Presenter Workshops
Cynthia Reimer
Breakout Session – Following the Child in the Elementary Classroom
What is it about? What does it mean to follow the child while considering the needs of the second plane child and the diverse learning needs of the classroom community. Providing true “freedom within limits” for every student, allowing the child to drive their own learning within a purposefully designed environment. Learn about ways to follow the child while still implementing Cosmic Education and the common core standards.
Breakout Session – Concrete to Abstract – From CASA to Elementary
What is it about? Why are the sensorial materials so important?
Looking at the sensorial materials in the CASA classroom and following them into the Elementary classroom. Why are the pink tower, red rods, binomial and trinomial cube, and constructive triangles so relevant? Come discover how the “seeds” of knowledge are planted and the “bounty” of knowledge those seeds provides for elementary students through their educational journey. “What the hand does, the mind remembers”.
Cassi Mackey
Keynote – Montessori Marching On
This session is an invitation to a profoundly moving, interactive experience where inspiration and reflection converge to honor the sacred task of guiding human development and building a better world.
More than a passive session, this is a vital, interactive journey into our own inner landscape, our innate creativity, resilience, and longing for belonging while exploring our essential, integrated role as a Scientist, Saint, Servant, and Seeker. The session is built around the core human tendencies, including Orientation, Exploration, Communication, Work, and Perfection, and utilizes art, music, and philosophy to frame our personal and professional growth. Drawing from Montessori’s transformative vision, we will discover the shared rhythm of reflection and purposeful action that encourages you to courageously step toward a Beloved Community. The ultimate measure of this work isn’t productivity, but presence, and our progress is the key to all of us rising, ready to bloom in service of something greater.
Breakout Session – The Art of Feedback: Nurturing Adult Growth through a Developmental Lens
This session focuses on leveraging the Montessori Planes of Development to create a culture of transformative adult feedback. The core premise is that the same respect and intentionality used to support a child’s unfolding potential must be applied to the adults in our community.
Breakout Session – Time to Dust off Your School Values: Move from Lofty Aspirations to Specific, Observable Behaviours
Values serve as the conscience of a school, expressing the beliefs that guide how a community thinks, speaks, and acts. When a school’s values are clearly defined, socialized, and operationalized, they become its energy source, shaping behavior, decision-making, and relationships. A values-driven culture provides a shared language and standard of behavior that strengthens trust, alignment, and collaboration across the
community.
Operationalizing values means embedding them into every aspect of school life: daily interactions, systems, and long-term strategies. This process transforms abstract ideals into teachable, observable, and measurable behaviors that align with the school’s mission and vision. When values are intentionally lived, they create coherence and integrity within the organization, ensuring that both adults and children experience consistency between what is said and what is done. As Maria Montessori reminded us,
humans possess an inner force for good, our role as leaders is to nurture this force
through the culture we create.
This workshop guides participants through a practical process to bring school values to life. Together, we will explore how to define, socialize, and reinforce values so that they influence every part of the organization, from hiring and onboarding to feedback and decision-making. Participants will learn to identify observable behaviors that exemplify their values, strategies for engaging staff around them, and ways to evaluate their effectiveness over time. Through this sustained effort, leaders can transform their school culture into one that authentically reflects its deepest commitments and inspires growth, connection, and peace.
Lindsey Pollock
Keynote – Learning to Trust Ourselves
In a world filled with strife and anxiety, we may be riddled with self-doubt, anger and angst about the decisions we make and the decisions that others are making around us.
Learning to trust ourselves and focus on the things within our control is essential for our mental, physical and spiritual health.
Breakout Session – Courage to Love Ourselves Each Other
Creating places of peace and trust are essential to the Montessori community. While we often speak of the spiritual preparation of the guide, we are all too often unprepared in times of uncertainty and stress. Finding the courage to love ourselves and one another at ALL times is work that is a continual process.
Breakout Session – All We Need is Love
Peace building and peace keeping is difficult and fragile work. This session will build on the work of session one to help Montessorians frame peaceful practices for ALL children in the classroom, especially children/parents who are neurodivergent or otherwise marginalized at school or in the community.
Tajali Tolan
Breakout Session – Inspiration Through the Arts: Integrating Creativity into the Montessori Classroom
The creative arts are a powerful pathway to imagination, self-expression, and inspiration—values deeply aligned with Montessori’s vision of educating the whole child.
This workshop highlights ways to weave art, music, movement, and storytelling into Montessori environments to enrich learning and cultivate joy. Participants will experience examples of integrated arts practices that nurture children’s sense of wonder and connection. We will also reflect on how creative expression strengthens both classroom culture and individual growth.
Breakout Session – Mindfulness for Peace: Practices for Classrooms and Families
Mindfulness offers children and adults simple, powerful tools for cultivating calm, focus, and emotional balance. In this session, participants will learn age-appropriate mindfulness practices for use in Montessori classrooms, from mindful breathing to peace corners. We will also explore how to extend these practices beyond the classroom through family-centered activities that support parent-child connection at home. Together, we will discover how mindfulness fosters peace, resilience, and well-being for children, teachers, and families alike.
Regina Lulka and Tracy Grisdale (Montessori Partners)
Breakout Session – Igniting Student-Driven Discovery in Elementary Classrooms
What happens after the spark of a lesson? How can we design experiences that invite children to explore deeper, think creatively, and weave connections across subjects? This workshop explores how to create meaningful, engaging work that empowers 6-12- year-olds to take ownership of their learning journey while naturally integrating multiple disciplines
Breakout Session – Responding to Children’s Emotions: Cultivating Peaceful Montessori Classrooms
Support children in navigating their feelings, behaviours, and relationships with confidence and care. This workshop offers strategies rooted in Montessori pedagogy to foster emotional well-being through observation, intentional language, and a thoughtfully prepared environment. Explore practical tools to help children identify emotions, and respond peacefully—creating a calm, connected classroom where every child thrives, while also nurturing your own sense of calm and well-being as the guide.
Breakout Session – “Send Them to the Office!” — Turning Disruption into Learning
When challenges arise, it’s easy to feel at a loss—but every behavior has a story to tell. This workshop invites educators to pause, observe, and respond rather than react. Drawing on Montessori principles and insights from neuroscience, participants will learn strategies to understand what children’s actions communicate, guide energy into purposeful work, and restore calm to the classroom. Support each child’s dignity, nurture meaningful connections, and strengthen your role as the steady, peaceful guide in your learning community.
Jorge Haro
Keynote – Practical Life in the XXI Century
Practical Life is one of the most powerful foundations of Montessori education.
Originally crafted by Maria Montessori to nurture the social and emotional development of children left in her care for long hours each day, these lessons empowered young learners to build independence, confidence, and lifelong skills. In today’s Primary classrooms, Practical Life still shines—teachers dedicate countless hours to cultivating these habits of mind and hand.
But what happens in Elementary?
Too often, Practical Life falls to the side—lost in the rush of academics or overlooked as less essential. Yet now more than ever, our students need real-world skills to thrive. In this keynote, we’ll reimagine Practical Life for the Elementary child. From typing, changing a tire, and writing a resume to navigating interviews, budgeting, writing thank-you notes, and designing healthy lifestyles—these are the modern “lessons” that prepare children not just for school, but for life. Join us as we redefine Practical Life for the 21st-century Montessori classroom—and reclaim its essential place in the Elementary journey.
Breakout Session – From the Point to the Universe and Beyond! The Elementary Geometry Curriculum
In this dynamic workshop, we’ll journey through the Montessori Geometry curriculum with captivating lessons and hands-on demonstrations designed to spark curiosity and bring Geometry to life in your classroom. We’ll begin by grounding ourselves in the fundamental concepts—point, line, surface, and soli—and then dive into an engaging exploration of lines, angles, shapes, and solids that will delight and inspire your students.
Breakout Session – Sharing is Caring: The Division Sequence
After the overwhelming success of last year’s workshop on the multiplication sequence, we are thrilled to return with an in-depth journey through the equally fascinating world of division. This year, we’ll dive deep into the concept of division, unpacking its meaning and unveiling its progression through the Montessori lens, from the most concrete materials to the fully abstract representations.
You’ll discover how Montessori’s unique and beautifully designed materials turn what is often considered a challenging operation into an exciting and empowering experience for children. Each presentation builds clarity, confidence, and joy, transforming division from a dreaded task into a classroom favorite. Whether you’re refining your practice or learning it for the first time, this workshop will leave you inspired and equipped to bring the magic of Montessori division into your classroom with purpose and enthusiasm.
Dr. Daniel Jutras
Keynote – The Influence of Your Children on You as a Montessori Guide
Are you well aware of the influence the children have on you as Montessori guide? Are they molding you, changing you, transforming you. Let's launch a reflection about the impact your children have on you. After this exploration, you may be grateful to them of the work they have done smoothly on you, personally.
Breakout Session – Two Visions on the Trinomial Cube: One Sensorial and the Other, Mathematical
Did you know that Mario Montessori disagreed with his mother on the Trinomial cube?
Come and attend both genuine presentations, first of the famous binomial cube and then the trinomial cube. You will be amazed by the difference of visions between Maria and Mario, and then you will be able to import both presentations in your own classroom.
Breakout Session – What is Your Daily Vocabulary with Children in Your Classroom?
On what do you focus?
On the child as a producer?
or on his production?
We will explore the fine line between praising children and encouraging them, between evaluating them and encouraging them, between verdict and feedback, between focus on the child and focus on the visible results.
Dr. Afra Foroud
Breakout Session – The Nonconformity of Normalization: The Brain and Behaviour of Inclusive Montessori Environments
The word normalization is a misnomer. As Montessori educators, we understand normalization is the child’s process of adaptation towards fulfilling their unique potential by developing the skills needed, such as the ability to concentrate, communicate needs and ideas, for developing independency, creating a positive self-image, and making meaningful contributions to their environment and community as empowered agents of society.
While most children reach normalization, the path that takes them there varies as a function of their own individuality. The process of normalization looks different depending on the child’s needs. Moreover, there are children who do not reach normalization, or who are limited as a function of the expectations of the environment and their community.
This workshop illuminates current understanding in neuroscience (study of brain) and ethology (study of behaviour) with Montessori Theory to examine concepts of: a) individual differentiation and deviations, b) sensitive periods and brain plasticity, what is variant and invariant in behaviour, c) the unique strengths and adaptive traits of neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g, ASD, ADHD) and d) how to use Montessori materials and philosophy to support divergent needs in an inclusive way, enhancing the process of normalization for all students in the Casa. We will use neurodevelopmental disorders as models to understand the adaptive values of deviation and explore how to maximize the incredible potential of the Montessori prepared environment in support of every child’s unique potential.
Breakout Session – The Nonconformity of Normalization: Individuality and the Cosmic Plan in the Teacher
How do we as educators ensure every child has what they need to embody the rich and dynamic experiences required to develop their potential? Montessori’s concept of the cosmic plan invites educators to see their role not merely as instructors, but as guides in a greater journey of human development. This session explores how the individuality of the teacher (personality, background, strengths, and challenges) intersects with the cosmic task of education. Just as children follow unique paths to normalization, so too
do educators evolve in their practice.
We will examine how embracing the nonconformity of the adult—acknowledging diverse teaching styles, neurodivergence, and personal growth—can enrich the classroom environment and deepen the teacher-child relationship. When educators are supported in their own development and well-being, they are better equipped to foster inclusive, peaceful, and responsive learning environments. This alignment between the teacher’s inner work and the cosmic vision directly impacts student outcomes, cultivating classrooms where children feel seen, valued, and empowered to contribute meaningfully.
Drawing on Montessori philosophy, reflective practice, and real-world experiences, this session will offer insights into how educators can align their personal development with the cosmic vision of nurturing peace, equity, and sustainability—while also prioritizing self-care as a vital part of professional integrity and classroom vitality.
Luz Casquejo Johnston
Breakout Session – Self-Care as Preparation of the Adult: Sustaining Montessori in a Changing World
The Prepared Adult: Radical Self-Care for Montessori Educators in Changing Times Montessori reminded us that in the preparation of the adult is just as essential as the preparation of the environment. Yet in today’s climate-marked by social upheaval, systemic pressures, and the daily demands of working with young children—educators are stretched thin. True self-care is not a luxury, it is radical, necessary, and deeply tied to our ability to create peaceful classrooms and thriving communities.
This session reframes self-care as an act of professional practice and social responsibility. Participants will explore the connections between Montessori’s vision of the prepared adult, modern understandings of the nervous system, and the ways of our inner state directly influences our ability to normalize and flourish. Together we will practice simple, embodied strategies—such as micro-rituals for transitions, grounding
tools for observation, and reflective exercises for resilience—that teachers and administrators can bring into their daily routines.
By the end of the workshop, participants will walk away with a personalized self-care framework that honors Montessori principles, sustains their energy, and strengthens their capacity to lead with presence and peace. In caring for ourselves, we model for children what it means to live consciously and to change the world.
Breakout Session – From Inner Peace to Collective Change: Building Cultures of Care in Montessori
Montessori’s vision of peace extends beyond the classroom—it lives in the community of adults who guide it. When educators feel seen, supported, and connected, children thrive. This session builds on The Prepared Adult: Radical Self-Care for Montessori Educators by shifting from inner work to collective practice. Together we’ll explore how cultures of care—rooted in Montessori principles, nervous system awareness, and social—emotional intelligence- strengthen school communities and sustain the adults within them. Participants will engage in reflection and dialogue to identify small, powerful practices that nurture belonging, restore balance, and deepen collaboration among staff, leaders and families.
Melanie Noble
Keynote – Beyond Inclusion: Equipping Montessori Guides to Truly Support Neurodiverse Learners
Montessori environments hold incredible potential to support neurodivergent children—but only when educators are equipped with the knowledge, mindset, and tools to do so. In this keynote, Melanie Noble draws on her extensive experience as a Montessori Inclusive Education Consultant to challenge educators to move beyond “accommodation” and instead build deeply prepared environments that honor diverse neurodevelopmental profiles. This session will explore how Montessori philosophy intersects with the latest research on neurodiversity, and what practical shifts Montessori guides must embrace to serve all children in meaningful, developmentally appropriate ways.
Breakout Session – Decoding the Code: Adapting the Montessori Language Curriculum for Struggling Readers and Spellers
Many Montessori educators encounter children who struggle with reading and spelling despite rich language environments. This session bridges Montessori pedagogy with evidence-based structured literacy approaches to better support students with dyslexia, ADHD, and other language-based learning differences. Participants will learn how to adapt both Casa and Elementary language lessons to build phonemic awareness, decoding, encoding, and automaticity while remaining true to Montessori principles.
Breakout Session – Beyond the Behaviour: Understanding and Supporting the Roots of Challenging Behaviours in the Casa Classroom
Behavioral challenges in the Montessori 3-6 classroom often reflect unmet developmental, sensory, or emotional needs. This session helps educators move beyond surface-level behaviors to uncover the underlying causes, including executive functioning delays, sensory integration challenges, emotional regulation difficulties, and emerging neurodivergent profiles. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of what drives certain behaviors and walk away with neuroaffirming, Montessori-aligned strategies to support regulation, engagement, and classroom harmony.
Sasha Maleshenko
Breakout Session – What Does “Follow the Child” Really Mean?
We will examine such questions as what did Montessori mean in the spiritual sense and also in the practical, day-to-day sense. How do we follow the child while still respecting the “purpose” of the work – where is the line? Is there a line? What are the signs that a child needs our intervention or should be left alone? What am I really looking for when a child chooses any given activity?
Breakout Session – The Power of Our Sensorial Curriculum
Montessori trainers often discuss the way in which Sensorial activities prepare the mind for logic, reasoning and mathematics but is there more to this area? This workshop will demonstrate how our sensorial activities can also be used to reveal the inner spirit of the child. We will look at how we can use these materials to free a child’s spirit and unlock a level of individual creativity that can be astounding. The manner in which we present the material and allow for its exploration is key. We will examine this method of presenting and reveal its magic!
Margarita Diaz
Breakout Session – Dual Language Montessori Programs: Strategies for Success
In this session, participants will learn strategies to best implement a Dual Language Program (Spanish-English) following the Montessori Curriculum from primary (3-6 years old) through elementary (6-12 years old). Through the understanding of the acquisition of a second language, participants will be able to gain tools to start working with their students with an emphasis on dual language literacy. Participants will gain an understanding that a successful Dual Language Program stimulates and contributes to the development of the child's intelligence, independence, and social interaction in a respectful multicultural environment. Other benefits are the development of critical thinking, positive decision-making, and the ability to express oneself creatively.
Workshop participants will receive sample lesson plans that will allow them to start implementing a dual language Montessori program with their students with an emphasis in biliteracy and multiculturalism.
Breakout Session – Dual Language Montessori Program: Techniques for Teaching Mathematics and Cosmic Education
In this session, participants will learn strategies to best teach mathematics and cultural subjects in a Dual Language Program (Spanish-English) following the Montessori Curriculum from primary through elementary. Through the understanding of the acquisition of a second language, participants will be able to gain tools to start working with their students with an emphasis on dual language literacy, mathematics, and Cosmic Education. Participants will gain an understanding that a successful Dual Language Montessori Program stimulates and contributes to the development of the child’s intelligence, independence, biliteracy, and social interaction in a respectful multicultural environment. Other benefits are the development of critical thinking, positive decision-making, and the ability to express oneself creatively in two or more languages. Workshop participants will receive sample lesson plans that will allow them to start teaching the Cosmic Curriculum including mathematics and cultural subjects in a dual language Montessori program with their students.