7 AM – NOON
Registration
7 – 8:30 AM
Coffee & Tea
8 AM – NOON
Exhibit Hall Open
Come explore an enticing assortment of high-quality Montessori materials, classroom furniture, gift items, and more.
8:30 – 10 AM
Workshops: Session 7
How to Teach Peace in Your Classroom
Zahra Foroud
Maria Montessori wrote, “Children come to this world with pure love in their hearts. When this love is recognized and is consistently reflected back to them, they are able to develop their fullest potential and become responsible.” In the early childhood classroom, the most essential elements of peace education are compassion, cooperation, and conflict resolution. Learn how to practice these values in our own behavior and establish a model for children to use every day. (EC)
Peace in Every Step: Walking a Spiritual Path with Children
Elizabeth M. Moore, Maureen Bauer
Children are spiritual beings, naturally possessing a sacred sense that many adults spend years trying to reclaim. If we recognize and honor children’s spiritual connection, they may never have to lose it. In this reflective, creative workshop, you will explore ideas for cultivating a language of peace through music, art, meditation, and story, learn how to incorporate these ideas into your everyday classroom routine, and go beyond the peace table! (EC)
The Eight Dimensions of a Peaceful School (Cancelled)
A peaceful school environment: you know it when you see it, but how do you achieve it? Join a lively presentation with a seasoned Montessori teacher educator and administrator on the eight dimensions of a peaceful school. These dimensions incorporate the compassionate heart, the concentrated mind, and the harmonious routines of the body into the school’s prepared environment. (ALL)
The Formula for a Viable World: Peaceful People and a Healthy Environment
Elizabeth Varley
“We must enable children to grow up with a healthy spirit, a strong character, and a clear intellect, so that as adults they will not tolerate contradictory moral principals but will gather human energies for constructive purposes.” —Maria Montessori
As burgeoning globalism strains the environment, it is increasingly important to thoughtfully and honestly discuss social and environmental issues with children. Come review relevant books, strategies, and activities to help children connect to nature and make Maria’s vision a reality. (EC, EL)
Meaningful Service: Education for Peace and Social Justice
Marta Donahoe
“Our feet carry us into the world, our hands do the work of the world, and the work of the heart is the most important work of all.” (Service chant) Service should be an integral part of Montessori secondary education, and students need to learn the difference between helping and serving. Come explore a template for designing service activities, and leave with the confi dence to create meaningful service experiences that engage the heart. (SEC, TE, ADM, PUB)
Shifting the Mind-Set: Connecting Montessori Practice with Ecological Sustainability
Ann Sutton, Seth Johnson, Charo Alarcon
Sustainability means meeting current resource needs without compromising the needs of future generations. How do we shift our mind-set to attain it? How does Montessori education prepare us, and our children, for sustainable efforts? Join us to explore how prepared environments, grace and courtesy, and cosmic and peace education work in concert with the principles of sustainability. Come to begin a conversation and collaboration with like-minded individuals to continue beyond the conference. (ALL)
Simulating Learning Differences: Learning to Empathize with Your Struggling Students
Casey Barnett, Carolyn Bentley
Learning differences can affect children’s academic, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical lives. Using activities to simulate the experiences of learners with processing differences, this workshop will deepen teachers’ empathy, an important and often elusive element for the effective guidance of students in Montessori classrooms. (ALL)
To Camp or Not to Camp? Not Even a Question!
Janet Williams
Regardless of financial status or geographic location, all schools can integrate a developmentally appropriate outdoor program into a Montessori curriculum. Including basic information on backpacking and camping skills, individual and group responsibilities at the campsite, and correlating developmentally appropriate academic activities, this workshop will provide all the information you need to get outdoors! (EL)
Leaders Developing Leaders
Pamela Dunn
The most remarkable leaders not only lead in their own right but have mastered the ability to develop leadership in others. But some of us are not sure how to move past our own competitive natures: Are we able to support others in our presence to be even greater than ourselves? What if we could? Does this idea scare you or inspire you? Come examine the nature of leadership, and learn how to move beyond your current capacity to lead. (TE, ADM, PUB)
Explaining Executive Function: The Key to Academic Success
Meg Drake
The success of every 21st-century learner depends upon the set of high-level abilities we call “executive function”: time management, organization and prioritization of information, distinguishing main ideas from details, and the ability to reflect on one’s own work and shift approaches as necessary. Come learn strategies to nurture executive function and help all students experience a greater sense of satisfaction in their work. (EL, SEC)
Let My Children Go!
Greg Nelson
As marvelous as the Montessori approach is, it is also a system with lots of rules and procedures. How do we maintain a prepared environment, remain faithful to the method, and follow the child simultaneously? This workshop explores the interpersonal dynamics of loosening the reins with integrity. (EC)
Elementary Lesson Planning 101
Michael J. Dorer
This detailed look at Montessori elementary lesson planning will begin with an examination of the aims, higher order questioning skills, and follow-up work recorded in participants’ albums. Then, looking at a sample, you’ll create your own lesson plan—so not only will you learn to understand the vital importance of detailed planning, but you’ll leave with a concrete, self-created tool that you can immediately put to work. You know you can’t really keep it all in your head! (EL, ADM, PUB)
Continuing the Heads of Schools Conversation
Penny HildeBrandt Cichucki
This workshop will provide more time for school leaders to further explore important administrative topics raised in the Heads of Schools Networking Session. Even if you weren’t able to attend the networking session, if you are a head of school, please do join this continuing discussion. (ADM)
Third Annual Global Forum: Strategies for Educating for Peace and Social Justice
Richard A. Ungerer, Alyssa Morishima Moore
The mission of the Global Forum is to celebrate and strengthen the global Montessori community through an international exchange of ideas, information, and innovations. This year’s Global Forum objective is to share experiences and strategies for Montessorians outside the United States to individually and collectively educate children for peace and social justice. All Montessorians worldwide are welcome and encouraged to attend. (ALL)
Crucial Conversations: Navigating Challenging Interactions
Jonathan Wolff
A “crucial conversation” is a discussion between two or more people where stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. At some point, all teachers and school leaders face such conversations. How can we improve these moments, establishing trust, finding mutual ground, and achieving mutual goals? In this interactive session, come see and practice techniques for making such discussions peaceful and successful. (ALL)
10:30 AM – NOON
Closing Keynote Address: Greg Mortenson
Three Cups of Tea: Promoting Peace and Building Nations, One School, One Child at Time
See Greg Mortenson Keynote page.
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