by Karen French

Throughout my experience with Junior High students I have observed that they have an exceptional ability to take on very complex projects, especially if it requires them toexpress their opinion or examine controversial issues. These young adults are at an intenselyhumanistic age and are most engaged when they feel part of a real process. Therefore, our task as their guides is to create and find experiences that meet these needs.

Over the past two years I have had the privilege of participating with my students in theMontessori Model United Nations in New York City. This annual conference takes place overa period of three days and requires preparation of many months. I first introduced this ideato my class after one of our typical current event discussions. We often started the day by

news

Mon

tess

ori So

ciet

y of

Can

ada

Affiliated to the AMI

vol 13 issue 1spring2012

continued page 6

IN THIS ISSUEEditor’s Message 2

Book Review 3

Montessori 4Movement Mat

AMI Logo; MSC Mandate 5

Parent-Teacher 7Conferences

AMI Inclusion Course; 8National Conference

Training Centres 10

What are key experiences for adolescents?

My mentor and friend, Dr. Larry Shaefer taught me that a great Junior High program includes expansive opportunities for students,

experiences that require them to stretch beyond their comfort zone. Hesaid that by nature adolescents see the best in themselves when theywork at things that are relevant to them. Above all, the work has to bechallenging. They want to know more than just how the world works; they need to know how they fit in and how they will work within theworld. They crave grand adventures and are drawn to amazing people.

Montessori Model United Nationsand Identifying Key Experiences for Adolescents

Karen French, Ottawa

Montessori Model United Nationspage 1

Beth Mackay, Ottawa

Book Reviewpage 3

Anne Laws, Ottawa

Editorialpage 2

Felix Bednarski, Toronto

MSC Essential Mandatepage 5

Christie Stanford, Vancouver

The Montessori Movement Mat

page 4

Contribute your story. Contact Anne Lawsat annelaws@hotmail.com

Wendy Calise, Northbrook, IL

Parent-Teacher Conferences

page 7

MSC NEWS CONTRIBUTORS

Spring had an early start in many parts of Canada! The warm weatherand longer days gives us a boost of energy and a renewed sense of

purpose. It has been a busy year for the Society with three workshopsin three cities. Ottawa hosted a very successful and very well-attendedNovember workshop with Dr. Stephen Hughes, Greg MacDonald, SilviaDubovoy and Sandra Girlato as speakers. The Assistant Workshop wasvery well received by all those who attended. This type of workshop hasbeen requested in the past and will be continued at some futureevents. Vancouver hosted Greg MacDonald for an Elementary workshopon Technology and Calgary will be hosting Sandra Girlato in April 2012.

Plans are underway for the National Centenary Conference November 9–11, 2012 in Toronto. The theme of the conference is “The Unfolding ofthe Human Being: Journey Through the Years”. The speaker line-up spansthe four planes of development as we pause to consider the formation ofpeople coming out of our Montessori schools across Canada. This year,2012, marks 100 years of Montessori in Canada – a moment in time trulyworth celebrating. Check out the conference announcement in this issueand watch the MSC website (www.montessorisocietycanada.org) andthe MSC Facebook page for further details. We look forward to seeingcolleagues from across the country.

This issue also includes an interesting article on the Montessori ModelUnited Nations in New York City. With participants from around theworld, this truly is an inspiring experience for young people to delveinto international issues and take part in negotiating and formingresolutions. There is an article on The Montessori Movement Mat,which considers the infant’s first work space. The message from ourPresident, Felix Bednarski, is intended to inspire you all into action!There is news from AMI about the new logo design and informationabout the AMI Inclusive (Special Needs) Education Course to beginthis summer in San Diego, California. This course will take place overtwo summers and addresses the needs of students with barriers totheir development. With Parent-Teacher conferences no doubt comingup at the end of the year, there is an article to help focus thosemeetings with tips for all teachers, regardless the years of experience.The month of May brings the election of officers to the Board of theSociety. The Nominating Committee Report has been sent to members.The Annual General Meeting of the Montessori Society of Canadawill take place on Friday May 18th, 2012 at Humberside MontessoriSchool, 121 Kennedy Avenue, Toronto, ON from 4:00–5:00 pm.

The Montessori Society of Canada website will beundergoing an update in the coming months. We will let you know once the changes are complete.

Wishing you all a wonderful final term!

Anne E. Laws, Editor, Ottawa

by Anne Laws

MSC EDITOR’S NOTE

Mon

tessori S

ociety of Ca

nada

3

No Mind Left Behind: Understanding andFostering ExecutiveControl – The EightEssential Brain Skills EveryChild Needs to Thrive

ISBN-13: 9780399533594 ISBN: 0399533591

As his biography describes, Dr. Cox cameabout his career in a very non traditional

way. He began as a fine artist who opened uphis studio to students who wanted to draw andpaint. This introduced him to the joy andcreativity of mentoring children and adolescentsand led him into a career as a familypsychologist. He had a passion for the socialand emotional well being of the students andwas soon dealing with many cases of attentionproblems, learning problems, Asperger’ssyndrome and other behaviour challenges. Hebegan to work on ways to develop social skillsand self-control in supportive environments.This will sound familiar to Montessori teacherswho set-up prepared environments for childrenand students to cater to their emergingdevelopmental needs.

In speaking about his Eight Pillars of Executive Control that are so vital forstudents to learn in today’s society and in the future, Dr. Cox says,“Among the many contributions of executive control is the ability tofocus, plan, and act in a goal directed manor. Factor ex enables us to lookinto the future, identify a goal, coordinate a sequence of steps, andinitiate action to achieve a goal.”

Talk about valuable! Is this not what we do in a Montessori environmentcommencing with the practical life exercises?

He elaborates and states that the Eight pillars of Executive Control are:

1. Initiation 4. Organization2. Flexibility 5. Planning3. Attention 6. Working Memory7. Self-awareness 8. Managing emotions

Each of these is dealt with in the book in detail and Dr. Cox elaborates onhow many of these work in concert with one another.

He has a novel way of involving the student in the process of working onthe challenges of attention, organization or whatever issue they mayhave. He has found that the narrative approach helps children appreciatethe cause and effect between thinking and behaviour. Dr. Cox has said weare free to use the script included in his text and to alter it as necessarydepending on the age of the child. He uses the metaphor of the brain asan orchestra conductor and initiates discussion with the family andspouses and partners in advance so that everyone is on board. Thisensures that everyone is using the same technique and it helps them tosee the issues as thinking or processing “challenges” rather than“character defects”. He emphasizes guiding rather than punishing, whichof course fits with our philosophy. Here is a sample from a narrative thatwould be for a child of approximately 10 years of age and could bemodified for younger or older students who are having challenges:

The NarrativeHave you ever heard an orchestra play? Can you remember that when youhear any orchestra, there is a person who stands in front of all themusicians? We call that person a conductor, right? The conductor of anorchestra has a very important job because, without the conductor’s help,the musicians won’t know how to play the music. A conductor leads themusicians to know when to come in, when to stop, how loudly to play, andother important things. Most important, the conductor is there to makesure the musicians blend well so that together they create a beautifulsound. Well, your brain has a conductor, too. Right up there in the front ofyour brain behind your forehead is a special part of your brain called theexecutive brain. It’s about as big as your fist, and this part of your brainhelps you to focus, remember new things, get started on projects, makeplans, get organized, and manage your feelings. I think you can see whatan important job this conductor has.

This is the introduction only. The full narrative can be found in the book.

I highly recommend this book for any educator working with students and caring about their harmonious development on all planes.

by Beth Mackay

MSC BOOK REVIEW

Mon

tessori S

ociety of Ca

nada

4

For the older child, when we walk into aclassroom we expect to see a wide array of

work areas including tables, chairs, floor mats,pillows, quiet corners, etc. Yet, when thinking ofchildren under one, we don’t typically understandthat as much emphasis should be placed onpreparing them a ‘work area’.

From birth, the infant is learning toadapt to his or her world through thesenses. One of the most rapidacquisitions in the first year is thedevelopment of movement. Frombeing completely immobile at birth,the young infant goes fromproducing involuntary to voluntarymovement. This happens rapidlyduring the first year of life as themyelin sheath coats the neurons inthe body, which is essential in theproper functioning of the nervoussystem. This myelination moves fromthe head to the feet and from thecenter of the body to the fingertips.Due to this process, the first part ofthe infant’s body to be myelinated is

the throat and neck, then shoulders, arms, legs, etc. until lastlythe child has control of his or her wrists and fingers (refinedgrasp), along with ankles and toes (child can now walk).

Now, for all this hard work to occur in the first year of life, theyoung infant needs a place to do it and materials to aid it!

From the time the infant is two to three weeks old (untilcrawling/walking) he or she should have an area for movement.This includes a movement mat, mirror and low shelf.

The mat is the size of a twin mattress (Approx. L: 75” X W: 40”x H: 2”). It is covered with a tightly fitted sheet (neutralpattern) that is easily washable and underneath you shouldhave a rubberized flannel pad. Ideally, you will have a goodquality mirror mounted to the wall which needs to be thelength of the mat. You may also want to have several pillows ofdifferent shapes and sizes. Beside the movement mat thereshould be a low shelf to hold a variety of materials that youcan rotate. You may also want to hang a mobile above themovement mat for the infant to explore with his or her senses.

The infant will spend his or her alert and awake time, ‘working’on the movement mat. The child should have the opportunityto be both on his or her back and tummy, and later when thechild is ready to sit up (5 months) you can prop him or her up

with pillows. In the beginning, you will bring the materialsone at a time for the child to explore. Later, once the child is more mobile, the materials set out on the low shelf will entice him or her to move towards them and make a choice. It is important to note that during this time you want to keep the child’s body free from clothingrestrictions. Clothing is one of the greatest hindrances tothe development of movement and we want the child to be successful.

The purpose of the movement mat is to give the child the opportunity to experience the world as a safe andinteresting place. This movement mat serves as a point ofreference for the child and allows him or her opportunity to develop voluntary movements and muscles. This aids inthe growth of independence and confidence.

There is no need for pricey commercial items such asbouncy chairs, exersaucers, etc. which end up overtakingyour home. This work area offers the infant exactly what he or she needs at this stage of development.

Enjoy the time observing the infant working on themovement mat, exploring his or her environment. Restassured that this area for movement will provide the infantwith the greatest opportunity for natural growth in anunrestricted environment.

by Christie Stanford

The Montessori Movement Mat – The Child’s First Working Table

AMI has recently launched its freshupdated logo. Here are the words of Lynne Lawrence, Executive DirectorAssociation Montessori Internationale,describing the new design:

“With its clear three-way colours,called Depths of the Ocean, and thestrong font for the AMI acronym, thelogo is both contemporary and classic.The brief to the designing companyemphasized the importance of ourheritage and history, and asked themto incorporate those details in a lookthat better reflected the expansion ofour activities and reenergizedmission. Although the new lookpresents a metamorphosis, you will beable to quickly make the connectionwith the past: we have kept the threecircles, and opened them up to sendout the message that our organisationis inclusive and accessible. Moreover,by including the full name, the logoprojects more explicitly who we areand what our mission is. We expectthat those visual elements willcommunicate the breadth of ourvision, mission and work”.

Mon

tessori S

ociety of Ca

nada

5

MSC Essential Mandate

The original mandate of the MontessoriSociety of Canada was formulated in thelate nineties and has expanded greatly in

recent years. I remember our initial meetingwith Nicole Marchak and Leslie Alvarengaduring the 1996 AMI/USA National conference.This is where we really laid the foundation ofthis organization. Our wish then was to havean organization which could truly becommitted to the values of the AssociationMontessori Internationale. There were the AMItraining centres who were committed to theAMI values, but there was no national AMIorganization linking the voices across Canadato this aim. As MSC was organized as an AMIAlumni association, our first responsibility wasto provide professional development to ourmembers. Over the years the MSC goals as anAMI Affiliated Society have been morecrystalized and they stand now as anextraordinary task. Following are a few goals togive a sense of what is expected of the MSC:

y Support the AMI vision in Canada

y Support Training Centres

y Support Members of the Society in theirprofessional development

y Act as a site for job postings andprocurement of Montessori materials

y Provide professional articles for members

y Provide workshops, conferences, andseminars for members and the greatercommunity

y Provide publicity and promotion of theMontessori philosophy, child advocacy, social reform, and peace initiatives

y Support for schools, teachers, and parents

y Respond to the needs: mentorship,consultation, and accreditation

y Increase the profile of Montessori nationally

This is a very ambitious mandate. We havebecome masters in some areas, whereas otherareas require much more attention. Since itsinception, the work of the MSC has been doneby members/volunteers. We expanded over theyears and now employ a part-time officeperson. The core work however, is still done bythe members/volunteers.

To quote Renilde Montessori who “… once described the function of AMIas that of a lighthouse, a comforting,steady, beautiful, eternal symbol ofguidance. However, a lighthouse withouta lighthouse-keeper is sad. In the sameway that the lighthouse-keeper preventsships from crashing on the rocks orrunning aground, it is the responsibilityof the people in charge of AMI to keepthe Montessori light shining true, bright,and steadfast”.

This quotation also applies to MSC. As an Affiliated Society, we are fulfilling the goals of AMI in Canada. We are one of the groups that keep the Montessorilight shining, true, bright, and steadfastin Canada, but our lighthouse-keeperworkforce needs a boost. We need moreinvolvement from the MSC members inorder to realize our goals. Each of uspossesses so much potential to contributeto our short and/or long term goals.

How important is our work. At the AMI inception in 1929, Dr. Montessorienvisioned that AMI “should hold thebody and soul of the MontessoriMovement together”. (Renilde Montessori)

“The question we must ask ourselves is, what we can do for AMI. AMI iscommonly perceived as one moreorganization among many others;perhaps, by some, as ‘prima inter pares’,while it is, in fact, ‘prima sine qua non’for without AMI – or to be precise,without what AMI stands for – no otherorganizations would be possible”.(Renilde Montessori)

I wish you a happy working experiencewith the children in the last few monthsof school, and thank you for joining theMontessori Society of Canada.

Felix Bednarski, PresidentMontessori Society of Canada

NOTICE OF AGM MEETING:

Montessori Society of Canada, The AMI Alumni in CanadaThe Annual GeneralMeeting of Members will take place on

Friday May 18, 20124:00–5:00 pmHumberside Montessori School121 Kennedy Ave. Toronto ON

chatting about the news. We subscribed to The Globe and Mailand there was always something that related to our studies inthe paper. One day a student asked, “Do you think we will everbe able to solve any of these huge problems? There are so manypeople living in war and poverty.” Out of this began adiscussion about the United Nations and its mandate.

Participation in the Montessori Model United Nations requiredus to choose and become delegates of a country. Each student’srole was, in effect to take on a new citizenship. The MMUNprovided us with extensive resources to begin: backgroundguides, history and structure of the UN, country researchquestions and guidance on how to research current issues.Following this, students then choose a committee with specifictopics and set out to create resolutions. Position Papers wereresearched and written, speeches were prepared to introducetheir topics and proposed solutions and sample ResolutionPapers were drafted. Throughout all of this intense research andgroup work, the excitement was building. We were preparing togo to New York, meet with hundreds of other students fromaround the world and solve real life major issues that affectpeople just like us. This is real work. It is happening right now.This is what drives these students to prepare at such a highlevel. They know that they will need this information in order toachieve their goal of reaching a resolution and having it votedon and passed. They will be sitting in the very seats that theircountry’s ambassadors sit in, in the actual General Assembly inNew York. The anticipation is palpable!

The next step of our preparation was to familiarize ourselveswith the protocol of the UN. We practiced how to address thecommittee, “The delegation of Russia would like to express…”, “Thank you, Honourable Chair”, “Fellow Delegates …”,and also the various Rules of Procedure. These, along withspecific rules of decorum would enrich our role play asdelegates and create a reality of the United Nations for us. We would also learn how to vote, sponsor draft resolutions and modify our suggestions through formal amendments.

I was very impressed by the level of sincerity and maturity withwhich our students approached such tough issues. We examinedimportant guiding documents: The United Nations Charter, The

Declaration of Human Rights and the Millennium DevelopmentGoals. Students examined such topics as, “Education for all,Especially Women and Girls”, “Food Security in the ModernWorld”, “Nuclear Regulation”, “Sustainable Agriculture andRural Development” and “Child Labour”. They then set out tolearn how the UN and its programmes deliver assistancethroughout the world; for example, through the World FoodProgramme (WFP) or the United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF). It is the students’ work to gather all of theavailable resources from their country and the UN in order tocreate suggestions to solve these complex problems. Alongthe way, we discovered many things; problems do not exist ina vacuum. In almost every case we saw the connectednessbetween poverty, human rights, government and resources.We realized the importance of history. Sometimes we wrestledwith the values of our new identity, especially if theyconflicted with what we usually felt. We had to adjust ourperspective to understand others’ points of view. Above all,we strived to think of ways to help others live in peace.

I often told my students that they are at a time in theirlives when they have the most incredible ability to think.They have a great capacity to use their intuition and arevery open-minded. The more I thought about all of this, themore I realized that embedded in the work and experienceof the Montessori Model United Nations conference wasmore than an in-depth study of history, geography andinternational affairs; it was an opportunity which allowedus to reframe the world’s daunting problems; anopportunity to come together, use our collective will andsee possibilities for solutions. We became hopeful.

On the final day of the conference last year, we filed into theGeneral Assembly for the final vote and reading of theresolutions. There were over 1,500 of us. One of our studentshad been asked to read aloud their committee’s resolution on“The Risk of Nuclear Proliferation in the Middle-East”. Shecalled home to tell her parents: “Mom and Dad, you willnever guess, our resolution was passed, and I was asked toread it aloud in the General Assembly- the actual GeneralAssembly! I have to go! I have to write a speech!”

“Madam Chair, Fellow Delegates and Honoured Guests,

The State of Israel is thrilled to announce that after longnegotiations we have reached a resolution…”

These are the grand experiences and amazing people.

Karen French has been a Montessori educator for 21 years. She holds herHonours B.A. in French and English from the University of WesternOntario and her Montessori diploma for 6 to 12 years old. In 2003, Karencompleted the Orientation to Adolescent Studies where she met andworked with Dr. Larry Shaefer. She has been dedicated ever since tocreating meaningful Montessori curriculum for Junior High students. Overthe course of the past ten years, Karen has established two newAdolescent programs in Ottawa and consulted with several other schoolsin Ontario. Karen is currently busy preparing her new school to open itsdoors this September in Kanata, Ontario.

Participation in the Montessori Model United Nations required us to choose and become delegates of a country.

page 1 cont’d

Montessori ModelMon

tessori S

ociety of Ca

nada

6

7

8

Wendy Calise graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in psychology in 1988. A Montessori student herself, she is Head of School atCountryside Montessori School in Northbrook, IL. Before her role as Head of School, Wendy taught classes of children ages three to twelve fornineteen years. She holds Association Montessori Internationale diplomas at the Primary and Elementary Levels. She is an international presenterand school consultant. In August 2009 she founded the Montessori Teachers Institute for Professional Studies which offers a variety of continuingeducation opportunities for Montessori teachers as well as support for teachers and schools in the form of mentorship and consultation. M

ontessori S

ociety of Ca

nada

7

Know the child: In order to know any child, you mustobserve. Your interactions with a child will help you to knowhim, but observation is your real window. Make time for it.In addition, have some conversations with the child. Askyour co-workers what they have seen. Know his academicachievement and know his character. You must know thechild’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests in order toconduct a conference of quality.

Take time to prepare for conferences: Make clear andconcise notes. Don’t wing it. Parents can feel this, and it is insulting. It will be difficult for you to overcome anystruggles with parents if they do not see your integrity.

Dress accordingly: Dress professionally on conference days.It is a matter of respect.

Three points only: Conferences should have no more thanthree main ideas. More than this is unreasonable to expectparents to absorb. At least one of the points must bepositive. An example of three points in a conference might be:1 Review of academic study overall2 Very strong reader3 Some struggles with social interactions

Don’t know everything: Be comfortable saying, “Let megive that some thought and get back to you.” Or, “Let me find out more about that and get back to you.”

Listen: If parents have a concern, it will serve all of youwell to listen to the concern first. Listening allows parentsto relax a bit as they build trust that what they are saying isimportant to you and that you want to understand them.Second, it keeps you from making erroneous assumptionsabout the subject of their concern before you get all of thedetails. We each have our own fears that we worry about inour teaching, which often cause us to misinterpret what aparent is saying. For example: What parents say: “Johnseems to be struggling with reading.” What we hear: “Youare not doing your job as a teacher.” This may or may not bewhat the parents are feeling. Having a parent to tell you alittle bit more may reveal that he is only asking you if youfeel that some outside help is necessary.

Have the silent conversation out loud: The silentconversation is the monologue that you have inyour head about a child but have no intention ofsharing with the parents themselves. Sometimes this is the best choice. But more often it is just the easier and safer one. For example, you might be thinking: “I meet with the Smiths tonight. I amdreading the conference because the parents arealways complaining that other kids are mean toBobbie, but he is the one who is really meanspirited. He is brutal with the other children. He isalways aggravating others. It’s a wonder they put upwith him at all.” There are probably three reasonsyou don’t want to say this. One reason is that youdon’t think that the parents will hear you or believeyou. Another reason is that you are afraid it willcause a confrontation. And the last is that the wayyou have phrased it in your mind makes itimpossible to deliver to a parent.

Take some time with a colleague to find a way toframe the content more respectfully. Not indirectly,not wishy washy, but without words like dreading,brutal, mean spirited, always, put up with, etc…The message may be hard to hear, but it is notundeliverable. Will you run into some conflict?Possibly. But that is part of the job.

Smile: Regardless of the news you have to deliverto a parent, the conference should begin with awarm and pleasant greeting. This will not only makethe parents feel comfortable, but it will also relieveyour stress and help you establish perspective.1 Title used from Article, “Making the Best of Parent-TeacherConferences: Eight Steps to Success for Parents”, by MichaelThompson Ph.D. Article can be accessed athttp://www.michaelthompson-phd.com/assets/Parent-Teacher-Conferences.pdf

by Wendy Calise

1

234

56

Making the Best of Parent-Teacher Conferences: Eight Steps to Success for Teachers

Six weeks over two summers:

August 6–28, 2012 August 5–27, 2013The Montessori Institute of San Diego 8745 La Jolla Scenic Drive North La Jolla, California

858-535-0500 ext. 101 Class Times 8am– 4pm Monday through Friday

9am– 1pm Saturday

Tuition US$7,500

Faculty TWO AMI TEACHER TRAINERSSilvia Dubovoy, PhDJanet McDonell, MS Ed

AMI MASTER TEACHERMonica Smith, MS Ed,

NYS Special Education Certification

CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRISTJohn F. Erhart, MD

FOUR CLINICAL EXPERTS in the field of Medicine, Psychology, and Social Work

Eligibility Teachers with an AMI diploma and at least three years classroom experience.

Certification AMI will grant an AMI Montessori Inclusion Course Certificate to candidates who successfully complete the two summer sessions and other course requirements.

A key goal of the course is to provide the Montessori teacherwith additional training and resources to assist the child ingrowing and developing a strong sense of self, despiteemotional, behavioral, and academic difficulties.

If you are interested in theAMI Inclusive Education Course, please visit www.misdami.org or email Chelsea Swenson at chelsea@misdami.org.

ASSOCIATION MONTESSORIINTERNATIONALEInclusive Education Course

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

A Course for Students with Special NeedsThis is a course to help AMI trained teachersrespond to each individual child who has beenexperiencing barriers to development.

Mon

tessori S

ociety of Ca

nada

8

The Unfolding of The Human Being:Journey Through The Years

November 9–11, 2012TORONTO, ONTARIO

Hyatt Regency Hotel Downtown

Come celebrate with us, the centenaryof Montessori in Canada 1912–2012.

Our line-up of speakers will take us on ajourney spanning a lifetime of development:

KEYNOTE Lynne LawrenceExecutive Director of AMI

Patricia WallnerAMI A to I Trainer

Sandra GirlatoAMI Primary Trainer

Baiba Krumins GrazziniAMI Elementary Trainer

Laurie Ewert-KrockerKey Presenter for the AMI Orientation Course to Adolescent Studies

Silvia DubovoyAMI A to I and Primary Trainer

Eduardo J. CuevasAMI Primary Trainer

Watch the Montessori Society of Canada website:www.montessorisocietycanada.org and ourFacebook page: Montessori Society of Canada.

SAVE THE DATE

ATTENTION MSC MEMBERS!Have you had anopportunity to visit ournew Facebook page?MSC has established a Facebook group page as away of promoting discussion, sharing resourcesamongst our alumni, and keeping our communityabreast of upcoming events. We hope to unitemembers and non-members alike, from across thecountry and abroad in the cause of qualityMontessori Education. We would like to inviteAMI alumni, parents, supporters and advocates ofDr. Montessori’s work to join our group in orderto participate in discussion and to shareinteresting articles, book reviews and resources.As a member of the group, you are able to postcomments and links, as well as ask questions andmake announcements. When you share aninteresting link on your own page from the MSCFacebook page, you will increase MSC’s exposureto your friends and maybe theirs. In the eventthat you wish to advertise for your business or aproduct, we ask that you contact the groupadministrators before you post. The group isadministrated by MSC board members Anne Lawsand Erin Higginbottom.

We look forward to seeing and hearing from youon the Montessori Society of Canada Facebookgroup page. Ask to join today and please passalong this invite to interested parties.

In February, I had the opportunity to attenda refresher course given by Greg MacDonaldon Technology and Research for the UpperElementary. Greg’s lecture on the use ofcomputers in the classroom was thoughtprovoking and insightful. He spoke about thefreedom and responsibility that goes hand inhand with the use of the computer in theclass, looking at both the positive andnegative effects of technology in our worldand in society. The lecture continued on withfurther discussion and an open floorconversation with all of those in attendance.It allowed all of us there to become a part ofthe conversation and engage in what wasbeing said. The refresher course was well ledand Greg was able to give us a substantialamount of information in a short period oftime both on the use of technology and ideasfor research in the elementary. Thank you toour wonderful host North Star Montessori forhaving us at their school and organizing theevent. It was well worth it.

Every Refresher Course is an uplifting and a very fortunate reminder ofour work. We are reminded of our true purpose in the lives of thechildren. We have a responsibility to provide the best environment tosupport the child’s fullest potential, and to remember the importance ofour gentle but solid presence when guiding the children. Ginni Sackett,being one of the most inspiring mentors and speakers, helped us createdeeper roots in our work with the children. Through her wise words, andher admirable devotion towards the children, she left us with a smile inour hearts. Like she does with the children, Ginni sparked our minds, andhelped us re-find our mission as advocates of the children. Ginni Sackett is a real inspiration!

AMI Consultation Group1-855-AMI-44331-855-264-4433office@amiconsultationgroup.ca

Providing mentorship, consultation and AMI School Recognition to schools in Canada

Contact: Anne Laws, Acting Coordinator

Mon

tessori S

ociety of Ca

nada

9

February 2012

Two Collector’s Items of great value to Montessorians:

Pedagogical Anthropology by Maria Montessori, first edition, 1913. 508 pages $100

The Montessori Method by Maria Montessori, first edition, 1912. 377 pages $100 plus postage and handling charges

Please contact Beth Mackay at 1.613.824.1383beth.mackay@sympatico.ca FO

R SALEby

Stamatina Wlock

by Mariana Calleros

Leigh Remington, Dr. Silvia Dubovoy and Anne Laws, Ottawa

Photos: Micah Lewis and Erin Higginbottom; Riza Weinstein and Victoria Wedgbury; Alexa Mater introducing Greg MacDonald, Vancouver

November 2011Ottawa Workshop Ottawa

MSC Workshop Vancouver, BC

Montessori Training Centre of BC Refresher Course

Are you an AMI Elementary graduate with fiveyears’ teaching experience and would like to

know more about this unique opportunity?The Seminars are planned for:

1st seminar October 7–18, 2013 [2 wks]2nd seminar March 24–April 4, 2014 [2 wks]3rd seminar October 20–Nov 14, 2014 [4 wks]4th seminar March 16–27, 2015 [2 wks]5th seminar October 5–16, 2015 [2 wks]

Go to www.montessori-ami.org to download additionalinformation & requirements for application

Training of Trainers ProgrammeElementary Seminar Format

A.M.I. Primary TeacherTraining Programmey Full-time September to Mayy Graduates receive AMI diploma

to work with children aged 3–6 years

A.M.I. Refresher Coursey Annually in Februaryy 3 day program

Assistants Coursey 2 week programy Annually in the summer

FOUNDATION FOR MONTESSORI EDUCATION291-B Jane Street, Toronto, ON M6S 3Z3Tel 416.769.7457 Fax 416.769.8544Email: fme@montessori-ami.cawww.montessori-ami.ca

Mon

tessori S

ociety of Ca

nada

10

Foundation for Montessori Education

A.M.I. Primary Teacher Training Programmey Full-time September to Juney Graduates receive AMI diploma to work with children

aged 3–6 years and qualify for ECE License for B.C.

A.M.I. Assistants to Infancy Coursey Summer course 2011–2012y Graduates receive AMI diploma for children 0–3 yearsy Those with ECE License qualify for an Infant/

Toddler Educator License

A.M.I. Refresher Coursey Annually in February y 3 day program

Assistants Coursey 2 week programy Annually in the summer

MONTESSORI TRAINING CENTRE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA200-8555 Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC V6P 3J9Tel 604.261.0864 Fax 604.261.2805Email: montessoritraining@telus.net

Montessori Training Centre of British Columbiawww3.telus.net/montessori/

Montessori Training Centre of British Columbia

“The secret of good teaching is to

regard the child’s intellect as a

fertile field in which seeds may be

sown to grow under the heat of

flaming imagination. Our aim

therefore is not merely to make the

child understand and still less to

force him to memorize but so to

touch his imagination as to enthuse

him to his inner most core.”Maria Montessori

AMI Traini

ng C

entres

Felix Bednarski, PresidentLeigh Remington, Vice PresidentLaurie Wilson Forbes, TreasurerTiffany Howard, Secretary

Felix BednarskiErin HigginbottomTiffany HowardTeresa SabistonCarrie WhalenDiana Chalmers

Marty CollinsKaren GolasAnne LawsLeigh RemingtonDena ShlahLaurie Wilson Forbes

MSC EXECUTIVE 2010/2012 MSC BOARD MEMBERS

CONTACT US

EDITORAnne Lawsannelaws@hotmail.com

106 Dossetter WayOttawa, ON K1G 4S5

OFFICE MANAGERTeresa Dorganellesmeremontessori@bellnet.ca

37 Marchington CircleToronto ON M1R 3M6

PRESIDENTFelix Bednarskifelix@humbersidemontessori.ca

121 Kennedy Ave.Toronto, ON M6S 2X8

JOIN MSC

Annual fee $80 (Jan–Dec)Cheque made payable toMontessori Society of Canada

ellesmeremontessori@bellnet.ca

Ellesmere Montessori School Inc.

MONTESSORI SOCIETYOF CANADA

37 Marchington CircleToronto ON M1R 3M6www.montessorisocietycanada.org

Newsletter Design + Layout:Studio Bello! bello@electroniccity.org

School Sponsors

Thank you to the following schools for

supporting the MSC New

s for 20

12

Join EAA in Flagstaff, Arizona for the annual summer conference. We will be exploring “Big Work Inside and Out”. Check the

website (www.ami-eaa.org) for more details in the coming weeks!

SAVE THE DATE: This year’s conference dates are July 8-13, 2012.

2012 SummerConference:Grand Work in theGrand Canyon!