Jana Morgan Herman

Outdoors Unleashed: A Montessori Daily Rhythm

Jana sets the stage for our exploration of Montessori and Ecological Consciousness by showcasing the ecological heart of Dr. Montessori's Daily Schedule. Jana uncovers how outdoor activities foster a love for nature and instill values of respect and protection, hallmarks of Dr. Montessori’s vision of the day.

Angela Hanscom

Playful Outdoors: Reversing the Decline in Play

In this session, Angela reveals how, in the face of decreasing outdoor playtime and a rise in sensory and motor deficits among children, nature is the ultimate sensory experience! Angela offers strategies to promote children's holistic well-being through regular outdoor engagement.

Melina Gac Levin

Developing a Practice of Outdoor Learning with a Montessori Toddler Class

Fostering a love for nature in toddlers is vital for instilling ecological consciousness. Melina showcases how outdoor learning, exemplified by Nido Forest - New York’s first Spanish-language forest school - seamlessly integrates with Montessori principles to nurture a deep connection with the natural world.

Victoria Hackett

Open-Air Learning: Montessori Blueprint for Success

This session explores the growing body of research highlighting the benefits of outdoor learning. Victoria champions diversity and inclusivity by offering insights into creating a Montessori-Inspired Outdoor Classroom, emphasizing how all students thrive when given the opportunity to learn and play outdoors, where unstructured activities foster creativity and problem-solving skills across all subjects.

Tamara Sheelsey Balis

Montessori in Bloom: Cultivating Outdoor Learning Environments

In this presentation, Tamara takes us through Greenspring Montessori School's transformative journey towards nature-inspired education, showcasing initiatives such as creating Outdoor Learning Environments for every classroom, offering practical insights to inspire Montessori schools worldwide.

Aliénor Salmon

Nurturing Future Leaders for a Sustainable World

Aliénor offers a global perspective on the transformative impact of Montessori education in fostering ecological consciousness and nurturing future leaders committed to sustainability and peace. She explores the vital connection between Montessori principles and global frameworks like the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, unveiling pathways for creating a brighter, more harmonious world through holistic education.

Claudia Mann, MEd

Let's Get Dirt-y and Save Our Planet

Join Claudia as she offers practical strategies to foster the growth of future stewards and safeguard our planet's future. Claudia inspires teachers to integrate Dr. Montessori's Cosmic Vision and Cosmic Education into daily learning by emphasizing the essential connection between Earth stewardship and purposeful action, with soil science serving as the foundational vehicle for transformative activities, inviting participants to engage hands-on by bringing their own soil samples.

Jackie Grundberg

Upcycling in Montessori: A Pragmatic, Hands-On Approach to Nurturing Sustainability

In this presentation, Jackie shows us how to integrate Upcycling projects into Montessori learning environments. She reveals interdisciplinary connections and holistic learning experiences aligned with Montessori principles, empowering educators to foster sustainability, environmental stewardship, and global citizenship through creative and practical initiatives.

Rachel Larimore

Tiny Changes, Big Impact: Demystifying Nature Integration

Rachel offers practical strategies to seamlessly integrate nature into the fabric of early childhood education, addressing concerns and challenges while providing concrete steps to infuse daily schedules, indoor and outdoor environments, and hands-on learning opportunities with the transformative power of nature.

Judith Cunningham, Gabriel Forestieri, Riemer Brandsma

Transforming Eco-Anxiety into Eco-Empowerment: A Call to Action for Montessori Educators

Step into this empowering workshop designed for Montessori educators, where Judith, Gabriel, and Riemer equip adolescents with the tools to navigate from anxiety to well-being while fostering a deep sense of social justice and environmental stewardship. Together, they'll shift the narrative from victimhood to empowerment, harnessing the potential of youth as catalysts for positive change in our sustainable world.

Trisha Moquino

Amplifying Native Nations For a More Just and Sustainable World

Explore the intersection of settler colonialism, Indigenous environmental stewardship, and climate change, focusing on one Native Nation's efforts to protect their land and resources while honoring their ancestral reverence for the natural world through Indigenous perspectives and nomenclature.

Gabrielle Kotkov

Rooted in Diversity: Crafting Cultural Responsiveness through Botany Education

Explore the power of the Botany area in the Montessori Primary classroom as a catalyst for cultivating a culturally responsive curriculum, seamlessly integrating plants, herbs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables to celebrate diverse backgrounds year-round. Learn how to nurture intercultural understanding and ecoconsciousness in young learners through hands-on exploration and connection to the natural world.

Zil Jaeger

Words in Bloom: Sowing Rich Vocabulary Across Disciplines

Dive into evidence-based strategies for embedding vocabulary instruction into ecology lessons! Zil shares engaging activities designed to enrich Elementary students' understanding, using practical resources to bring these methods to life in your own classroom.

Letty & Zoe Rising

Engaging Elementary Ecologists: Experiments, Activities, and

Long-Term Project Ideas

Zoe and Letty explore innovative ways to expand Montessori's ecology lessons, from foundational concepts to engaging experiments and long-term projects, designed to enrich Elementary education and foster a deeper understanding of our natural world.

Ashley Causey-Golden

Walking with Nature: Creating an Embodiment Practice to Integrate Nature into Your Classroom

Embark on a transformative journey that goes beyond discussing the significance of Black representation in nature/eco-education and centers Black and Indigenous voices. Join Ashley as she explores the essence of embodiment and fostering a profound connection with the Earth through the structure of trees. This workshop challenges prevailing narratives, helping you to gain practical insights and cultivate a more inclusive and holistic Montessori practice.

Kelly Johnson

Nature's Sketchbook: Drawing Across the Cosmic Curriculum

Delve into the power of drawing as a transformative tool, as Kelly seamlessly integrates nature throughout the Cosmic Curriculum, fostering observation skills, and nurturing a deep connection to the world around us, benefiting both immediate learning outcomes and long-term ecological intelligence.

Priscilla Spears

What is My Ecosystem? Helping Kids Decode their Ecosystems

Dr. Spears equips educators with practical strategies to foster ecological consciousness in children, guiding them to understand, characterize, and appreciate the intricate interrelationships within their local ecosystems through engaging observations and measurements.

CLOSING KEYNOTE

Tammy Oesting

Born of Stardust and Soil: Nurturing Awe, Wisdom, and Wonder

Join Tammy as she delves into practical strategies, drawing from developmental psychology, evolutionary cosmology, and environmental education, to nurture awe, wonder, and ecological consciousness in Montessori settings. Together, embark on a journey of self-discovery and profound connection, exploring the intricate dance between the cosmos and our beloved Earth.