Just last month, the Montessori leadership team took a trip south to Nashville for the first in-person Montessori conference in 3 years. Both school leaders and the Director of Montessori Education & Development, Amanda Konopaska, enjoyed a trip full of both inspiration and quality time. The conference was held in Gaylord, TN and hosted keynote speakers that shared their opinions on what the Montessori philosophy is all about.
Among those keynote speakers were American actress and outspoken Montessori advocate Ashley Judd, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson, educational author Jaime Casap and Disney’s former head of innovation and creativity, Duncan Wardle (pictured below).
These sessions offered coaching strategies, curriculum programs, leadership workshops and more. From heartfelt stories to team collaboration, this conference gave a new perspective into the world of Montessori, and as Ms. Konopaska puts it, “This gave us all fresh ideas to implement today, tomorrow and beyond.”
“The conference had much to offer, most often you could find us collaborating over breakfast each morning with the serene sound of waterfalls in the background. Much like a Montessori classroom, this quiet hum energized us in our learning.”
Thank you, Montessori leaders and team for continuing to put students first and learn how Montessori will continue to support student learning for years to come!