1.5 CPDs, Run Time 36:53

Most children in public Montessori schools are successfully served through fully-implemented Montessori practice taking place within the classroom. This means that every child is receiving personalized instruction; observation is informing decisions; and needs arising throughout a given day or week are addressed by the classroom teachers.

At one point or another, students will need different or additional support to have a successful classroom experience. In Child Study—an integrated Montessori-based approach to Response to Intervention (RTI) and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)—NCMPS offers a framework for implementing different levels of intervention which align with Montessori philosophy.

This presentation provides Montessorians with an introduction to this child-centered, asset-based approach to tiered intervention.

1.5 CPDs, Run time 43:17

En esta presentación, examinaremos el ejercicio físico como forma de autocuidado y piedra angular del bienestar. También veremos cómo el desarrollo consciente de la alfabetización física, siguiendo los principios Montessori, constituye la implementación más auténtica y actualmente relevante del plan de estudios de movimiento y educación física en Montessori. Finalmente, exploraremos cómo la mayor incorporación de conceptos y actividades de bienestar en la experiencia de aprendizaje puede ayudar a preparar mejor tanto a niños como a adultos para la vida en tiempos inciertos.

1.5 CPDs, Run Time: 31:29

Esta videolección te animará a reflexionar sobre tus acciones y comportamientos cotidianos en relación a una sostenibilidad coherente y estable en la educación de la primera infancia. Esta lección compartirá algunos ejemplos e ideas para poner en práctica estos aspectos de sostenibilidad en sus entornos, escuelas e instituciones.

1.5 CPDs   Run Time 1:00:18

In this session, we will explore the importance of movement for all children, uncovering why Dr. Montessori placed it at the core of her pedagogy. We will then deep dive into the unique needs of children with disabilities. Understanding behavior as communication, we will discuss the key role of observation and what to look for as red flags. In the same line, we will consider the use of Montessori materials as diagnostic and therapeutic tools to adapt the learning experience and thereby meet different movement needs. Finally, we will see how connecting with specialists as part of an interdisciplinary approach can help promote inclusion in the classroom and beyond.

Barbara Luborsky is a pediatric occupational therapist with many years of experience working with children of all ages. Her work has focused on children with autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing challenges, ADHD, learning differences and trauma. She has worked in public and private schools and preschools in Maryland and Washington DC, as well as in the Infants and Toddlers program in Frederick County MD. Following her OT training, Barbara was a Research Fellow at the Georgetown University Hospital Child Development Center, where she earned a Certificate in Infant Toddler Specialization. She has been involved in the Montessori community first as a parent and later as an OT, a consultant and presenter, since 1996. Barbara owns and operates her clinic, Way to Grow, which opened in 2002, and is Co-founder and Co-director of the Montessori Medical Partnership for Inclusion, which was founded in 2018. MMPI is dedicated to increasing capacity for inclusion of more children in Montessori communities across the globe. Since it opened in 2018, the MMPI website has had more than 20,000 visitors from over 100 countries. The website provides resources and information about MMPI inclusion courses.

 Barbara Murphy is passionate about education and a life-long learner. Driven by this passion, she completed a PhD from Northwestern University and a Montessori certificate from the Center for Guided Montessori Studies. Her other passion are her children. She became a mother while living in Milan, Italy, and that’s how she discovered Montessori education and she instantly fell in love with it. Then she moved to Miami, Florida, where her Montessori journey started in the area of physical development, as she worked to bring a more authentic approach to movement and exercise in Montessori. Nourished by the love and support from our community, and inspired by its changing needs, her vision then expanded to capture the more holistic idea of wellness. It also evolved to focus more directly on her core purpose in life: education. Now as the founder of Montessori Wellness, Barbara is writing the next chapter in her Montessori adventure. Her mission is to promote a deeper understanding of the connections between Montessori pedagogy and wellness practices, so as to support the physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of children and adults alike.

1.5 CPDs, Run Time: 45

Enhance your ability to provide true inclusion for disabled and neurodivergent learners in your environments by employing affirming language, informed by the community of people like them.

Aysia Platte, M.S.Ed. (she/her) is credentialed at the early childhood level, in addition to her expertise in a wide range of specialties that support the wellbeing of young children and their adults. She provides individualized parent coaching services and is focusing on growing her community-based organization, crafting a lifestyle that is an expression of her passion for nurturing growing families and promoting inclusion, while allowing her to thrive as a disabled and neurodivergent human.

This session focuses on specific learning disabilities through a Montessori lens. You will learn about benchmarks and flags in the Primary years and how each specific learning disability manifests in the Elementary years.

Andrée Rolfe is the Educational Consultant at The Village School in Waldwick, New Jersey and an instructor at Loyola University’s Center for Montessori Education. She works with schools to navigate the interface between Montessori education and special education.  Andrée holds an Ed.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University in Special Education - Learning Disabilities and is AMI certified at the elementary level.  She is a contributor to Montessori Inclusion and the author of Instructional Level Spelling materials.   

1.5 CPDs, Run time 57.02 

Physical development is visibly noticeable and observable in young children and happens right before our eyes; however, there is much to be learned about behind the scenes!  We will take a deep dive into the history and theories of motor development, the phases of motor development, and the "why" and "how" of supporting motor development and learning in the classroom, using neuroscience as the foundation. 

Dr. Ashley Morris is the Executive Director of the Montessori Teacher Education Institute of Atlanta. Ashley holds degrees from the College of William and Mary in neuroscience (B.S.) and Kennesaw State University in early childhood education (ME,D, Ed.S, Ed.D), as well as AMS and PAMS early childhood credentials. She serves on the board of the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) and enjoys working with Georgia’s Montessori advocacy group, Montessori Administrators of Georgia. She also serves on Grow Montessori's board and The Suzuki Schools' executive committee. Before adult education, she worked as a Montessori primary teacher and then moved into administration as curriculum director at the Suzuki School in Atlanta.

1.5 CPDs, Run time 1 hour

Join Allison Jones from Public Montessori in Action; María Carvajal from the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector; and moderator Maati Wafford, AMS director of equity and engagement, for a live panel discussion on supporting all children in our public Montessori schools. The panel will discuss why we consider child studies a critical practice for all Montessori communities, as well as how they are designed to support multilingual learners, neurodivergent students, and students with disabilities.

Allison Jones  is a primary- and elementary- trained Montessorian with 20 years of experience, including teaching, coaching, special education, school administration, bilingual Montessori, and DEI in school settings. She holds an M.Ed. from Loyola University. Her passion is ensuring that Montessori is implemented in a way that serves all children and is rooted in each child's identity and community. 

María Carvahal  has 20 years of experience in teaching, educational research, consulting, mentorship, and program management in El Salvador, Mexico, Spain, and the U.S. She is a certified AMI elementary guide with primary teaching experience, and holds a B.A. and M.A. in Humanities from the University of Navarra and a M.Ed. in Montessori Elementary Education from Loyola University Maryland. María’s professional interests include trauma-informed care, English learner education, and early intervention.

1.5 CPDs, Run time 59:42

In this session we are joined by Lila Yusen, MS. Ed. who is the Learning Specialist and the Coordinator of Academic Support at Rogers Park Montessori School in Chicago, Illinois. We look at the role of assessments in Montessori Environments. As teachers, we are constantly assessing our students through observations and interactions. These informal assessments inform our instruction and help us to guide the child in ways that improve their learning. However, there are times when we may seek additional information to confirm our observations. Curriculum Based Measures or CBMs can provide the kind of data teachers need over time to make informed decisions about how best to support their students. This session defines CBMs, why they are important, and how they can be used in a Montessori environment to make informed decisions about instruction, as well as provide resources for teachers and school administrators.

1.5 CPDs, Run time 23:13

Human beings are the only species with the ability to communicate through spoken language. This presentation will cover the development of speech and language for both typically and atypically developing children. An oral language curriculum, which augments the Montessori nomenclature will be discussed in this two-part webinar.

Dr. Joyce S. Pickering has been a Montessorian for over forty years. A speech and hearing pathologist, and learning disabilities specialist, she has devoted her life to addressing the needs of students with learning differences. Among her many awards and honors, she was the 2013 Living Legacy Recipient for the American Montessori Society. Joyce is Executive Director Emerita of Shelton School & Evaluation Center in Dallas, Texas, the world's largest independent school for children with learning differences.