Check In + Breakfast Pick Up in The North Lobby 7:30 am - 7:50 am
Welcome from 7:50 am - 8:00 am
Room 104
The Power of Montessori
8:00 AM - 8:40 AM, Room 104
What makes Montessori education unique? It is the prepared adult for whom education is not the delivery of a curriculum but a means to support ALL children in the realization of their fullest potential. It is these adults who transform classrooms into learning environments where children can engage in activities that support academic learning while fostering the development of social, emotional, and cognitive skills. In this session we will explore the foundational principles that provide us with a framework for our practice and analyze the continued relevance of the Montessori approach for transforming education, society, and the world.
8:50 AM - 9:50 AM, Room 104A
Dive into the heart of cosmic education with confidence and curiosity. The Great Lessons are your gateway to a universe of learning opportunities that unfold throughout the academic year. If you're wondering where to start or feeling hesitant about your mastery of the subject, you're not alone. Join Erika Ohlhaver as we demystify the first two Great Lessons, intertwining them seamlessly with the Science of Reading and ELA standards. Step by step, we'll ensure you're equipped with the knowledge and strategies to answer your students' questions with ease and inspire their learning adventure.
Navigating Math in Lower Elementary: A Sequential Approach to Ensure Mastery and Engagement
8:50 AM - 9:50 AM, Room 104B
In this session, we will focus our attention on how to move our Lower Elementary students from the Concrete to the Abstract and the Simple to the Complex by following the Montessori Math Sequence. Our math curriculum is robust, yet Montessori children often struggle with basic math concepts. Some children spend too much time on one material, hindering their progress. Guides may have a tendency to keep the students in the concrete realm without transitioning to abstract concepts, while others may skip certain materials and move too quickly to abstraction. Our objective is to guide our students through the Montessori sequence, ensuring their progress through careful observation and mastery. This approach keeps the children engaged and maintains a sense of novelty in their learning journey. Come join me as we embark on the road that Maria Montessori paved to guide our students to Mastery.
Montessori Great Lessons Part II
Timeline of Early Humans, The Coming of Language & The Coming of Math
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Room 104A
Embark on a voyage through time and space with Dr. Montessori's cosmic education, a mesmerizing exploration that captivates the young mind's insatiable curiosity about our origins and place in history. Discover the art of weaving these Great Lessons into the fabric of your teaching, elevating your ELA standards, and sparking a flame of discovery in your learners. Join Erika Ohlhaver for an enlightening continuation of this series, and learn how to make Cultural lessons the heartbeat of your educational approach.
Flowing in Montessori: Planning Lessons and Charting Progress with Precision
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Room 104C
Staying organized with lesson planning and data tracking is essential to academic success for our learners. Learn how to synthesize ETC scope and sequences with TEKS, develop record keeping sheets, and keep your students on target to meet academic goals while staying true to Montessori and minimizing your workload.
11:10 AM - 12:10 PM, Room 104
Observation is a vital part of the work of the Montessori guide. It is through observation that we build a relationship with the child and the child communicates with us in the purest form. This presentation is aimed at providing techniques and strategies to help refocus our observational practice on the power of possibility and how we use our observations to support developing the potential of each child.
Lunch from 12:10 pm - 1:10 pm
** The North Lobby
1:10 PM - 2:10 PM, Room 104
In today's educational landscape, fostering effective reading strategies goes beyond simply decoding words on a page. It requires a holistic approach that considers oral language development, social-emotional components, and adept behavior management techniques. This comprehensive session aims to equip educators and professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to create an environment that nurtures successful reading habits in learners.
Embracing Botany in the Classroom
2:20 PM - 2:50 PM, Room 100
The essence of the Montessori Scientific Method is biology. I will empower you to bring more botany experiences in the classroom and to spark the children’s curiosity through engaging manipulative activities that will lead to interesting follow up work.
Building an Inclusive Montessori Classroom
2:20 PM - 2:50 PM, Room 104A
Creating an inclusive classroom is part of Montessori philosophy. After all, our purpose is to provide the child with opportunities to learn, grow, and develop in a safe and prepared environment. To do this, we must carefully observe/recognize the needs of the students we serve and provide them with the resources they need to succeed. Learn how to modify Montessori follow-ups, create developmentally appropriate work plans, track student progress, develop extensions, and address accommodations found in student IEPs.
Branching Out: Unveling the Tree of Life to Enhance Montessori's Great Lesson
2:20 PM - 2:50 PM, The North Lobby
Strike up interest in zoology and botany materials in the classroom with an introduction to the Tree of Life. Students will learn terms such as domains, lineages, clades, traits, and adaptations, setting the stage for deeper studies. We'll provide a lesson framework and offer visuals, connecting family trees to the scientific side. Update or refresh your follow-ups to the Second Great Lesson.
Reading in the Montessori Classroom
2:55 PM -3:25 PM, Room 104A
This session will start your journey to better understanding the essential components of reading and how to create shelf work for independent work time. We will briefly discuss the 5 components of reading and the reading rope. I will include research on these components and examples of effective instruction.
"Mata Marketplace" - Real World Economics in the Montessori Classroom
2:55 PM -3:25 PM, Room 104C
Mata Marketplace is a project I started 10 years ago at Mata. It is a three week project whereby students brainstorm, research and create a business plan. Once approved, they create and run a business that provides a good or service that they can sell. They are given a budget and must purchase supplies, pay workers and rent store space. The culmination of the project happens when the stores open for business and Mata Marketplace is officially in session. Students from across grade levels come and purchase goods and services with Mata bucks. This event has grown from a classroom project to an entire grade level event. I will provide educators the tools to start small and grow a school event that will be the talk of the school when it happens.
Creations are Meaningful and Wonderful
2:55 PM -3:25 PM, The Compound
Unlock the secrets of crafting your own Montessori lessons in this session! Say goodbye to gaps in your knowledge without relying on pre-made lessons. Join us to discover the art of creating personalized lessons and leave with the satisfaction of mastering vocabulary integration and engaging extensions. Don't pay for lessons – learn to create them!
The Life and Times of Dr. Maria Montessori
3:35 PM - 4:15 PM, Room 104
In October of 2023, Dr. Mallett completed a pilgrimage, traveling throughout Italy and The Netherlands to retrace the life path of Dr. Maria Montessori. The study trip included Montessori’s birthplace, schools, training centers, homes, and grave. In this presentation, you, too, will experience Montessori’s world including the people and places that prepared her environment and nurtured her genius.