Andrea and Regina Lulka

Bio

Regina and Andy both began their official Montessori lives in 1977. Regina as an adult undergoing training, and Andy as a child entering the Casa. Since then, both have undergone multiple trainings, completed MEd programs, seen their children graduate from Montessori schools, and have worked and advocated for Montessori from inside the classroom as well as in the broader community. Their joint experience covers all three planes of development, as well as administration, parent partnership building, and professional development. Both have sat on the CAMT board. Currently, Regina is Head of School at the Montessori Jewish Day School and sits on the CCMA board, while Andy focuses on creating professional development opportunities for Montessori teachers online.

Break out #1

Transformative Observation
Observation is our greatest and most underused tool as Montessori educators. It is a necessary element to the proper functioning of the Montessori environment, and it is the key to the spiritual preparation of the teacher. It is through our observation practice that we, and the children, are transformed. Learning to simultaneously observe self and other can help us better
understand our role in the classroom, the needs of the child in the moment, and the dynamics

between the two. This interactive and hands on experience will give participants the tools to
shift their observation practice from being a thing we do to an active, transformational process
in which we participate.

Break out #2

Control or Character? How discipline leads to peace
In this interactive workshop, we will explore what might happen when we change the definition
of discipline and what that means for our own classroom practices. We tend to see discipline as
a means to control children’s behavior, but what if we could see it as a means for the child to
develop a strong moral and ethical character? We will look at what is behind our own approach
to discipline, and explore possible solutions to the challenges you are facing today in your
environments.

Dr. Montessori talks about discipline as a byproduct of normalization. So, what then is the
guide’s role in supporting the child’s emergent discipline and formation of character? We will
explore what kinds of transformations we must undergo to better understand the ways in
which our very presence impacts the children in our environments.