1.5 CPDs, Run Time: 58:37

This webinar will address the importance of the Kindergarten year in Montessori, and how to communicate this to your school community in order to retain children for the final year. We will examine actions that promote the Kindergarten Leadership program from the moment families schedule their initial tour, all the way through their child’s Kindergarten graduation. We will discuss specifics of the Kindergarten curriculum with regard to lessons, additional responsibilities, field trips, presentations, and child-led events.

After the session attendees will:
Understand
How to build a culture that values the final year in early childhood Montessori

Explain
How to use language, communication,  and visibility to increase retention for the Kindergarten year

Implement
The process of designing  and implementing a Montessori Kindergarten curriculum with regard to lessons, field trips, presentations, and event planning

Kim Hahn is the Assistant Head of School, Primary Divisional Lead, and 3-6 Montessori Guide at Kirkwood Children’s House. She is the Early Childhood Sensorial and Math instructor at the Hope Montessori Educational Institute. Kim holds a Master’s degree in education and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. Kim mentors several Montessori teachers in training around the St. Louis area. She and her husband live in St. Louis, MO and have two adult daughters.

Kerry Moran is the Head of School and Musikgarten teacher at Kirkwood Children’s House. She holds a Master’s degree in Montessori Education, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. Kerry is AMS certified at the Infant/Toddler and Early Childhood levels. She is also an instructor at Hope Montessori Educational Institute. Kerry resides in St. Louis, MO with her husband and three children.

1.5 CPDs, Run Time 41:50

This video will discuss spiritual development as a journey for all Montessori adults. The first half of the video will discuss the importance of engaging in spiritual development in a time of high burnout and low teacher retention, emphasizing how centering our wellness as adults is the only path to longevity in this work. The second half will discuss strategies to support Montessori adults across all levels. The video will culminate with a call to action for all those who serve our young people to see their spiritual development as the core of their practice and the method through which they can uplift themselves, their colleagues, and their impact on the positive development of their students.

Andrew believes in the potential for education to be transformative for all students. He has worked across K-12 and higher education in the U.S. and China. He is the Co-Founder of Developing Education, which operates three sub-divisions: The Enlightened Educator Project, First Intention, and Breaking the Paradigm. Andrew is also the Montessori Curriculum and Pedagogy Coordinator at the Oneness-Family Montessori High School. He holds a Masters in International Educational Development from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, a Bachelors in Anthropology from the University of Rochester, a Montessori Adolescent Certification from the Association Montessori Internationale, a Teaching for Equity Micro-Certification from Embracing Equity, and a certificate from the Phillips Exeter Humanities Institute.

1.5 CPDs, Run Time 58:24

Humans have evolved to learn most effectively through play; play is the human education instinct made manifest.
-The importance of self-motivation v. external motivation
-The downside of expecting obedience from young children and how to instead promote cooperation
-How to speak with children so they can think (instead of just obey)
-How and why play-based learning prepares children to be engaged citizens
What exactly is play and how can we, as the import adults in the lives of young children, promote an authentic, playful childhood.

Tom Hobson is best known, however, for his namesake blog, "Teacher Tom's Blog," where he has posted daily for over a decade, chronicling the life and times of his little preschool in the rain soaked Pacific Northwest corner of the US. For nearly two decades Teacher Tom was the sole employee of the Woodland Park Cooperative School, a parent-owned and operated school, knit together by Teacher Tom's democratic, progressive play-based pedagogy. Teacher Tom came into teaching through the backdoor, so to speak, having enrolled his own child in a cooperative preschool, where he began working daily in his daughter's classroom as an assistant teacher under the tutelage of veteran educators although he'll be the first to tell you that most of what he learned came from the children themselves. When it was time for his daughter to move on, he "stayed behind.”

1.5 CPDs, Run Time 51:45

The dominant narrative in education tells us that teaching is an act of survival—defined by overwork, unmanageable classrooms, and unrealistic expectations. But what if we challenged this story? What if our classrooms were centered instead on the joy and wellbeing of both teachers and children?
In this lesson, I’ll explore the transformative power of joy in Montessori environments and communities, and how leading with joy is a radical act of resistance against the current educational climate. We'll explore practical ways to transform your classroom from a space of mere survival into one filled with joy, and how this shift can impact your entire community.
Tom Brown is an AMI-trained guide specializing in both elementary and adolescent education, with an M.Ed. in Montessori Education and over a decade of experience teaching in public and private Montessori settings. He is the founder of Marigold Montessori, where he currently serves as an educational consultant, presenter, and coach. Tom has played a key role in establishing, leading, and supporting the growth of several Montessori schools and organizations in both the US and UK. He is also the editor of Direction Magazine, a publication of AMI UK. His work is driven by a deep commitment to social justice, ABAR (Anti-Bias, Anti-Racism) education, youth advocacy, and child-centered learning.

1.5 CPDs, Run Time 49:48

Dealing with parents can be one of the most challenging parts of educators’ jobs. This very practical presentation offers you both useful perspective and language to use in communicating with parents–especially about difficult topics–in order to create collaborative teacher-parent partnerships. It also helps you anticipate ways to handle challenging responses from parents.

Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, (also known as “Dr. Friendtastic”) is an author, psychologist, and mom of four, based in Princeton, NJ. She is the creator of the Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic podcast, where she answers questions from children about making and keeping friends. Her blog, Growing Friendships, on Psychology Today, has over 5 million views, and her TEDx talk on conflict resolution and bullying has over 250K views. Her recent books include Moody Moody Cars (for ages 4-8), Growing Friendships (for ages 6-12), and Kid Confidence (for parents).

1.5 CPDs. Run Time: 1:02

In this PD live session with Donovan Livingston, we will explore how we define knowledge and how it’s produced.

Donovan Livingston will challenge teachers to:
Expand their understanding of what counts as data
Recognize Montessori students and families as knowledge bearers in our school communities.
Tailor what we want to study in our given populations based on what our students and families already know and do well.

Dr. Donovan Livingston is an award-winning educator, spoken word poet, and public speaker. He was a spotlight speaker at TME 2024 in Orlando, as well as one of the contributors to the AMS Banned Books panel. In 2016, his Harvard Graduate School of Education convocation address “Lift Off” went viral, reaching over thirteen million views. Dr. Livingston has earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, master’s degrees from Columbia University and Harvard University, and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Educational Leadership & Cultural Foundations. Currently, he serves as Teaching Assistant Professor and Director of College Thriving at UNC Chapel Hill. Donovan is also a Montessori parent.

1.5 CPDs, Run time: 38:22

In this workshop, we will examine physical activity as a form of self-care and a cornerstone for wellness. We will also delve into how the conscious development of physical literacy constitutes the most authentic and fitting 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 Montessori learning experience can better prepare children for life in uncertain times.

Barbara Murphy, PhD, is cofounder of a Montessori program in Miami, FL. She holds a Montessori Fundamentals Certificate (Early Childhood) from the Center for Guided Montessori Studies.

This webinar was originally presented at TME 2022.

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.

This webinar was originally presented at TME 2022.

8 CPDs, Estimated to take 6 hours to complete

In this self-guided class, we will define what Montessori education means by Spontaneous Activity—a hallmark of our practice that is often misunderstood, conjuring up notions that children and adolescents are impulsively doing what they want, when they want, in our classroom environments. We will revisit Dr. Montessori’s vision of Spontaneous Activity and look at its importance in relation to the work of the child, the role of the teacher, and the significance of the environment. We will also explore ways observation supports Spontaneous Activity and explore how our approach to mistakes and redirection can influence Spontaneous Activity in our environments and help us understand the development of the whole child. This class highlights the voices and experiences of several of our AMS community members, who will share with you how they have developed a classroom or school environment where the learners' interests are encouraged, and where students have the ability to express their learnings in their own way. With videos, additional reading, interactive activities, discussion, and resources, this class will allow you to expand your understanding of Spontaneous Activity and renew your connection to what it really means to "Follow the Child." 

The class will take approximately six hours to complete with no homework assignments. Each of the six class lessons/modules of this dynamic multimedia course includes a short introduction, content for the participant to review (including videos, podcasts, readings, resources, etc.), a game or activity related to the content, and a required discussion post. Each lesson/module is estimated to take approximately one hour to complete. You will have 180 days (approx. six months) from the date of purchase to complete the class and download the certificate that grants eight hours of professional development. For the best user experience, we recommend using a desktop/laptop, but content can also be accessed on mobile devices. Certificates will only be awarded for full completion of the class.

Learner Outcomes

• To further understand the interplay between child development, the teacher, and the Montessori environment.
• To understand the importance of Spontaneous Activity in the learning experience.
• To recognize the factors that allow for a culture of Spontaneous Activity through observation.

By registering for this class, you are agreeing to AMS Terms of Service.

Pricing

With an AMS membership, our professional development is free or at a significantly reduced rate. Find out how you can save on PD by exploring AMS membership.

Join AMS and Save

Registering someone else or a group?  Contact Us

8 CPDs, Estimated to take 6 hours to complete

In this self-paced course, educators will explore why sustainable development is fundamental to Montessori education and modernizing our context of cosmic education. Through practical examples and resources, educators will explore ways to cultivate a sense of environmental consciousness, social responsibility, and economic awareness in their students. By the end of the class, educators will be equipped with the tools to educate and inspire students of all ages as they develop into the next generation of sustainability leaders.

The class will take approximately 6 hours to complete with no homework assignments. Each of the 6 class lessons/modules of this dynamic multimedia course includes a short introduction, content for the participant to review (including videos, podcasts, readings, resources, etc.), a game or activity related to the content, and a required discussion post. Each lesson/module is estimated to take approximately one hour to complete. You will have 180 days (approx. six months) from the date of purchase to complete the class and download the certificate that grants 8 hours of professional development. For the best user experience, we recommend using a desktop/laptop but content can also be accessed on mobile devices. Certificates will only be awarded for full completion of the class.

Learner Outcomes

• Demonstrate an understanding of the 17 sustainable development goals and how they relate to Montessori pedagogy.
• Cultivate strategies to foster a sense of environmental consciousness among students, encouraging them to appreciate and care for the natural world.
• Develop ways to promote social responsibility among students, emphasizing empathy, equity, and inclusivity in their interactions with others.
• Explore ways to instill economic awareness in students, helping them understand the interconnections between economic systems, social well-being, and environmental sustainability.
• Explore strategies for empowering students of all ages to become active participants and leaders in promoting sustainable practices within their communities.

By registering for this class, you are agreeing to AMS Terms of Service.

Pricing

With an AMS membership, our professional development is free or at a significantly reduced rate. Find out how you can save on PD by exploring AMS membership.

Join AMS and Save

Registering someone else or a group?  Contact Us