, Paula has been a Montessori teacher and school leader in China for the past 24 years. Paula is fascinated by the mind and how our thoughts, ideas and behaviours, starting from childhood, form individuals and the societies we inhabit. Pursuing a masters of science in the Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health has led Paula to her purpose of supporting parents and teachers in their role of assisting the construction of healthy brains and minds, that in turn support a healthy world!

www.thrive.uno 

@thriveuno 

 

Building the Foundation for Montessori Wellness

In Montessori, care-of-self activities in the practical life area support the development of many skills, but they also help highlight the value and importance of taking care of oneself.

The challenges faced by humanity in recent times have invited a pause for reflection. It is time to prioritize the physical, mental and social-emotional health of children. As we look back to move forward, Dr. Montessori’s emphasis on the importance of movement for child development and well-being seems more relevant than ever.

In this presentation, we will examine physical exercise as a form of self-care and a cornerstone for wellness. We will also see how the conscious building of physical literacy following Montessori principles constitutes the most authentic and appropriate implementation of the Montessori Movement and Physical Education Curriculum. Finally, we will explore how the further incorporation of wellness-related concepts and activities into the learning experience can better prepare children for life in uncertain times.

Barbara Murphy

Barbara Murphy, PhD – Passionate about education, Barbara holds a PhD from Northwestern University and a Montessori certificate from CGMS. As the mother of two while living in Milan, Italy, she fell in love with Montessori pedagogy. After moving to Miami, Florida, Barbara founded Montessori Gym, now Montessori Wellness, with the vision of promoting a deeper understanding of the connections between Montessori education and wellness practices, so as to support the physical, emotional and mental well-being of children and adults alike. As speaker, Barbara has presented on movement and other wellness topics at several international, national and regional Montessori conferences. 

www.montessoriwellness.com

The myths, do's and don't of toddlers

November 9, 2022,  10am ET / 4pm CET via ZOOM

A safe open space for you to learn and get all your questions answered!

This is like your 101 toddler boot camp....come to join us and once and for all discover this beautiful age group of the wonderful 2's!

Val Alino

Life, Spiritual and Conscious Parenting Coach, Motivational Speaker who has empowered thousands of leaders, teachers, parents and children to heal, evolve, grow, transform and unlock their full potential. Keynote Speaker on The Conscious Parenting Method Certified by Dr. Shefali and NLP practitioner by Richard Bandler, teacher and Montessori leader certified in Italy and Atlanta. She has participated in congresses and coaching forums in Dubai, Singapore, USA, Peru, Europe and as speaker and MC of “World Speech Day” for more than 103 countries around the world. She has taught conferences to more than 10 universities in U.S.A and Latin America. She owned her AMI Montessori school in Atlanta for 10 years.

She has been an International Consultant for Higher Ground Education. Val is an expert in conscious leadership and educational project management, Keynote speaker at Childhood Potential Montessori congress in Europe for two year and also for The Global Women Empowerment Summit in Dubai 2020 and Philippines 2022.

She has received multiple awards for her extraordinary service to humanity, such as the 2018 Telemundo Atlanta "Guardian Hero Award" in the US, Sunshine on a Ranney Day Volunteer of the Year Award, Iheart Media Community Hero Award and the "Leaders who forge Peru" award in 2020 for her extraordinary professional development as a coach during the pandemic and the award in Dubai for the top 50 Gobal inspirational women to look out for in 2022.

Her mission is to help you and prepare you to obtain the results you deserve by realizing that you are a source of creation capable of achieving everything you want and dream of. Over her 30 years of practice as Coach and educator she has empowered families and teams from USA, India, Spain, Mexico, and Peru, Columbia to enjoy their parenting journey and create harmonious peaceful families through mindfulness, meditation, spiritual intelligence and emotional management. She has touched thousands of hearts through her conferences and workshops in companies and educational organizations around the world.

www.valalino.com

Lectures • Day 4 • November 10, 2022

Exploring the Language within the Math Area

Share time with Teri Canaday Freeman to explore all sorts of language and literacy activities that can be used in developing math skills. Teri will examine 16 math concepts important to consider when teaching math in Early Childhood settings. Then she will tie in the Montessori math lessons to these concepts and how language and literacy activities in our Montessori environment can strengthen these concepts. Be ready to see the importance of Language
come alive in our Montessori Math area!

Teri hopes that you will join her to better understand the following:

  • The importance of language skills in processing math concepts
  • The 16 math concepts for early childhood children
  • Montessori activities that support the development of the 16 math concepts
  • Language directly used in our daily teaching that promotes better understanding of math
    concepts
  • The importance of songs, rhymes, and books that help young children learn vocabulary and
    meaning of words associated with understanding math concepts.

Teri Canaday Freeman

Teri Canaday Freeman is celebrating 49 years in Montessori education this year!  Teri has helped start many public and private schools, being the director of her own school for 28 years.  She worked as a director and instructor for many teacher education courses, worked as a consultant at numerous  schools, and has taught courses at the university level. Teri is now enjoying retirement by being actively engaged in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program in her home church where she continues to utilize her Montessori skills by creating peaceful environments where children can learn about God.

Dental Hygiene from birth to 6 years old

In this 45 minute workshop you will receive Montessori and specialist tips for your child's dental hygiene from birth to 6 years old. We will discuss all the ages and stages of oral care, Montessori presentations for self care, how to arrange a Montessori self-care area in your home, and how to deal with resistance from your child while supporting their independence and building their self-esteem. We hope you will join us for this brand new workshop from Montessori Mother ELC, Germany's 1st Montessori Early Learning Center.

Katelynn Johnson

Katelynn Johnson is the founder, director, and sole teacher at Germany's 1st Montessori early learning center. At her school, Montessori Mother ELC, 80 toddlers and babies attend 1-2 hour Montessori classes with their parents every week. Katelynn is an AMI-certified Assistant to Infancy. She has been teaching for over eight years and is specialised in multilingual environments and language development.

Dr. Susanne Wecker

Dr. Susanne Wecker is a dentist and orthodontist in Berlin, Germany and she is also a Montessori parent to a toddler and a baby. For more than 12 years she has specialized in treating young children and teenagers. She joins us as our guest in this workshop to answer our questions and share her experience with us.

Helping Toddlers Handle Conflict

Conflicts are inevitable. No matter how hard we try to avoid them, they always seem to arise. Learning how to resolve conflict is an important life skill to develop.  The Toddler is already conflicted. They have an internal emotional struggle between dependence and independence. They are also gradually learning how to regulate themselves. One key source is through the imitation of the adult. Toddlers can learn to manage emotions and become problem solvers, with the help and support of their caregiver.  

The goal for this presentation is to offer families and educators tools and strategies in supporting young children to navigate through conflict. You will start by learning and understanding the emotional development of the Toddler. Once we understand their emotional development, we can then process our own behavior and learn how to respond appropriately. You will also learn how to develop a sense of trust, create emotional stability, and learn strategies on how we can best support our toddlers in resolving their conflicts. 

Beth Barber

Beth Omane Barber

Beth has spent over twenty years in the classroom, guiding toddlers and their families in various Montessori communities. She has a passion for creating peaceful environments and supporting families at
home. In 2016, she created Homeschool Guide, LLC. to serve families and preschools, in North Carolina.

Beth holds credentials at the 0-3 level from the Center for Montessori Education in New York, and received her B.S. degree in Family and Consumer Sciences at North Carolina Central University.

Beth currently serves as in instructor, field consultant, and practicum advisor with the Center for Guided Montessori Studies. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with her family. In addition, she also enjoys traveling the world, cooking, and serving her community.

www.home-schoolguide.com

Early years: encouraging environments for good relationships

As research keeps validating the first years of life are the most important because the seeds of the future man or woman are laid. So allowing the human being to love and not fear learning from the beginning is a gift that will serve them forever.

I will help you lay this foundation so that you can instill a good relationship with the self and others from birth to 3, basis of their emotional and psychological wellbeing. We will learn how to create and maintain a simple as well as as encouraging environment and adult attitude with the help of observation as our guide that informs us of the next steps.

Cristina Sanz Ferrero M.A.

Cristina Sanz Ferrero M.A.

Former Early Years Teacher with more than 15 years experience in  education, Adlerian Montessorian Counsellor, Positive Discipline Certified Trainer, 0-6 Montessori Mentor, Founder of Life Skills, Escuela para la Vida®  psicoeducation & counselling for families, school & individuals. Spain Languages: SP, EN, FR, CAT/VAL

www.escuelalifeskills.com

IG: @crislifeskills

FB: Life Skills Escuela para la Vida & Cristina Sanz Ferrero

 

 

Toilet learning the Montessori way

Toilet Learning the Montessori Way is a journey that starts as soon as the child can stand and continues until they are ready. This journey allows the child to interiorize and normalize that going to the bathroom is part of the daily routine. In the Montessori settings and at home, we allow the child to be an active participant in this new learning experience and as parents or guides, we guide the child toward bathroom independence. 

During our time together we will talk about the stages of toilet learning. First, we will dig deep into the preparation of the environment, followed by the child's awareness and how to help them become independent in this journey. Finally, we will reach that independence where your child will be able to go to the bathroom and follow the steps to be successful in underpants. 

Neus Carmona

Neus Carmona

Neus is a Montessori Mom, Guide and coach. She has been a Montessori Toddler Teacher for the past 10 years. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in Montessori Education.
She was drawn to Montessori while living in Italy and I started pursuing my Montessori certifications in the US. I hold Montessori credentials for 0-3, 3-6 and for Parent- Infant and Child.

Neus offers personalized consultations for toddler mamas, group experiences, as well as, teaching parents how to start the potty learning journey the Montessori Way.

 www.montessorianbyheart.com

@montessorianbyheart

Sleep & Montessori: Learn how sleep develops in the early years and how to get everyone the sleep they need to thrive!

November 10, 2022,  10 am PST / 7 pm CET via ZOOM

In this workshop, expecting families and those with children 0-3 will gain a practical understanding of the important developments of sleep in the first three years, the developmental interruptions in sleep, and learn how to apply the Montessori method to answer your own sleep questions that fit your child and your family. We will also talk about the Montessori floor bed and how to use it in infancy through toddlerhood. This is a practical and engaging workshop that focuses on using what you already have to create developmentally-aligned spaces & routines for sleep in the first three years.

Mariana Bissonnette

Mariana is a 0-6 Montessori educator, award-winning author, parenting guide, and founder of The PEACE Program, home of the Montessori Masterclass! Mariana is on a mission to support adults supporting children in the most critical period of human development. She believes strongly in the potential of Montessori and of ourselves to show up differently for the next generation. She is also a mother of two beautiful kids (who are amazing when they aren’t driving her nuts) and has a Montessori husband and a whole host of animals in their home in Oakland, CA (Lisjan Ohlone land).

www.thepeaceprogram.org/masterclass

IG: @montessorimasterclass
FB: @montessorimasterclass

TikTok: @montessorimasterclass

Lectures • Day 5 • November 11, 2022

Introducing sensorial materials and the natural world to babies and toddlers

Sensory learning - involves discovering, understanding, and interpreting the educational content through authentic experiences, with the help of different stimuli: visual, tactile, auditory, olfactory and/or gustatory.

Sensory experiences stimulate various neuronal connections, which substantially helps babies and toddlers in their educational process, in terms of understanding, assimilation and sedimentation of the encountered information. Interaction with various elements of the natural can also help regulate various emotions and increase their well-being.  

In the conference we will present a practical approach on how to introduce sensorial materials and the natural world to babies and toddlers, starting with the adaptation period, risk management, step by step plan to deepen their knowledge, and how to evaluate their evolution.

George Năzăreanu

I am a curious biologist, visual artist, storyteller, National Geographic Educator, and have been an explorer since I was 5 years old. I have worked for 10 years in Educational and Scientific research at the National Natural History Museum and for the past 6 years, I work as a Naturalist Teacher at Karin's Kids Academy, Bucharest, România.

Knowing that play is the most effective way children learn, I develop play-based and curiosity-led educational projects in Early Childhood Education at Karin's Kids Academy and I inspire children to develop their Explorer's Mindset through authentic learning experiences in nature.

Lidia

Lidia Grecu

I am a passionate Educator who loves to continuously learn about various new aspects and approaches in Early Childhood Education. Over the past 12 years years I have worked in different types of Educational systems, from traditional learning to Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Step-by-Step, both in the public and the private sector. 

In the present I am an Educational Coordinator at Karin's Kids Academy, Bucharest, România, being in charge with the kindergarten's methodology, parent relations, and Educators initiation and training.

FB: KarinsKidsAcademyBaneasa

IG: @arinskidsacademy

"Why Won't You Listen to Me?"

When we are with children, this question may arise whether spoken or unspoken. In this presentation, we will bring focus to this question and its many textures and depths that are there to explore. Through a process of reflection and sensing of ourselves, we can begin to observe the origins of this question within us, consider our motivations, and what thoughts and feelings may be hidden within our asking. We often speak of the child's readiness, but here we will bring light to our own. So bring your detective lens, your curiosity, and a willingness to shift from what you know, to what is yet to be revealed.

Pamela Green

Pamela Green is the owner of Ananda Montessori, a Montessori Playgroup in North East, Pa. She has been teaching and administrating in Montessori for over thirty years. She is a Positive Discipline parent educator, and since 1989, has served as a Montessori birth doula, midwife assistant, and childbirth educator. Pamela is a consultant and mentor to teachers, staff, schools and parents worldwide, and offers an online training to become a Montessori Parent-Infant and Child Facilitator as well as courses on parenting, staff support, and more.

www.anandamontessorichildrenshouse.com

FB:@anandamontessorichildrenshouse

IG:@anandamontessori

 

Music and the Montessori Method

As a former early childhood music teacher in traditional schools, I found the lack of information, resources and materials for early childhood music education within the Montessori world, to be fascinating and shrouded in mystery.

In this talk we will:

  • Discuss the gap present between the ideals and reverence for music and the practical application of music instruction in Montessori classrooms
  • Explore whether or not the Montessori Method truly can or should be applied to music education
  • Explore how de-centering aristocratic European music aesthetics and approaches to music learning could enrich the quality of,  and increase access to music education for all. 

 

Joy Jackson

Joy Marilie Jackson is a native New Yorker with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, a Master’s Degree in Early Education and nearly 20 years of
experience in Arts education and leadership. Joy worked as a music teacher, curriculum
designer and instructional coach for fourteen years before moving full time into administration as the Managing Director of the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.
Since becoming a mom, she shifted into working from home as an Arts Education Consultant, Parent Coach and Social Media Influencer. She has shared her experience in education and the arts at several International Virtual Conferences and most recently served as Lovevery’s Music expert. She is currently homeschooling her daughter using the Montessori Method.

www.joymarilie.com

@lyric_laughter_learning

Montessori: Let’s Begin! 

Introduce Montessori in your home at any age. Whenever you start, your child’s development can benefit from Montessori. Learn from Montessori parenting coach and ASID-certified interior designer Sarah Moudry as she shares how to introduce Montessori at home. You will learn about the essential materials for children of different ages, how to introduce concepts at just the right times in your child’s life, and how to adjust your plan to respond to your child’s growth. 

Sarah Moudry

Sarah Moudry is AMI Montessori trained for ages birth to six. She is an experienced teacher, author, parenting coach, ASID-certified interior designer, and parent of three children. Founding two Montessori businesses, Studio June and Family Friendly Home, Sarah is passionate about creating inspired and beautiful home environments.

@thestudiojune

@familyfriendlyhome

@sarahmoudry

Choosing a life without school

Making the decision to homeschool can feel enormous and overwhelming. It's hard to imagine a more difficult decision - because there's literally nothing more important than your child's holistic education right? More and more Montessori parents are choosing this path to formally educate their children at home due to access to quality schools, financial constraints or personal preference. This decision is not made lightly or overnight. For many this decision-making starts in toddlerhood. In this session, we will explore how institutionalized schooling frames our thinking about education and untangle your thoughts and feelings around school to learn what it takes to successfully homeschool with the Montessori Method alongside important statistics and budget estimates to inform your decision making. Should you decide to embark on this journey - this session will include a 26-page step by step guide on "How to get started with your Montessori Homeschool". 

Lynda Apostol

Lynda Apostol (M.Ed) is the voice, coach & influence behind The Montessori Teacher, LLC. Her professional experience includes roles as a teacher, instructional coach and administrator in the public, private, and charter education sectors in both Montessori and Traditional approaches. She credits both her education and the diversity in her experience for lending her an unmatched perspective and informed understanding of curriculum & instruction as it applies not only to the child, but the guide/teacher.

Lynda now homeschools both of her children and serves as a highly sought-after Holistic Montessori Coach to parents around the world seeking to homeschool or worldschool with the Montessori Method. She also supports educators and educational organizations as a speaker & Holistic Education Consultant.

Lynda’s social media platforms seek to inform, educate and advocate toward a long-term vision of creating more inclusive Montessori cyberspaces that celebrate diversity and promote the global perspective with cultural competence.

@themontessoriteacher 

Nurturing your young child’s independence: the science of why and what actually impacts development

Over 100 years ago Dr. Maria Montessori identified offering independence as an integral part in nurturing a child’s development and love for learning. Today, a large body of research studies the benefits of these efforts within the home under the umbrella of “autonomy-supportive parenting.” 

You may have already heard that supporting a young child’s autonomy is “important.” Come learn about the science behind why that is and the elements within your daily parenting that actually make a difference in supporting your child’s development. 

You’ll learn:

  • A bit of history of how Maria Montessori discovered the power of offering independence
  • 3 benefits of supporting autonomy on your young child’s development, as based on current research.
  • Beyond the tiny furniture and the toy shelf, 3 elements in your daily parenting that actually made a difference in your child’s development as you offer autonomy.

Blanca Velázquez-Martin, MA, LPC, CPDPE

Blanca M. Velázquez-Martin is a licensed psychotherapist (LPC) with graduate training in Clinical Psychology and international certification as Positive Discipline Parent Educator. Her work has focused on supporting children and adolescent mental health through her work as a clinician and almost a decade of experience as a research professional in the psychosocial clinical research field.

She is the founder of Whole Child Home, where she offers private consultations and workshops designed to empower parents’ positive parenting journey. Her goal is to support caregivers build positive relationships with the young humans in their home, always with the help of tools and strategies based on the science of what we know supports healthy emotional development, and even through those tricky behaviors and big emotions in toddlerhood and beyond.

She incorporates conscious parenting, positive discipline, and the Montessori method to help establish a positive parenting journey with discipline grounded in respect and trust in the child as a capable learner. 

Blanca is originally from Mexico City, now living and raising a family in the United States, devoted to creating resources and support that is not only bilingual but culturally relevant to bilingual and bicultural families. She is the parent of a toddler, grew up attending Montessori school as a child, and applies Montessori to her own lifestyle and parenting journey. 

@whole.child.home 

Why Montessori for 0-3 years matters: a conversation

This conversation between Montessori experts focusses on the importance of the Montessori principles for our youngest children. Many believe that this age group just needs child-minding but we have highlighted otherwise. Montessori principles apply to all age groups but for 0-3 these principles are an essential foundation. We discuss the importance in practice of freedom of choice, freedom of movement, order, the prepared environment, attitude of the adult and sensitive periods. A friendly attitude to error for both the child and the adult is apparent as we personally speak of challenges in implementing principles in action. We end our conversation with an affirmation of how peace in our world begins with children.

Sarah Kennedy-Berge

Sarah is the director of the Waterpark Montessori International College. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus on education from Central Connecticut State University and is currently pursuing a Master of Education in Advanced Teaching. She holds Montessori qualifications for Early Childhood (3-6 years), Lower Elementary (6-9 years) and Upper Elementary (9-12 years). In addition, Sarah is a certified  Montessori trainer for the same age groups.

Clare Walls Cole

Clare Healy Walls is the founder of WMI.  She spent over 20 years as a Montessori pre-school teacher and a Montessori school teacher.  Since 1981 she has been training adults as Montessori teachers. Clare has been extensively involved in the research and development of training programmes. She received an MA in Education (Management) from the Open University where she learned how to make flexible and online learning support Maria Montessori’s philosophy for life and learning. She also holds Montessori St. Nicholas teaching diplomas for pre-school and school.

Brid Walls

Bríd Walls first studied Montessori pedagogy in New York in 1981. Later, she worked in Denver as a Montessori guide and school directress. She was involved in the development of Infant Toddler (0-3 years) education in Connecticut and Colorado in cooperation with AMS (American Montessori Society) and AMI (Association Montessori Internationale). From 1997 to 1999, Bríd was a tutor with St. Nicholas Montessori in Oslo and now with Waterpark Montessori. With Clare Walls Cole she has
developed our Infant Toddler MACTE accredited diploma.

Dr Sandra Healy

Sandra is a qualified midwife and has a PhD in Nursing & Midwifery from the University of Limerick, Ireland. She earned a Montessori diploma for Early Childhood 3-6 years and has many years’ experience working with children of this age. Sandra works as a Course Development Officer at
Waterpark Montessori and is also the Additional Locations Liaison.

Lectures • Day 6 • November 12, 2022

Observing to Solve Problems

The Montessori method is more than a set of materials, it is a way of life. In her time, Maria Montessori brought a new curiousity and scientific approach to the study of children. She insisted that her method depended on observation.
Susan Tracy McDaniel invites you to get curious and make a daily study of the children in your environment, whether school or home.
In particular, we can apply observation techniques to solve problems, and even better, prevent future problems. We can get curious and think scientifically. No matter your role, you can invite the adults in your community to coordinate their efforts, which not only eases difficulties, also builds cooperation and a sense of community in service to the child.
Our ultimate obligation is to serve children to the best of our ability.

Susan Tracey McDaniel

Susan Tracy McDaniel, M.Ed., Director of Learning Together Education, has made a practice of observing children for more than 30 years. As a consultant to many schools and social service agencies, Susan has applied Montessori educational methods in a variety of settings, including a Chicago homeless shelter, Native American and migrant communities. Susan is a parenting coach and speaks frequently to groups of parents and educators. Since 1993, she has taught Montessori Philosophy and Child Development at Seton Montessori Institute. Susan has also taught numerous Montessori and Parenting courses in the US, Europe, and Asia. She recently became a facilitator for the American Montessori Society Infant Toddler Instructor Academy, preparing future course instructors.

www.LearningTogetherEducation.org

Open a 0-3 Montessori Program that Works from the Start!

Join Shawn Edwards for some tips on creating infant and toddler programs that attract high quality Guides/teachers, support the needs of parents, and fosters the independence needed by infants and toddlers who are on their journeys of reaching their full potentials.  What will you learn in this course? 
How do you know that your 0-3 staff is offering a solid Montessori program?  What should you look for? 
What should the environments look like and why?
How do I prepare myself and set my staff up for success?
What are the best strategies to engage the parents so a strong partnership of respect can be formed?

Shawn Edwards

Shawn Edwards has been working as a Montessori professional for 34 years (the past 15 as a Head of School). She began her work as an assistant teacher at the Post Oak School in Houston, Texas. The first time she saw a Montessori classroom at that school, she knew what she would be doing for the rest of her life! That summer, she enrolled in the Washington Montessori Institute and began her lifelong journey of serving in the field of education. She feels fortunate to have been bitten by the Montessori bug before marrying and having three children. She loved being a mother of Montessori children who are now grown and continues to cherish the time that she spends,now, with her two grandchildren.

In addition to being a Montessori professional, Shawn is a Positive Discipline trainer and holds a master's degree in Leadership and Coaching from the Wright Graduate University for the Realization of the Human Potential. The synergy of these three disciplines supports her leadership work as she trains, manages, coaches and inspires the adults with whom she works.

Shawn is the founder of Toolhows - "how to" tools for parents and schools: www.toolhows.com. She coaches parents and educators, consults with Boards and schools and provides webinars, courses and workshops for schools, educators and parents.

When she is not working, Shawn enjoys running, rollerblading, paddle boarding, reading and spending time with family.

" ME DO IT !"- The Joy of learning for toddlers in the kitchen 

I know these two things to be true  - Toddlers love to do what they see us doing and food and all other activities related are occasions for education. First experiences need to be positive for both adult and child for trust and confidence to develop. I will be sharing practical tips on how to engage them in simple tasks and set age appropriate limits to maximise your enjoyment of working together.

Ferne van Zyl

Ferne’s Montessori journey began over 20 years ago as the owner and operator of Down Under 3, a Montessori based learning centre for babies and toddlers in Sydney, Australia. Through her work with parents and carers she began facilitating the hugely successful Faber and Mazlish parent
workshops “How to Talk so Kids will Listen” and “Siblings without Rivalry” and developed a “Toileting Independence” workshop which earned her the nick-name “The Poo-Poo Guru”.
​Since founding The Independent Child in 2016 she has provided training and support for hundreds of families on setting up environments for independence, effective communication skills and practical strategies for dealing with challenging behaviour. In particular, her deep understanding, sense of humour, and ability to see opportunities and find solutions in just about any situation have seen her become highly sought after by parents
who find themselves ‘stuck’ for ideas about how to deal with a particular issue. 
​Recognised for her personally developed Supporting Freedom and Self-Discipline workshop, her Independent Toileting program and her expertise in early childhood development and communication, she consults to parents all over the world as well as to early childhood educators and Montessori organisations in Australia and New Zealand.

www.theindependentchild.com

IG: @theindependentchild
FB: theindependentchild

Beyond the Montessori Shelf: A Guide in Choosing Toys For Your Child

Parents are overwhelmed with the variety of toys available to choose from, whether they go shopping online or at physical stores.

Almost all the toys that are sold are over stimulating for the young child (too many objects, uncomfortably bright colors) and are not really “developmentally appropriate for the little ones – thus it can hamper the natural development of important abilities such as movement.

A simple, natural and gentle environment, that encourages feelings of safety, and encourages the child to communicate with others and to move—that is the superior environment for the child from birth to three..

For this workshop, I will be able to offer an alternative to what’s popular in the market having the Montessori principles in mind. Having the right information will help you save money and time and will only choose toys that your child will absolutely play with.

Anniebelle Vergel de Dios

Anniebelle is born and raised in Manila Philippines. She wanted to be a Journalist but ended up being a Montessori 0-3 Teacher, which lead her to live and work in different countries such as Canada, New Zealand, USA and currently living in Australia.

After a decade of working in a Toddler community, she started her own venture, which is a Parent – Child Centre, which offers different programs that aim to Inspire, Inform and Involved Parents using Montessori approach.

She’s a mother of two inquisitive and independent teens, which makes life more interesting! Anniebelle loves to read books about Parenting, Neuroscience, and a fan of crime thriller fiction.

An insight into your child's unique development

In the first Three year of a child's life they go through enormous development and physical changes. And it happens all so quickly. one minute you are holding an infant, and the next, they are already a toddler!   These  changes can be difficult to navigate. This talk will give you a deeper understanding of your child's unique development with tips and guidance on how you can better support them and ourselves.

Joanne Kaya

Joanne Kaya

After working for many years in early childhood education, I noticed there was something missing with childrens learning. Whilst living in Japan, I walked into a Montessori classroom for the first time. That was my ‘hallelujah’ moment. This is was every child needs!.
I hold an AMI (Association Montessori International) certificate for , 3-6 years and 6-12 years and a NAMC 0-3, With over 20 years experience working and developing Montessori schools globally. I have anyway been passionate about helping parents implement Montessori philosophy but after becoming a mother this become my mission and was the drive behind creating Montessori Together. Helping parents bring Montessori into their daily life or homeschooling journey. Offers personalized consulting and workshops for parents who want to implement Montessori and respectful parenting practices.

www.montessoritogether.com

@montessori_together

Work with wisdom-it will Change your Life to achieve work life balance

My goal is to deliver tools and techniques, that will leave you empowered, energised and ready to take on the world with Wisdom. 

As an audience, you will leave understanding that your greatest potential lies within you and that it's your responsibility to achieve work life balance and not let anything hold you back. My approach is raw, real, genuine and heart felt and transformative.

Bhavini Doshii

BHAVINI DOSHII- is a successful business woman, educationist and motivational speaker with 25yrs of working experience in Early Childhood in different countries- UK, 

Being a Founder and CEO of an multi award winning company. Her working experience with children, parents, teachers and caregivers from different nationalities, ethnicity and cultures has facilitated her vision to work with wisdom-for parents in home environments, caregivers and teachers in classroom environment. 

Our vision is a world where kidz and young people feel safe and realise their aspirations to succeed. Our work is driven by a belief that all kidz should have the chance to achieve their full potential and contribute to a healthy, strong society and environment.

The hands are the instruments of Man's intelligence

November 12, 2022,  9 am PST / 6 pm CET via ZOOM

Dr. Montessori said that the hand is the instrument of the mind. What exactly does this mean? This talk explores the foundational role of motor development as the basis for cognitive development and learning. We discuss ways to recognize delays in development in the infant and toddler population, along with discussion of the key role of early intervention in supporting children to become their best selves. We also discuss when and how to talk to parents and/or refer a child for more formal assessment.

Barbara A. Luborsky

Barbara Luborsky, OTR/L, has worked with children of all ages and levels of need for over 30 years. She is the owner of Way to Grow, LLC, in Frederick, Maryland, a pediatric therapy practice rooted in functional, developmental, and sensory integrative frameworks.  Barbara has been involved with Montessori as a parent and a therapist since 1996. She has provided staff training and consultative services at Montessori schools across the USA and has presented at conferences in the US and abroad at national NAMTA conferences and at the International Montessori Congress, 2017, among others. She has a deep appreciation for Montessori’s methods, materials, and philosophy.  Together with her Montessori partner, Catherine Massie, Barbara formed the Montessori Medical Partnership for Inclusion, an organization dedicated to supporting and promoting inclusion of more children in Montessori settings around the globe.

www.Montessori4Inclusion.org

Lectures • Day 7 • November 13, 2022

Preparing for Success: What parents and teachers can do collectively to prepare the toddlers for early childhood?

What parents and teachers can do collectively to prepare toddlers for early childhood? 

Toddler Success… It’s what every parent and teacher wants to achieve. But what is success for a toddler; and how do we collectively define and achieve it through parent/teacher collaboration and communication?  This workshop will discuss how a parent/teacher team approach to toddler success can take advantage of the child’s developmental window to achieve increased independence and vocabulary, improved relationship and interaction skills and the all-important potty training milestone.  Achieving toddler success is a team sport...and everyone has to play.

 

Maria Eva Chaffin

Maria Eva Chaffin is the founder, owner, and director of Seeds of Life Montessori Academy, an inclusive school serving children from 18 months to 12 years old.  Originally from Venezuela, she currently holds two master’s degrees in education and is currently completing her doctoral research on special needs and Montessori as well as a AMS Montessori Teacher Certification in early childhood. Her extensive teaching experience includes over 23 years working with neurodiverse children.  She is a published co-author on the subject and has been invited to present at Montessori events around the country and host regular teacher education web sessions to help teachers and administrators around the world deliver the best Montessori experience possible. First and foremost, she loves being a Montessori educator and her passion for all children is endless. After years of experience teaching children, adults and those with special needs, she remains convinced that the Montessori Method is the best way for children to learn. 

 

Siblings and birth position

Do you wonder how to prepare for the introduction of a new sibling, what is the best age gap for siblings, managing changes to the family dynamic, smoothing sibling squabbles, creating an environment at home for multiple different age siblings to thrive and grow.  (Aimed at new parents of 0-3, the typical years when an additional child might be added to a family)

Rachel Senbanjo, BSc. Psy, PGCE

Rachel Senbanjo, BSc. Psy, PGCE is a British teacher and educational consultant best known for her love of child-centred educational philosophies such as Montessori. Children deserve to have their natural love of learning nurtured. As a life-long educator and homeschooler, her passion has always been to bring more progressive educational practices into the mainstream.

As the founder of The Alternative Learning Centre and Learning Spaces (Montessori, Reggio Emilia and Steiner inspired schools) and owner of This Toddler Life and Teaching with Children's Books, she creates online courses and coaches parents in Montessori education. These courses give parents the confidence to bring Montessori principles into their home quickly and easily. 

Rachel lives with her husband and four home-educated daughters in the scorching Middle Eastern desert of Dubai

www.thistoddlerlife.com
www.teachingwithchildrensbooks.com

Sensitive periods

Dr. Maria Montessori described sensitive periods as being "like a beam that lights interiorly." These are specific periods of time when a child has a heightened ability and interest to master a skill or gain new knowledge quickly and with ease. Some, like gross motor development are easily noticeable, while others such as a desire for order and a fascination with small objects may be less obvious. 

Together, we will explore the sensitive periods children from birth to three years of age often experience that enable them to intensely and enthusiastically explore and understand the world around them and will identify ways to observe these sensitive periods and to provide activities that support them. 

Heather Pratt White

Heather White, EdS, is a Montessori coach and consultant, blog writer and content creator for organizations such as the American Montessori Society, in-home teacher and nanny, Montessori educator for adult learners through the Center for Guided Montessori Studies, and a manager for Guide & Grow. 

Formerly, she was a Montessori guide (Early Childhood 3-6 and Elementary I 6-9) and assistant (Elementary II 9-12) and Associate Head of School for Lake Mary Montessori Academy for more than 12 years. She also has experience as a School Psychologist intern. 

She is AMS credentialed (Early Childhood, Elementary I), holds her National Certification of School Psychology (NCSP), and has also obtained a Masters in Education with a Concentration in Montessori Studies in addition to her School Psychology degree. Contact her at hpratt@stetson.edu.

@montessori.matters

Misconceptions about Montessori and sleep

In this talk, Carine Robin will explore what Maria Montessori said about sleep and dispels some misconceptions about babies' and toddlers' sleep in the Montessori world.

If Montessori education is about supporting children's independence, what does it mean for our children's sleep? Is floor bed a necessity in a Montessori family? Lets talk about bed-sharing, cotts and all the sleep topics that we have to deal with as parents. 

Carine Robin

Carine Robin has a Master’s Degree in Psychology, specialising in child psychology. She worked for various social services in her home country of Belgium, before moving to Ireland in 2006.

It was there that she started working in a nursery and discovered Montessori education. After having her first child, her passion for the philosophy grew and she qualified as a Montessori teacher and managed a preschool.

Carine has been running a Montessori based parents and toddler group and coaching families for 9 years. She now also runs an online group for over 14000 parents, sharing her knowledge and passion with people from around the world.

In 2018, Carine realised families needed more support and launched her popular online parenting courses and monthly subscription boxes, full of personally designed Montessori materials.

Carine has also trained with Sarah Ockwell-Smith in BabyCalm and Toddler Calm, with Dr Laura Markham on Peaceful Parenting and most recently, at the prestigious Maria Montessori school in London, as an AMI Elementary  and 0-3 assistant:

What young children need you to know

Do you sometimes wonder how to value and accept all our children's emotions when the day just turns out to be a “hard one”? Would you like to know how to avoid bed battles and have smooth evenings or what to do if the child is always whining and how to react? Then join me in this interview! It is full of amazing topics! What else did we talk about?

- How to react during meltdowns? 
- Separation anxiety - why does it come, how to go through this stage and how to support our child? 
- "How You Respond to Me Has More to Do with You Than Me"
- Where is the limit between freedom and whatever they want?

...

Bridgett Miller

Bridgett Miller supports adults to nurture children using their heads and hearts. She is an educator, remedial therapist, presenter, parent consultant, authorized facilitator of the Neufeld Institute and the author of  What Young Children Need You to Know: How to see them so you know what to do for them. 

 www.bridgettmiller.com

@parentingwithintention

Sensory Bins the Montessori Way

Sensory bins are a fantastic (and popular) way to engage our children, but how do they fit into the Montessori Philosophy? In my new seminar, Sensory Bins the Montessori Way, I dive into why purposeful Montessori sensory bins are the perfect way to help build those essential early childhood development skills. Join me to learn the secrets to making a purposeful sensory bin that engages your child and utilizes developmentally appropriate sensory experiences to cultivate your child's curiosity, problem-solving skills, and physical ability.

Jenna Mazzei

Jenna is an AMS certified Montessori Teacher and mother dedicated to educating today's parents and caregivers on the Montessori Philosophy and why it is so important to follow a child's natural development from the beginning. She teaches the Montessori method with a modern approach that allows it to fit into every lifestyle and helps children discover their full potential.

Jenna has created a Montessori enterprise by running her preschool, creating quality early childhood products, designing playrooms and classrooms, and teaching educational seminars. Jenna's newest business venture, The Sensory Box by Evolve Montessori, is becoming increasingly popular. These curated Montessori sensory bin kits engage children for hours while helping build essential early childhood development skills.

How Montessori schools overcome a war in Ukraine

In this talk Montessori educators from Ukraine share their experience during the war and how they use education as a weapon for future peace. You will understand the motivation and hopefully get inspiration for your experience!

Montessori UA

Montessori UA is a non-profitable organization, that united in the spring of 2022, in response to the large-scale war in Ukraine, to create a platform that brings together specialists, professionals, and experts in various fields into a powerful team of like-minded people. The team continues to expand and create conditions for cooperation with specialists in Montessori pedagogy and related fields. We work harmoniously, providing support and development within the Montessori community.

Our mission is to spread the Montessori method throughout Ukraine by making it recognized by society and the government for the benefit of children, adults, and educators by creating quality educational opportunities, courses, and meetings for both parents and educators by developing environments and educational materials, and by building a culture of conscious parenting, respect for oneself, for each other, and the world.

Montessori UA – harmonious education for all generations.

www.montessoriua.com

IG: @montessori.ukraine

FB: @ngo.montessori.ukraine

Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCck1r1NMvQAEcar2FbM2rgA

Telegram: https://t.me/montessoriukraine

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