The Montessori Event 2026
Washington, D.C.
March 19-22, 2026
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Seeds of Change: Nurturing Tomorrow’s Leaders isn’t just this year’s conference theme. It’s a recognition of something we all know: that the work happening in Montessori classrooms right now is quietly reshaping what’s possible. Leadership doesn’t start in boardrooms or legislatures. It starts in a three-year-old choosing their work. In a child resolving conflict without adult intervention. In communities that trust young people to be architects of their own learning.
From March 19–22, thousands of us will gather in Washington, D.C., hopefully including you, to explore how those seeds take root, and how we can better tend the ground they grow in.
A City in Bloom
Spring in Washington, D.C. is more than a postcard—it’s a metaphor for momentum. As cherry blossoms unfurl along the Tidal Basin, we’ll open conversations about transformation, resilience, and what Montessori looks like in its next century. This city holds monuments to leadership past; we’re here to nurture leadership future, rooted in research, scaled through policy, and alive in classrooms.
The Voices We’re Bringing Together
We’ve curated a lineup that approaches leadership from unexpected angles—bridging developmental science, workplace culture, and system-level change.
- Clint Pulver — Embracing Belonging
Known for his research on why people stay—with purpose, in teams, and in schools—Pulver reframes retention as a mentorship and culture design challenge. - Jason Silva — The Power of Awe
Futurist, Brain Games host, and Montessori alum, Jason will help us imagine how technology and human potential can amplify—rather than diminish—each other. His lived Montessori experience adds a rare, resonant lens. - Michele Norris — Sharing Our Stories
The Peabody-winning journalist whose work reframes how we talk about identity will guide us through the timeless practice of the handwritten letter—an intimate tool for connection across difference. - Dr. Lisa Damour — Nurturing Resilience — Leadership Luncheon Keynote
A leading voice translating developmental psychology into practical guidance for schools and families, Dr. Damour maps what emotionally healthy adolescence looks like today—and how educators can build protective factors into daily practice. - Meher Van Groenou — Our 2026 Living Legacy
Carrying stories across continents and decades, Meher embodies Montessori’s heart and horizon. Her life’s work reminds us why we started—and why we stay.
An Experience Worth the Trip Alone
This year’s centerpiece experience invites you on a journey like no other: An Immersive Walk-through: Maria Montessori in India: A Decade of Discovery (1939–1949).
Step into a transformed Exhibit Hall and immerse yourself in the years Dr. Montessori spent in India—a time that deepened the spiritual heart of her philosophy and shaped much of what we practice today. Wander through archival treasures, engage with interactive moments, and experience powerful storytelling that brings this pivotal decade to life.
Part museum, part pilgrimage, this is your chance to see, feel, and understand the origins of Montessori’s enduring insights in a whole new way.
And as in years past, the entire exhibit hall becomes a living laboratory of Montessori innovation. You’ll find hands-on material demonstrations, connect with vendors offering everything from classroom furniture to cutting-edge educational technology, and discover resources you didn’t know existed. It’s where theory meets practice, where questions find answers, and where that one conversation over coffee might solve the challenge you’ve been wrestling with all year. The energy of hundreds of Montessori educators gathering in one space—sharing breakthroughs, troubleshooting together, celebrating wins—creates a momentum that carries long after you return home.
Learning That Travels Home
Before the main conference, we’re offering pre-conference intensives for those who want to go deep: The Science of Math, Sharing Art with Toddlers, Teacher Education Day, Montessori in Public Schools, and more. These aren’t survey courses, they’re led by practitioners and researchers doing meaningful work in their fields.
Throughout the conference, over 160 breakout sessions will cover everything from practical classroom techniques to school leadership to the philosophical questions we’re all wrestling with. Want to rethink how you approach neurodiversity? There are multiple pathways in. Curious about integrating AI ethically into adolescent programs? We’ve got you covered. Looking for fresh approaches to dual-language instruction, trauma-informed practice, or embedding climate education across planes? You’ll find sessions that meet you exactly where you are, whether you’re a first-year guide finding your footing or a veteran administrator reimagining what’s possible.
The real power of workshops isn’t just in what’s presented, it’s in who’s in the room with you. These sessions spark peer learning that often proves more valuable than the planned content. You’ll leave with new colleagues who become sounding boards, practical strategies you can implement Monday morning, and that rare gift: permission to experiment, iterate, and grow. Because the best professional development doesn’t just add to what you know, it transforms how you see.
The D.C. Community Opens Its Doors
We’ve curated seven school tours across the region—public charters, independent schools, and programs spanning infant/toddler through adolescence—because seeing how other communities solve challenges and cultivate beauty is conference gold. You can also opt into a Day of Service at Shining Stars Montessori Academy Public Charter School—a meaningful way to give back to our host city and strengthen Montessori’s footprint where it’s most needed.
A Sneak Peek
Coffee & Community each morning, hosted by AMS’s Community Action & Engagement Committee, creates space for affinity groups and authentic networking, the kind where you might meet your next co-teacher, board member, or collaborator.
The Montessori Greenhouse Dance Party: GROW, GLOW, & GROOVE on Friday night is exactly what it sounds like: a garden-inspired celebration where we remember that joy and growth go together. Dress to grow, glow, and groove!
Saturday evening brings the Washington, D.C. premiere of Maria Montessori (La Nouvelle Femme), Léa Todorov’s acclaimed biopic capturing Montessori’s courage, vision, and lasting impact on education. The TME 2026 screening will feature director Léa Todorov in attendance and a live conversation with the AMS Executive Director following the film.
And Sunday’s presentation, Reconstructing the Constructive Triangle: From Teacher Preparation to Transformation in Montessori Teacher Education, will introduce AMS’s forthcoming book on transformation in Montessori teacher education, exploring how transformation begins in adult preparation and continues through a lifetime of practice. Join the spotlight presentation to hear from book contributors and enter for a chance to win your copy!
Join Us—From Anywhere
Can’t be in D.C.? Tap into the virtual experience with live keynotes, curated networking, and on-demand workshops. Our community travels beyond the convention center—connect, learn, and lead from wherever you are.
Why This Year Matters
We’re at an inflection point. Montessori is growing, in public schools, in new communities, across demographics that historically haven’t had access. That growth brings questions about fidelity, equity, sustainability, and scale.
The Montessori Event isn’t where we solve everything. But it’s where we think together, learn from each other’s experiments, and remember that we’re part of something larger than our individual schools or classrooms.
Seeds of change are all around us: some newly planted, others already beginning to bloom. Join us to see what’s growing in the Montessori community.
Registration is now open.
Early Bird pricing and hotel blocks at conference rates are available now. Join us in March for The Montessori Event 2026!