Hope Leyson

The Laren School
Manila, Philippines

Target Audience: General Audience
Style of Presentation: WORKSHOP
Time: 90 min
Room: Room 220

Title of presentation

Montessori education and the diversity-inclusion pas de deux

Short description

In big, open societies that are inclusive, multicultural and obviously diverse, why do the cracks reveal continued prejudice and hatred, which incite violence and war? Diversity and multiculturalism do not automatically mean inclusion. Inclusion practices need to be sustained by looking at it as a culture that effectively capitalises on diversity. How? Through Montessori education. By going back to the roots of education - the child and the development of individual human potentials, we cut through group boundaries and tap into human universals that define people all over the world, providing hope for true inclusion and lasting peace.

Author's biography

Born in Manila, Philippines. AMI Montessori trained in primary (3-6) and elementary (6-12). Holder of a Master's in Education major in Special Education. Finished the NAMTA Orientation to Adolescent Studies. Education Director/Co-Owner of The Laren School, a Montessori School for children ages 3-16 yrs. old. Faculty member of Ateneo De Manila University, Department of Education. Finished Certificate for Advanced Studies in Education at Loyola University in Maryland. With experience teaching primary, elementary, adolescent, graduate students for 30 years.

Karin Slabaugh

Montessori Mentors International
Santa Cruz, USA

Target Audience: General Audience
Style of Presentation: ORAL
Time: 90 min
Room: Meeting Hall IV

Title of presentation

The “cosmic task” of birth to three

Short description

In this unique and possibly final opportunity to hear directly from Grazia, in a film created with her for the Congress, she will explain why it is critical to understand the newborn and protect him; why the ‘terrible twos’ is actually a decisive and critical period of development; how the environment rich in exploratory materials nurtures the child’s creativity and future critical thinking; and how the essential Montessori values are applied in two of her childcare programs. It is truly the smallest children who, without any awareness of it happening, perform the initial part of the "cosmic task” of our species, in the sense Maria Montessori gave this term. In 1947 Grazia enrolled herself in the first Assistant’s to Infancy Montessori training and 70 years later is still at work defending the newborn and the youngest children.

Author's biography

AMI 0-3 and Master degree in Montessori Education Infancy. After observing hundreds of hours in Montessori 0-3 programs around the globe, Karin discovered Montessori 0-3 in Italy under the guidance of Grazia Honegger Fresco. In 2010 she initiated research on the archives of Adele Costa Gnocchi’s Assistants to Infancy School. In 2012 she completed a 150-hour 0-3 course with Grazia and in 2014 completed extensive observations in northern Italy. After seven years in AMI classrooms, Karin began to experiment with what she has learned from Grazia. She moved to Italy in 2016 to devote herself to her research and to the development of a modern version of the Montessori newborn specialist.

Video Invitation

Vishwas Parchure

CHALLOPS
Pune, India

Target Audience: General Audience
Style of Presentation: WORKSHOP
Time: 90 min
Room: South Hall II

Title of presentation

Play for peace

Short description

Peace Building or Community Building is a process of creating a safe environment where a constructive dialogue can take place. Play for Peace is one of the methodologies to create this safe space. It involves simple cooperative games, laughter and joy which allows the participants (often from conflicting communities) an opportunity to experience the humanness of the 'other' party. This opportunity could prove to be the initiation of the peace building process. Play for Peace was born in Chicago, USA and now has spread its work across the world. In this introductory workshop on Play for Peace, participants will experince a play session and understand the core philosophy on which Play for Peace is based on. The workshop will also discuss various applications of the 'Play for Peace' methodology especially in learning environments for adults as well as children.

Author's biography

Vishwas has been a practitioner in the field of experiential education for the past 28 years. He has also been a teacher a large part of that time. He has traveled to N Ireland, South Africa, America, Middle East and other countries to train education institutions and organizations in the application of Play for Peace in their communities. He currently teaches a course in Experiential Education in india, helping educators make their classrooms more engaging and effective. Aditya is primarily a school teacher in a montessori school in Hyderabad, India. His work consists of building a community feeling within his class and school; using various methods based on experiential education principles. These days, he is working on employing the core values of Play for Peace in his classroom interactions and create a safe environment which is most conducive to learning. He has also been working for Life Skills Education with youth from all over India using Play for Peace methodology since 2012. He completed his certification from Play for Peace, Chicago, in the year 2014.

Victoria Marshall-Cerins

Montessori Australia Foundation
Sydney, Australia

Target Audience: Teachers - Infant & Toddler (0-3)
Style of Presentation: WORKSHOP
Time: 90 min
Room: Chamber Hall

Title of presentation

Preparing the environment for childbirth

Short description

In this workshop we will explore how the involuntary and reflexive processes of labour and childbirth are heavily dependent upon the environment for optimal functioning. We will look at what becomes possible for women and their babies when they are provided with an environment which meets their universal needs during this, ‘decisive moment for the whole of the future.’ Dr Montessori, The Absorbent Mind.

Author's biography

Victoria Marshall-Cerins holds the AMI 0-3 diploma and a Graduate Diploma in Childbirth Education. Victoria has delivered antenatal workshops to parents for over 10 years and has attended more than 120 births. For over 7 years Victoria experimented with the qualities of the birth environment and how they impact the laboring women’s behaviours and outcomes of the birth. She found that given a specific set of environmental conditions, the vast majority of women were able to achieve, ‘accidentally drug-free’ physiological births. Victoria currently works as part of Montessori Australia’s management team and manages the Pregnancy to Parenting Australia project.

Video Invitation

Joachim Dattke

Theodor-Hellbruegge-Foundation
Munich, Germany

Target Audience: General Audience
Style of Presentation: ORAL
Time: 90 min
Room: Meeting Hall I.B

Title of presentation

Empowering Montessori teachers to create inclusive environments - part 4

Short description

All children have a right, regardless of their ethnic, cultural or social background, and also regardless of any special problems, disabilities or deviations to attend a school together with each other and learn from each other. We all want our children and young adults to get from society all the opportunities and possibilities needed to live a dignified and independent life. For children and young adults with special needs, inclusion is necessary. If you listen closely, it becomes clear. Inclusion is understood differently. It's not about people adapting to a "normal level" or fitting into an existing structure. Rather, inclusion requires a comprehensive reorganization of structures - institutions and practices - so that each person can, of course, be there in the middle. Inclusion means in school, work, neighborhoods, politics, in short, in all areas of life. Only then will people with disabilities, like all people, be able to enjoy their human rights and guaranteed freedoms. For this reason, all Montessori educators need a "Special Education Course" in addition to their Montessori Diploma, if they wish to implement the concept of inclusion.

Author's biography

Prof. h.c. Dipl. Päd. Joachim Dattke Academic studies: 1970 – 1974: Institute for Teacher Training in Neukloster, Germany - Graduation as elementary teacher for German, Mathematics and Technics; 1982 – 1985: Martin-Luther-University in Halle a. d. Saale, Germany - Graduation as qualified teacher (Dipl.-Päd); 1991 – 1992: Montessori course at the German Academy for Development Rehabilitation in Munich - AMI Montessori Diploma for Special Education 1992 - 1993: Montessori course at the Washington Montessori Institute - AMI Montessori Elementary Diploma Since 1998 Head of the international courses of the International Academy for Development Rehabilitation, Munich, for Montessori Education and Montessori Special Education and Coordinator of the international training courses of the International Academy for Development Rehabilitation in Montessori Education and Montessori Special Education in Indonesia, India, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, etc. Ukraine

Gena Engelfried

Goldenoak Montessori School
Castro Valley, USA

Target Audience: Teachers - Elementary (6-12)
Style of Presentation: WORKSHOP
Time: 90 min
Room: Room 223

Title of presentation

Supporting inclusivity and growth: Working with the parents of special needs students

Short description

Special needs students have parents who need special attention. The challenges and rewards of working inclusively with children who learn differently call to us just as they did in Dr. Montessori’s early career. Compassion, connection and the ability to deliver difficult information are just a few of the skills you will need when working with the parents of these special children. This skill building workshop will get you started on the path to educating the parents of special needs students.

Author's biography

Gena Engelfried has been a Montessori school administrator since 1995. She completed her Montessori primary training in Dublin with Mary Hayes in 1982. She has worked as a parent educator, consultant and international lecturer, and assistant at the NAMTA adolescent orientation. She is the founder of The Grove School in Redlands, California and is currently the Head of School at Golden Oak Montessori School in Hayward.

Melita Kordes Demsar

Montessori institut, zavod
Ljubljana, Slovenia

Target Audience: Teachers - Elementary (6-12)
Style of Presentation: WORKSHOP
Time: 90 min
Room: Room 221

Title of presentation

Creative ways to help parents of elementary-aged children understand and support their children better

Short description

Our school takes time to build a community: families at our schools can (and do) participate in social gatherings, educational evenings, meetings, sports events, picnics, workshops in making materials, visits to the school and many other. We would like to stay “on the same page” with the parents, as this is how us adults can be the best support the children need. Discover the numerous ways we communicate with parents and involve them into the Montessori (school) life. Come and find what works for your schools and share your own good ideas.

Author's biography

Biography Melita Kordes Demsar has an Anthropology Master’s degree. She has an AMI 0-3 diploma and an AMS 0-3 and 3-6 certificates. She is in the process of obtaining her AMS 6-12 certificate. She is the founder of the Montessori Institute (Ljubljana, Slovenia) which currently educates 170 children in 1-6, 6-12 and 12-15. She is the co-founder and first president of the Slovenian Montessori Association, in which she is now a board member.She has 3 children, who are attending elementary (ages 8, 10 and 12) and she also understands the viewpoint of a parent very well.

Cynthia Castiglione

Near North Montessori
chicago, USA

Target Audience: Teachers - Adolescent (12-18)
Style of Presentation: WORKSHOP
Time: 90 min
Room: Room 224

Title of presentation

Technology in the prepared environment for the third plane child

Short description

Our upper elementary and third-plane students have grown up with technology, and an orientation to that world is necessary in order to prepare for life in an increasingly computer-driven world. The adolescent classroom then must have technology as part of the prepared environment for the adolescent with the same kind of thought and considerations that go into the rest of the classroom. Upon completion of this session, participants will be to 1) evaluate their own prepared environment for their students’ technological needs  2) have a better understanding of how the needs and tendencies of the third plane child relate to technology.

Author's biography

Cynthia Castiglione is a head teacher in the 12-14 junior high level at Near North Montessori in Chicago, where she has taught since 2009. She is one of the directors for the annual Montessori and City Adolescent Conference (MACA). Previously, Cynthia taught literature, theater, and fine arts in the Chicago Public Schools for grades 5-12. She also collaborated with other educators through Northeastern University to coauthor a comprehensive arts curriculum, published in 2010, for kindergarten through eighth grade. She completed the NAMTA/AMI Montessori Orientation to Adolescent Studies and is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University.

Video Invitation

Kathleen Guinan

Crossway Montessori Communities
Kensington, USA

Target Audience: General Audience
Style of Presentation: WORKSHOP
Time: 60 min
Room: Room 3.2

Title of presentation

A Montessori approach to inter-generational learning: An experiential model for policymakers

Short description

My presentation will demonstrate the Crossway Community model, a Montessori-inspired two-generation approach to education and community development, and facilitate a discussion around applying Montessori for social change.

Author's biography

Kathleen Guinan ihas devoted her career to social change and pathways to peace. As chief executive officer of Crossway Community, Ms. Guinan has presented at local, regional, national and international conferences on innovative approaches to education and community development. She has forged partnerships with Vital Voices, Shared Hope International and Educateurs Sans Frontiers. Ms. Guinan was awarded the Metropolitan Life Enterprise Foundation "Best Practice Award," as well as the 2005 "Bridge Builders Award", and was selected by WETA as a Hometown Hero.

Video Invitation

Connie Carballo

Fundacion Argentina Maria Montessori
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Target Audience: General Audience
Style of Presentation: WORKSHOP
Time: 45 min
Room: Room 344

Title of presentation

First Montessori public sector kindergarten of South America is in Argentina (and their teachers are AMI trained)

Short description

Being the first -and only- AMI Training Center in South America (so far) and having trained the first group of public sector teachers as AMI Montessori guides in the region, has been a great and inspiring process that is worth sharing with the rest of worldwide Montessorians. Hopefully, Argentina´s Montessori story, will inspire those who want to make a contribution to their countries, but do not really know how to begin.

Author's biography

Connie Carballo and Marisa Sioli, co founders of Fundacion Argentina Maria Montessori/FAMM, affiliated to AMI and first AMI Trainig Center of South America.

Steven Hughes

Association Montessori Internationale Research Committee
St. Paul, USA

Target Audience: General Audience
Style of Presentation: SUPER BREAKOUT
Time: 90 min
Room: Meeting Hall V

Title of presentation

Self-construction of a moral agent

Short description

Moral development is the process through which persons grow in their ability to understand, respect, and treat others with fairness. Advanced moral reasoning skills depend upon both cognitive capabilities and motivational dispositions. If we wish to build a peaceful world, it must a world where each individual is valued and is capable and included to demonstrate value for others rights and freedoms. Come learn how Montessori helps children and adolescents grown in their understanding of the science of respect.

Author's biography

Steven Hughes, PhD, ABPdN is a pediatric neuropsychologist based in St. Paul, Minnesota and London. His research interests include the development of executive functioning and social intelligence, and the role that early childhood education can play in promoting the formation of these essential capabilities. Dr. Hughes is chair of the Association Montessori Internationale Global Research Committee and a frequent speaker and consultant to Montessori education organizations around the world.

Video Invitation

Ana Camila Jimènez Borbolla

Instituto Montessori De Mexico, A.C.
Cuernavaca, Mexico

Target Audience: Teachers - Adolescent (12-18)
Style of Presentation: ORAL
Time: 45 min
Room: Room 3.2

Title of presentation

Cuentepec: A love story between Montessori Adolescents and the indigenous population in Mexico

Short description

It is one of these indigenous towns called Cuentepec that the high school students started a social work project. The project started with an ethnographic approach, having students visit the town on a regular basis. Through their observations and encounters with the Cuentepec people, students started to get to know them and learn about their social, political, religious and economic structure. Students then started to make an anthropological study of Cuentepec.

Author's biography

Ana Camila Jimenez holds a bachelor´s degree in Philosophy. She is Montessori-trained at the Assistant to Infancy, Primary and Elementary levels. She was director of Colegio Montessori de Tepoztlan, in Cuernavaca, Mexico for three years. This school has a full Montessori program at the early childhood, elementary, and adolescent levels, through high school, including a farm school. She is currently an Elementary Auxiliary Trainer for Instituto Montessori de Mexico, which is affiliated with Association Montessori Internationale. Ana Camila has 15 years of experience as an Elementary teacher and she is a Montessori child and a Montessori mom.

Video Invitation

Margaret Strickland

Westabou Montessori School
Augusta, USA

Target Audience: General Audience
Style of Presentation: WORKSHOP
Time: 90 min
Room: Room 3.1

Title of presentation

Montessori based gardening in a food desert to help create food security

Short description

Westabou Montessori School is in the middle of a food desert. Through our organic gardening program, we grow 85% of the food needed for our school's nutrition programs. Our inexpensive program connects children to the most basic rhythms of the universe. We are one part of an overall food strategy that works to capture the interest and appetites of neighborhood residents to help them learn the lost art of nourishing themselves through healthy food. Our students begin every day in the garden, tending and harvesting plants for food, beauty, and seeds. Children progress quickly in their mastery of skills because they like the end result of eating good food.

Author's biography

Margaret Baker Strickland is head of school and lead guide in a primary (3-6) classroom at Westabou Montessori School in Augusta, Georgia. After a 13 year career in the non-profit sector working nationally and regionally on issues related to environment, education, and community development, in 2008, she returned to school to complete her AMI diploma at the Primary level. Margaret now happily spends her days gardening and matching presentations to needs of children in a 3-6 classroom.

Irena Mitrovic

Montessori school Belgrade
Belgrade, Serbia

Target Audience: General Audience
Style of Presentation: ORAL
Time: 45 min
Room: Room 222

Title of presentation

Montessori education – a pathway to environmental awareness

Short description

Dr Montessori recognized the importance of developing environmental awareness from early age. Main features of this process through planes of development, and the ways child develops attitudes and responsibilities towards the environment, learns about ecological principles and prepares to contribute to environmental protection will be presented. The idea of the presentation is to contribute to further thinking about this topic and setting theoretical and practical solutions for the future.

Author's biography

Born and lives in Belgrade. Two sons were the main motivation for starting career in Montessori. MSc in Environmental Sciences and Policy, worked for years as environmental specialist. Started a Montessori school in Belgrade in 2009. Experience with children up to the age of 3, with 3 to 6 children and with lower elementary children.Montessori elementary course in Bergamo 2012-2013. Co-founder of the Serbian Montessori Association, now affiliated to AMI. Translated Discovery of the child to Serbian. Plans for the future: more Montessori titles in Serbian, Montessori elementary and middle school, AMI training in Belgrade.

Tessie Schjetnan

Instituto Montessori para Guías de Taller
Mexico City, Mexico

Target Audience: General Audience
Style of Presentation: ORAL
Time: 90 min
Room: Meeting Hall I.A

Title of presentation

Gratitude and responsibility – human being as an agent of creation

Short description

In this session we will explore the benefits of being grateful and the various elements we use in our classrooms to favour the development of Gratitude in children in order to help them become agents of peace, honest individuals capable of contributing and behaving respectfully in their environment and in society.

Author's biography

Tessie is the Director of Training at the Instituto Montessori para Guías de Taller, in Mexico City. She holds AMI diplomas for Children’s House and Elementary and degrees in Graphic Design and Education. Ms. Schjetnan has taught children from three to twelve years for twenty years. Tessie attended a Montessori school until age 14. She has given workshops in Mexico and internationally on a variety of Montessori topics.

Monica Salassa

University of Roma Tre
ROMA, Italy

Target Audience: General Audience
Style of Presentation: WORKSHOP
Time: 90 min
Room: Room 343

Title of presentation

Montessori peace academy: Education of citizens committed to peace and acting for peace

Short description

Establish the “Montessori Peace Academy” means to develop the science of peace in theory and practice from our single "selves" to the universal dimension, from our individual inner peace to the world peace community. A Montessori peace curriculum designed to put into communication different worlds through the composition of a puzzle made of multidisciplinary knowledge and interdisciplinary practice aimed at the education of citizens as active agents of social change.

Author's biography

Monica Salassa, PhD, Research Fellow. Teaching Assistant of Experimental Pedagogy, Department of Education, University of Roma Tre. She has contributed to research projects undertaken by the Centre for Montessori Studies since its foundation in 2002 at Roma Tre University. Lecturer, trainer and tutor in Master courses concerning Montessori education and Education research. She has been leading the research project "Montessori Digital Library" since 2009 (www.montessori.uniroma3.it). Recent publications: “The quality of Montessori schools in Italy. Case studies” (2014); the Italian translation from the French of Maria Montessori's "From childhood to adolescence" (2009).

Montessori Adolescent Programme Inspiration

Collective Presentation
,

Target Audience: General Audience
Style of Presentation: WORKSHOP
Time: 90 min
Room: South Hall I

Title of presentation

Back to the Future! Returning to Montessori’s texts to create a new wave of Montessori Adolescent Communities

Short description

3 schools, 2 training centres and AMI have been working together to synthesise Dr Montessori’s writings about the third plane into a guide to starting an adolescent communities. In this workshop we will return to Montessori’s visionary texts and see how the schools in Sweden, Austria and the UK are implementing this methodology. This groundbreaking international collaboration – the Montessori Adolescent Programme Inspirations - has been made possible by an EU Erasmus + grant.

Author's biography