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Celebrating 65 years with a new look and website at The Montessori Event!  LEARN MORE

AMS Leadership Labposium

January 2025, Austin, Texas

Labposium 2025 is sold out! Registration is now closed.

The Future of Montessori Teacher Preparation, Recruitment, and Retention

A Collaborative Event for AMS School and Teacher Education Program Leaders

The American Montessori Society is traveling to the center of innovation, Austin, TX, for AMS Leadership Labposium 2025!

  • Who: AMS member school and teacher education program leaders, administrators, and veteran educators.
  • What: Leadership Labposium is part laboratory and part symposium
  • Where: Omni Austin Downtown, Austin, TX
  • When: January 15 – 18, 2025

A Must-Attend Event for Every Montessori Leader

The AMS Leadership Labposium this year focuses on a critical theme: The Future of Montessori Teacher Preparation, Recruitment, and Retention. Over four inspiring days, you’ll collaborate and exchange ideas with fellow Montessori leaders, shaping the future of our educational approach.

Our agenda features sessions led by exceptional thought leaders from diverse educational backgrounds. A highlight of the event is a series of three keynote presentations by Joseph Jones and T.J. Vari, addressing teacher retention and development.

  • Retention Accelerators: Learn strategies to create a culture where educators thrive, focusing on motivation, inspiration, and energy.
  • Invest in Your Best: Explore differentiated investment approaches to prevent teacher burnout, emphasizing collaboration between education programs and school leaders.
  • Strategic Blueprints: Participate in a hands-on session applying these concepts. You’ll develop Montessori educator archetypes, create job profiles, and design customized professional development plans.

These interconnected sessions offer practical solutions to the teacher shortage, providing immediately applicable resources for both teacher education programs and school leaders.

Labposium 2025 Testimonial

The Hotel

Austin’s vibrant energy awaits at Omni Austin Hotel Downtown. Guests can unwind by the rooftop pool and deck, savor delicious dishes at the hotel’s restaurants, or energize in the 24-hour fitness center.  This conveniently located hotel places countless Austin attractions within easy reach, making it the perfect starting point for an unforgettable city escape.

  • A fabulous opportunity to network and learn with colleagues, while immersing yourself in a single topic.
  • It was a meaningful and intimate experience—relaxing yet invigorating.
  • The last two years of Labposium have offered excellent, topic-focused content over a few days. It’s also been a fantastic opportunity to network and engage in conversations in a more casual setting.
  • It was incredible to connect with an amazing group of Montessorians who are adept at balancing the fidelity of Montessori philosophy with the evolving needs of schools, teachers, and students.
  • Purposeful, in depth, public speaking role model, interpersonal communication and connections, useful and practical information and tools.
  • Well-organized yet flexible enough to adapt to the needs of the attendees.
  • The most impactful part of my experience at this year’s Labposium was the collaboration on focus areas.
  • It was engaging and full of high-quality learning and information, with plenty of time for deep connections with others.
  • I gained so much knowledge about the topic, and also had the opportunity to discuss and explore related issues with fellow Montessorians.
  • It was a fantastic opportunity to advance Montessori education through collaborative conversations and innovative ideas.
  • The focused topic, collaborative approach, and deep dive into something current and relevant made the experience incredibly valuable.
  • Labposium offered four days of engaging intellectual work with peers—an incredible experience!
  • It was great to connect with other Montessori leaders and deeply explore a specific topic over several days.
  • The atmosphere was great, the speaker was excellent, and the resort was fantastic!
  • The discussions were amazing, collaborative, innovative, and dynamic, with a strong focus on turning passions into actions.
  • I’m thrilled that AMS took this initiative, and I can’t wait to share with our staff that we absolutely need to follow suit!
  • Labposium is a fantastic opportunity to explore a pressing topic, engage in a series of insightful conversations, and take time to reflect on next steps for implementing what you’ve learned.
  • The topic was cutting edge and the presentation was of high quality, yet very accessible. Aside from that, the Small and intimate setting allowed us to get to know one another and build community.
  • The small, intimate setting allowed us to get to know one another and build a strong sense of community.

Agenda

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

7:00 – 8:00 PM: Keynote – The Montessori Legacy and Future Directions

By Erika Ohlhaver & Elizabeth Park

Explore the enduring principles of Montessori education, current challenges, and innovative practices shaping the future. Emphasis is placed on integrating researched based teaching methods to enhance teacher preparation and student learning.

8:00 – 9:00 PM: Case Study: What’s Behind the Teacher Shortage

by Amada Torres

Discover insights into the challenges and opportunities in teacher recruitment and retention, drawing from the comprehensive studies and published works by National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).

Thursday, January 16, 2025

9:00 – 10:00 AM: Keynote: Understanding Generation Z

by Corey Seemiller

Determined. Open-Minded. Compassionate. These are just some of the many characteristics of Generation Z, those born from 1995 through 2010. Despite some similarities with the Millennial Generation, Generation Z has a unique set of attributes, experiences, preferences, and expectations about how they communicate, learn, and engage with others. This session showcases the context within which members of Generation Z have come of age and what we need to know about Generation Z to best educate, mentor, support, and supervise them to leverage their potential for success.

9:00 – 10:00 AM: Keynote: Understanding Generation Z

by Corey Seemiller

Determined. Open-Minded. Compassionate. These are just some of the many characteristics of Generation Z, those born from 1995 through 2010. Despite some similarities with the Millennial Generation, Generation Z has a unique set of attributes, experiences, preferences, and expectations about how they communicate, learn, and engage with others. This session showcases the context within which members of Generation Z have come of age and what we need to know about Generation Z to best educate, mentor, support, and supervise them to leverage their potential for success.

10:00 – 11:30 AM: Group Work: Honest Conversations and Action Planning

Facilitated by Corey Seemiller

In this work session, we will unpack the morning’s keynote presentation and discuss specific areas of interest related to Gen Z. Small group discussions will lead to honest conversations about what we may need to change and strategic action planning for how we can best connect with and support this generation of adult learners, teachers, and Montessori community members.

11:30 – 11:45 AM: BREAK

11:45 AM – 1:00 PM: Keynote: Retention Accelerators

by Joseph Jones and T.J. Vari

The teacher shortage is real, and it’s not going away anytime soon. Heads of schools can’t afford to lose any of their current teachers, especially those who are contributing the most. Similarly, Teacher Education Programs need to retain their adult learners. In this session, you’ll learn unique ways you can build a culture where everyone wants to stay. We use our Retention Accelerators–Motivation, Inspiration, and Energy–as the foundation of this workshop and introduce the behavioral psychology that goes into creating environments where people want to work, learn, and thrive.

1:00 – 2:00 PM: LUNCH BREAK

After 2:00 PM: Teacher Education Networking Sessions, Coaches Corner, and Teacher Education at AMS

Friday, January 17, 2025

9:00 – 10:15 AM: Keynote: Invest in Your Best

by Joseph Jones and T.J. Vari

This session will revisit the retention strategies shared in Day 1 and introduce ways we can invest in our teachers (current and future). When leaders fail to differentiate between teacher groups, considering neither their areas of focus nor their professional backgrounds, many teachers – particularly new hires and high performers – experience rapid burnout. Teacher education programs and school leaders can prevent this by working together to implement research-based strategies before, during, and after teachers are hired. This session will introduce those strategies and offer ways they can be incorporated into your programs and schools.

10:15 AM – 1:00 PM: Strategic Blueprints: Crafting Archetypes and Planning for Teacher Needs

facilitated by Joseph Jones and T.J. Vari

In this work session, we’ll dive into the retention accelerators and investment strategies shared by T.J. and Joe. We’ll collaborate in small groups to craft the “archetype of a Montessori educator” and create detailed profiles for open positions, whether real or hypothetical. We’ll also spend time discussing ways we can tailor professional development to meet the diverse needs of our audiences, and co-create practical inventories that can help us address the unique needs of our adult learners and teachers. You’ll walk away from this session with actionable resources that can be immediately implemented and shared by both TEP and school leaders.

1:00 – 2:00 PM: LUNCH BREAK

After 2:00 PM: Teacher Education Networking Sessions, Coaches Corner, and Teacher Education at AMS

Saturday, January 18, 2025

9:00 – 11:30 AM: Partnership Building

Facilitated by Dr. David LaViscount and Lisanne Pinciotti

Facilitated discussions aimed at fostering collaborations between Montessori schools and teacher training programs for internships, job placements, and shared resources. Participants share their commitments and planned initiatives to enhance teacher training, development, recruitment, and retention in their organizations.

  • Overcoming Challenges in Teacher Training: Challenges and solutions in training Montessori teachers.
  • Financial Incentives and Career Pathways: Exploring compensation, benefits, and career progression opportunities for Montessori educators.
  • Action Planning for Tomorrow: Developing action plans based on insights gained from the Labposium

Meet Our Facilitators

Joseph Jones

Joseph Jones is a former school principal, now serving as Superintendent at New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District, 6X author, speaker, podcaster, and cofounder of TheSchoolHouse302. Joe completed his doctoral studies at the University of Delaware with a concentration in Educational Leadership

David LaViscount

David LaViscount is the Head of School at Westside Montessori School of Houston, TX. He holds a PhD in Educational Administration, a Master of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in Elementary Teaching, and a BA in French Language & Literature. David connects his interests in reflective practice, educational research, and leadership to his work with both independent and university-based teacher/leader education programs.

Erika Ohlhaver

Erika Ohlhaver (EC, EL I-II) has been a Montessori teacher for over four decades and a Montessori Teacher Trainer for three of them. A second-generation Montessori professional, she has worked in private and public Montessori programs at all age levels and has been associated with a variety of teacher education programs, which further developed her knowledge and skills. Ms. Ohlhaver has also written curriculum for science, math, and geometry programs used nationwide in Montessori classrooms.

Elizabeth Park

Elizabeth Park, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and Director of Early Childhood and Montessori Programs at Chaminade University of Honolulu. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from UCLA, a Master of Art in Interior Design from Pratt Institute, a Master of Education in Early Childhood Education with Montessori Credential from Chaminade University of Honolulu, and a Ph.D. in Educational Technology from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. She currently serves as an AMS TEAC Commissioner and co-chair for the AMS Research Committee.

Lisanne Pinciotti

Lisanne Pinciotti serves as program director of the AMS affiliate, WSMS-TEP. She earned a BS in Business Administration (University of Dayton), an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education (Rutgers University), and AMS Early Childhood and Administrator Credentials (CMTE/NY).Lisanne supports the efforts of professional associations and has volunteered as a Commissioner of TEAC and is currently Vice-President of the New York State Montessori Alliance. She also serves as an instructor, field consultant, school consultant, and presenter at Montessori events in the US and abroad.

Corey Seemiller

Corey Seemiller, Ph.D., also known as “the Gen Z speaker,” has worked in higher education for more than 20 years in both faculty and administrative positions. She has taught and directed programs related to her areas of expertise, which include leadership, civic engagement, career development, and social justice. Her work has been featured on NPR and in The New York Times as well as in other news publications, podcasts, and journals around the world. With now more than a quarter million views, her TED Talk on Generation Z at TEDxDayton showcased how Generation Z plans to make a difference in the world. Dr. Seemiller currently serves as an award-winning faculty member in the department of Leadership Studies in Education and Organizations at Wright State University and previously held roles including Director of Leadership, Learning, and Assessment at OrgSync, Inc., a campus management technology platform and Director of Leadership Programs at the University of Arizona. Her books include Generation Z Goes to College, Generation Z Leads, Generation Z: A Century in Making, and Generation Z Learns and Gen Z Around the World.

Amada Torres

Amada Torres is the Vice President of Studies, Insights, and Research at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). In this capacity, she conducts original research and produces reports on national studies of interest to NAIS schools. As a permanent contributor of the NAIS TrendBook, she regularly speaks on issues related to independent education, trends affecting independent schools, financial sustainability, admissions and marketing, and advocacy.

T.J. Vari

Dr. T.J. Vari, author of 6 books on educational leadership including Invest in Your Best and Retention for a Change, a national speaker and podcaster, school leadership coach, and Executive Officer at TheSchoolHouse302, serves as Senior Director of Product Strategy at MaiaLearning, Inc. and is an adjunct assistant professor at Wilmington University in DE. Dr. Vari previously served as principal, assistant superintendent, and deputy superintendent in the fastest growing school system in Delaware.

This event is sold out! Registration is now closed.

Thank You To Our Sponsor

AMS

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Labposium Cancellation Policy

Registration fees are non-refundable after December 17, 2024. Cancellations prior to December 17 will incur a $50 processing fee. Cancellations must be submitted in writing to registration@amshq.org. Please include the name and AMS ID number of the registrant as well as the organization or individual who made the original payment. Refund requests will be processed using the same method of payment used for registration. No refunds will be granted if the refund request is not received via email by the required date, and “no-shows” are not eligible for a refund. AMS is not responsible for any hotel room cancellations; please contact your hotel directly.

Consent for Use of Image

Registration and attendance at, or participation in, AMS conferences and events constitutes an agreement for AMS, or anyone authorized by AMS, to record and use, as AMS may desire in its sole and absolute discretion, all recording and reproductions or depictions of such exhibitor’s, or attendee’s name, likeness, voice, persona, words, actions, and/or biography, which AMS may make, including without limitation, the right for AMS, or anyone authorized by AMS, to use such recordings, reproductions, or depictions in or in connection with any legitimate purposes, including for advertising, publicity, trade, and editorial purposes, at any time in the future in all media now known or hereafter developed, throughout the world.