Lectures for English speakers

This session explores the essential role of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in fostering optimal brain... development during early childhood, framed within Dr. Maria Montessori's educational philosophy. It highlights how social, emotional, and cognitive growth are deeply interconnected and shaped by early experiences, offering a comprehensive understanding of how SEL supports lifelong learning and success.

Key topics covered include:
• The significance of early social relationships, emotional experiences, and cognitive opportunities in shaping a child’s developing brain.
• Dr. Montessori’s approach to creating environments that integrate mind and body through meaningful social and learning activities.
• Insights into brain development, including the role of genes, epigenetics, and early experiences in building brain architecture.
• The importance of emotionally safe and cognitively stimulating environments in nurturing social, emotional, and cognitive growth, particularly during sensitive periods of brain development.
• The impact of social relationships—such as those with peers, family, and teachers—on emotional regulation, social awareness, and overall well-being, which are key components of SEL.

The session will conclude by emphasizing the Montessori method as a holistic and effective model for integrating SEL into education. Participants will gain actionable strategies for creating environments that promote SEL and support optimal brain development during the critical early years of life. This presentation is designed to provide educators, administrators, and caregivers with practical insights to help children thrive socially, emotionally, and cognitively. Show more

In this class you will apply observation methods to develop your classroom leadership... practice and bring three observation methods back to your classroom. Show more

Increasingly parents need us before and after typical school hours... This poses the challenge of organizing activities that support children's development in the Montessori spirit but that do not take away from their workcycle or fatigue them with a longer school day. We will look at several models for this additional time and explore extensions of work both inside and outside the classroom as well as clubs for school age students. Show more

Once upon a time, children ran outside and played, morning, noon, and night... While having fun, they constructed their executive function, developed social skills, and habits of persistence. Then they put down their toys and became adolescents capable of completing their cognitive and social development.
Fast forward to today … and children do not run outside to play. Their parents, fearing for their safety, gave them smart phones with access to virtual worlds. While having fun, children partially construct themselves, struggle to concentrate and self-regulate emotions, and when they become adolescents, their rates of anxiety and depression during the past ten years increased by about 150%, and the rate of self-harm almost tripled for young adolescent girls.
During this keynote, Paul will contrast play-based and phone-based childhoods and offer strategies for what we must do in our classrooms and what parents must do at home. Show more

We build communities. Communities for our children and our families... This takes intentionality. How do you welcome a new family? How do you make them feel “at home”? How do we teach them about Montessori and everything else that it takes to be a member of your family? We have one opportunity to make this right. We will discuss effective strategies for attracting and onboarding new families to our Montessori schools. Show more

This workshop is designed for Montessori educators who want to build strong, collaborative partnerships... with their co-leads or assistants. The success of a Montessori classroom relies on seamless teamwork between the guide and their co-lead or assistant. Participants will learn strategies to foster open communication, clarify roles, and create a harmonious working environment that supports both the adults and the children in the classroom.

Workshop Objectives:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
• Understand the importance of building positive, collaborative relationships with co-leads or assistants.
• Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of a co-lead or an assistants in a Montessori classroom.
• Learn effective strategies for training, guiding, and supporting assistants and co-leads
• Foster teamwork to enhance classroom management and student development.

Key Topics:
• Establishing Positive Relationships: Building trust through open communication and collaboration.
• Leadership and Direction: Understanding the guide’s role in leading and mentoring the assistant or a less experienced co-lead.
• Roles and Responsibilities: Clarifying what assistants can and should not do in the classroom.
• Classroom Collaboration: Practical strategies for effective teamwork to support children’s learning and development.

Workshop Format:
This interactive workshop will include lectures, group discussions, and real-life scenarios to demonstrate best practices for working with assistants or co-leads in a Montessori environment.

Conclusion:
A strong partnership between the lead guide, co-lead, and assistant is essential for a successful Montessori classroom. This workshop will provide you with the tools and strategies to build a collaborative and supportive relationship, ensuring a positive and effective learning environment for the children in your care. Show more

Join us for an engaging and practical workshop designed to help Montessori educators... develop effective planning and record-keeping strategies. This session will explore the importance of lesson planning and documentation in supporting the individual and group needs of children, ensuring no child or area of the curriculum is overlooked.

Participants will learn:
• How to create dynamic, observation-based lesson plans for individual children and groups.
• Techniques for maintaining accurate and efficient records, including developmental checklists and observation journals.
• Best practices for weekly planning, tracking progress, and adapting plans based on observations.
• How to ensure continuity and accountability in the classroom, even in the event of staff changes.

This workshop emphasizes the Montessori philosophy of scientific pedagogy, combining observation, planning, and reflection to create a prepared environment that meets the developmental needs of every child. Whether you're a seasoned guide or new to Montessori education, this workshop will provide you with the tools and insights to enhance your practice.

Who Should Attend:
Montessori educators, administrators, and assistants looking to refine their planning and record-keeping systems. Show more

Your staff have completed their Montessori training… now what?... Personal development, professional development, faculty development must still continue. Over the course of a teacher’s professional career they will need different support, different inspiration and different trainings. Designing an individual growth plan for each teacher nourishes both them and your school. Show more

Traveling between a private school in Poland's capital and a Maasai village in the Tanzanian bush,... we'll search for answers to the following questions:
What does community mean in individualistic and collectivistic cultures?
How does our way of thinking, both as individuals and as entire cultures, shape the communities in which we learn?
What are fundamental attribution errors, and how do they influence our perception of others' behavior within our communities?
Kidua tenakata – See you soon! Show more

Building strong, effective relationships with parents is a cornerstone... of successful teaching, yet it can be particularly challenging when parents are struggling or when their child faces difficulties. This workshop, "Turning Challenging Parents into Partners," is designed to equip educators with the skills, strategies, and confidence needed to transform even the most difficult parent-teacher interactions into productive partnerships.

Participants will explore:
• The importance of empathy, trust, and respect in building parent-teacher relationships.
• Techniques for effective communication, including how to establish clear protocols and maintain positive interactions.
• Strategies for handling difficult conversations with honesty, professionalism, and a focus on solutions.
• Ways to engage parents as allies in their child’s development, even when challenges arise.
• Practical tools such as parent communication logs, “good news” calls, and preparation for parent-teacher conferences.

Through real-world examples, role-playing, and actionable advice, this workshop will empower educators to see parents as partners, not adversaries, and to create a collaborative environment that supports every child’s success. Whether you’re a new teacher or a seasoned guide, this session will provide valuable insights to strengthen your relationships with parents and enhance your classroom community. Show more

Transformation describes the child’s process of normalization... and the adult’s process of spiritual development. During this class you will learn to identify and observe 4 characteristics of becoming normalized and 5 characteristics of your own spiritual development. Show more

Our "authentic" Montessori practices build on Dr. Montessori's original research and discoveries... Our legacy includes the absorbent mind, sensitive periods, the prepared environment, concentration as an agent of transformation, and the Montessori materials. But recent research both supports our legacy and invites innovation. For example, children do not unconsciously absorb their environment. They are, instead, born consciously aware and able to selectively choose what to attend to. And not all children learn with concentration! These children prefer to learn socially. Dr. Epstein will present research findings that can guide us to innovate how we understand and serve children. Show more

This session explores the essential role of Social Emotional Learning (SEL)... in fostering optimal brain development during early childhood, framed within Dr. Maria Montessori's educational philosophy. It highlights how social, emotional, and cognitive growth are deeply interconnected and shaped by early experiences, offering a comprehensive understanding of how SEL supports lifelong learning and success.
Key topics covered include:
• The significance of early social relationships, emotional experiences, and cognitive opportunities in shaping a child’s developing brain.
• Dr. Montessori’s approach to creating environments that integrate mind and body through meaningful social and learning activities.
• Insights into brain development, including the role of genes, epigenetics, and early experiences in building brain architecture.
• The importance of emotionally safe and cognitively stimulating environments in nurturing social, emotional, and cognitive growth, particularly during sensitive periods of brain development.
• The impact of social relationships—such as those with peers, family, and teachers—on emotional regulation, social awareness, and overall well-being, which are key components of SEL.
The session will conclude by emphasizing the Montessori method as a holistic and effective model for integrating SEL into education. Participants will gain actionable strategies for creating environments that promote SEL and support optimal brain development during the critical early years of life. This presentation is designed to provide educators, administrators, and caregivers with practical insights to help children thrive socially, emotionally, and cognitively. Show more

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What are the parts of a good school tour?... What parts of a person should they speak to? A tour needs to speak to the whole parent and the whole of their family. A school tour is really not about our schools… it is all about the family and their child. A school tour is not about information… it’s about transformation. We will break down your school tour and uncover all the parts of the person we are to reach- head, hand and heart. The Anatomy of the School Tour. Show more

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