AMI Talks - International Women's Day: Finding my Voice

Montessori’s contribution to helping women develop their sense of agency 

Years before she became an advocate for the rights of children, Montessori was a voice for the women of her time.  Growing up in the late 19th century, Montessori overcame societal strictures that defined what she could achieve as a woman and worked actively to help other women take control of their bodies and advocate for themselves. As we celebrate Women’s Day today, author, researcher and historian, Erica Moretti traced Montessori’s early work in this field.   

Reflecting on their observations of the impact of Montessori training on women in different settings, Trainers Uma Ramani and Helen Mohan Elias discussed how the Montessori approach to Education as an Aid to Life helps women gain a fresh perspective on themselves and their role in society, helping them become agents for social change in their communities. As we celebrated Women’s Day, they explored the enduring power of Montessori’s work in helping women find their voice and realise the strength of their contributions to society.

In this Voices of EsF edition, Dr Susan Nyaga discusses what mother tongue education and multilingualism entail and how they relate to identity and culture. She shares research findings underscoring the importance of mother tongue learning and how this can be supported in the classroom and beyond.

We are delighted to present our 6 January AMI Talk - the date is one well known as it marks the opening of the first Casa dei Bambini, in Rome.
 
We are grateful to be able to present two strong speakers from our network: Dr John Exalto, assistant professor in theory and history of education, and Sarah Kiteleja, Executive Director of the Montessori Community of Tanzania. Inspired by the vision of Maria Montessori that education is the best instrument for change in society, they will explore the need for innovation and reform in educational systems, sharing insights from practice and academia.

In this episode we will first hear from AMI trainer Liza Davis, who in her 6 August contribution to Voices of AMI Training, discussed the science of how trauma's impact on brain development can be mitigated by supportive environments. Her presentation is followed by Susan Shea who will speak on the healing power of music when working with children with trauma.

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This EsF stories episode is about taking initiative, integrating into a community, and creating sustainable change in the community. Born in Spain, today’s guest has made a long, interesting, and circuitous journey to Mexico, where she currently lives. Her local community has benefited from her experience, her insight, and her boundless energy to develop a meaningful educational program, from early childhood through adolescence.

After traveling around the world, from India to Guatemala to refugee camps in Nigeria, Carolina had a vision. With the help of the community and local sources, she was able to build a Montessori center in 2015 in Oaxaca, Mexico, and create most of the 3-6 materials. She was able to be connected to EsF and to an AMI-trained guide. Two years ago, she started an adolescent program. Listen to this episode to learn more about Carolina’s work and how she got there!

🌐 EsF Website: https://montessori-esf.org/

This EsF stories episode is about taking initiative, integrating into a community, and creating sustainable change in the community. Born in Spain, today’s guest has made a long, interesting, and circuitous journey to Mexico, where she currently lives. Her local community has benefited from her experience, her insight, and her boundless energy to develop a meaningful educational program, from early childhood through adolescence.

After traveling around the world, from India to Guatemala to refugee camps in Nigeria, Carolina had a vision. With the help of the community and local sources, she was able to build a Montessori center in 2015 in Oaxaca, Mexico, and create most of the 3-6 materials. She was able to be connected to EsF and to an AMI-trained guide. Two years ago, she started an adolescent program. Listen to this episode to learn more about Carolina’s work and how she got there!

🌐 EsF Website: https://montessori-esf.org/

In this episode, our president Alain Tschudin, professor of Peace Studies and Takako Fukatsu, Montessori advocate in Japa tap into their varied and wide experience in a Montessori concept embedded in all our work and values: the preparation and transfer of peace.

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Welcome to the latest episode of the AMI Talks! On November 15th, we hosted an insightful talk exploring the topic of The Importance of Movement. Our lineup of speakers was dynamic, and we began with the globally renowned Professor Adele Diamond, who is a pioneer in the field of developmental cognitive neuroscience. In her presentation, she discussed the profound significance of music, dance, and movement. After Professor Diamond's talk, we had the privilege of hearing from Ruben Jongkind and Patrick Oudejans, the two visionaries behind Montessori Sports. They shared their perspective on how "Sport is a key to educating human potential."

You can learn more about the speakers of

On 31 August 2023, AMI held an enlightening AMI Talk featuring three exceptional speakers who discussed the importance of parent engagement. Hear from Eduardo Cuevas, Francescah Kipsoi and Lilian Wairimu Mwaura who generously shared their stories and expertise in this field.

Parents play a crucial role in shaping their child's educational journey, and when equipped with deeper Montessori knowledge, children can reap the benefit of closer and more joyful collaboration between home and school. You will love hearing about experiences from various backgrounds and cultures.

In this episode of EsF stories Monique Bekker and Felista Urassa tell the story of the Kilakala Montessori classroom for deaf children in Morogoro, Tanzania. Monique and Felista have been working together to support deaf children for over 20 years and they share their experiences and their thoughts on why Montessori education is a natural fit for deaf children. They also reflect on the evolution of the initiative and the impact it has had on the children, their families, and the broader community.  

Felista joined the conversation from Tanzania. Her internet connection was a little unstable at times, but we were so grateful she was able to join the conversation and share her inspiring story. If you have any questions or if you would like to get in touch with Monique and Felista, please send us an email at [email protected].