More than 4,000 educators from across the globe—representing 900 schools and teacher education programs in 25 countries—gathered virtually and in person in Orlando for The Montessori Event 2024. During these dynamic 4 days, attendees heard from over 275 inspiring keynote speakers, attended 170+ engaging sessions, discovered new resources offered by 120 vendors in the online and in-person exhibit hall, and much more. This year’s event featured a “Standing Together Student Showcase” with art created by Montessori students and expanded Days of Collective Action activities. Take a look below at some of this year’s highlights!
Opening Ceremony
Following an exciting introductory video, American Montessori Society (AMS) executive director Munir Shivji energized the crowd and set the tone for the weekend. He reminded attendees that The Event is not just an opportunity to celebrate the enduring legacy of Dr. Maria Montessori but is also a time to collaborate with colleagues and prepare for the bright future of Montessori education. He encouraged everyone to reflect on and share the principles, goals, and values that drive their commitment to Montessori philosophy, education, and the betterment of our communities and world.
Key themes included the profound impact of Montessori, global community-building, and research and innovation. He recapped AMS achievements from the past year, including the contributions of the 2023 Living Legacies Susie and David Shelton-Dodge; the AMS Traveling Symposium and other travels across the US, Asia, and Europe; the Labposium events held in the US and China; the work of the Innovation Fellowship Think Tank; and the graduates of the AMS Teacher Education Instructor Academy. He also announced exciting plans for the year ahead including the release of an updated 2024 version of Dr. Peggy Loeffler’s work “Montessori in Contemporary Culture;” the new “Educating the Human Potential” podcast launching in the spring; and the Montessori Action Research Summit.
Keynote Speakers
Erica Moretti
Following the opening ceremony, Erica Moretti, assistant professor of Italian at the Fashion Institute of Technology-SUNY, reframed Maria Montessori’s pacifism as the foundation of her educational activism. She emphasized how the classroom is a springboard to reshaping society and pulled from her extensive research on pacifism, refugees and displacement, and humanitarianism in Modern Italy. She passionately explored how Dr. Montessori honed her vision working with Italian children affected by the devastation of World War II and the Messina Reggio earthquake.
Jay Van Bavel
Jay Van Bavel, professor of psychology and neural science at NYU and the award-winning author of The Power of Us, discussed how our identities are constantly changing and powerfully influenced by our membership within different groups. He explored how identity is shaped and reshaped by the social worlds we are a part of, and what this means for our potential for collaboration, our performance, and social harmony at large.
Lisa Ling
World-renowned journalist Lisa Ling shared stories of her dramatic career, encouraging the audience to live without limits. Through an engaging conversation, Ling revealed her own career path—working with an open heart and open mind—to explain how journalism plays an important role in the world around us. She emphasized that as times change, it can be a force for propelling the world forward in new and positive directions.
Phil Hansen
Internationally-recognized multimedia artist, speaker, author, and innovator Phil Hansen led a captivating and creativity-infused session. He emphasized that success depends on our ability to make innovation a continuous process and that Montessori leaders can help students rise above any challenge and thrive no matter what comes their way.
Living Legacy
Dr. Gay Ward
Dr. Gay Ward was celebrated as the AMS 2024 Living Legacy for her career-long dedication to the advancement of Montessori and fostering the next generation of leaders. For over 2 decades, Dr. Ward has been an ardent advocate for AMS. She believes in innovation and collaboration as the key ingredients to making big dreams a reality, and she does this with her infectious enthusiasm, dedicated professionalism, and brilliant spirit.
Montessori Voices
Maria Chaffin
Maria Chaffin, AMS-credentialed educator, published author, and founder of the Seeds of Life Montessori Academy, conveyed the powerful synergy of courage and belonging that defines her journey and the transformative power of Montessori education.
Margarita Diaz MS
Margarita Diaz MS, a bilingual Montessori educator and consultant and the founder of the AMS en Español Affinity Group, discussed the important role Montessori education played in revealing her identity and expressing her cultural roots.
Deepa Shreekumar
Deepa Shreekumar, head of school and lead directress at Children’s House in Nature’s Classroom Institute and Montessori School, examined the deep relationship between the child and the teacher as well as the power of words to shape our thinking and transform us.
Julie Repak
Julie Repak, lead guide at the Children’s House, conveyed her inspiring story about how she had been a teacher for children who were deaf or hard of hearing for 16 years before she discovered the powerful tools that Montessori offers to support children and their ability to manipulate sounds.
Denise Monnier
Denise Monnier, director of advocacy for the Montessori Public Policy Initiative and the executive director of the Association of Illinois Montessori Schools, delved into how she has embraced Montessori as a superpower—a superpower offering strength and vision to enact positive change.
Research Poster Hall
Educators had the opportunity to attend the Research Poster Hall, which showcased research on topics such as equity, access to Montessori in underrepresented communities, Montessori as a model of inclusion for children in foster care, and much more. The authors—and countless other Montessori researchers working around the globe—are working to bridge theory and practice and thereby unlock the full potential of each child in our classrooms.
Exhibit Hall
The Event Exhibit Hall was bigger and better than ever—allowing attendees to expand their knowledge of resources that can inform their work. There were options for virtual attendees, and in-person participants were able to meet and say hello to AMS Board members and staff at the AMS exhibit booth!
The “Standing Together” Student Art Showcase
An exciting new addition this year was the powerful Student Showcase on display throughout the event at the official AMS booth in the center of the exhibit hall. Over 180 students participated, and each submission depicted a Montessori student’s interpretation of this year’s event theme “Standing Together.” The pieces were beautiful and unique reminders of what were drawing attendees to the event—students and their success! Check out this slideshow with all of the entries!
Springtime Fancy
Attendees of the annual fundraising gala, the Springtime Fancy, enjoyed a dynamic band, delicious food, and camaraderie as they raised funds to further AMS’s mission and enrich the lives of students and educators.
Engaging & Interactive Sessions
The Event offered more than 200 world-class speakers, over 100 sessions, and a series of special events. It was brimming with enthusiasm and opportunities for meaningful connections, and professional and personal growth!
Networking Opportunities
There were nonstop networking and socializing opportunities throughout The Montessori Event! Attendees were able to connect with like-minded educators, share experiences and insights, and form valuable professional relationships. A new opportunity this year was the Friday Night Dance party offering desserts, drinks, and dancing after a busy day of learning!
Formal networking sessions included AMS Affinity Groups, AMS Emerging Leaders, Canvas Conversations, Heads of Schools, Inclusivity & Intersectionality Discussion Group, Montessorians of Color Affinity Group, Montessori Research, the AMS Peace & Social Justice Committee, the AMS Peace & Social Justice Committee, Public & Charter Schools, University Teacher Education Programs, and much more! Educators came together with like-minded peers to engage in thought-provoking conversations and shared experiences.
Key Insight Boards
Throughout the weekend, attendees used the conference app to share insights after each keynote speaker session. A graphic facilitator and artist from Collective Next used these insights to compile visual boards that were on display and informed attendees’ work after the conference concluded.
The Montessori Event in 2025
Thank you to all of the leaders and practitioners in the Montessori Movement who convened virtually and in person to Stand Together and learn from each other! We look forward to seeing you next year in Denver, CO and online.
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The opinions expressed in Montessori Life are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of AMS.