Where in the world have our Faculty been?

September 8, 2017

The Faculty and Staff of Greenspring Montessori School have had quite a busy summer. Guides and assistants traveled as far as Ohio, Connecticut, and even Prague to learn from seasoned Montessorians. Learn more about their exciting experiences below.

Elliot Dickson, Adolescent Guide, traveled to Hershey, Ohio, to attend the North American Montessori Teachers’ Association Orientation. He writes:
“I attended Hershey Montessori School, a farm school that was the first school to implement Maria Montessori’s full vision for an adolescent community. At Hershe, I attended lectures given by veteran Montessori guides and got to experience the life of an adolescent as I balanced academic work with chores on the farm and in community spaces. The training gave me a holistic view of human development and how Montessori’s vision for community learning can best support the developmental needs and characteristics of children and adolescents at each stage of life. I also came to better understand how our own adolescent community at Greenspring can fully meet the needs of the adolescents while also preparing them for the young adults they want to grow to be. After two years at Greenspring and thirteen years in education, the learning and time for reflection was a true gift. ”

The picture is of all 60+ attendees (from the U.S., Australia, Sweden, Mexico, Romania, China, and Germany) and faculty.
Marketa Traband, Children’s House Guide, ventured to Prague to attend the International Montessori Conference. The topic for this year’s conference is Pathway to Peace: Montessori Education for Social Change. She was so inspired by her trip and the international community of Montessorians, and she is excited to utilize her new understanding in the classroom this year.
Lee Lanou, Director of Children’s House and Director of Training at the Maryland Center for Montessori Studies, continued her AMI Primary training at Greenville Montessori Institute in South Carolina.
Already AMS certified, Lee is deepening her Montessori practice and gaining a better understanding of the unique teachings of the AMI curriculum. She said, “Training is a wonderfully intense, fulfilling, and filling experience. By the end of 8 weeks, my brain was completely full! Having had the AMS Primary training in 1989, this training has served as a wonderful refresher, rich in Montessori theory and practice.”
Marcela Daley, Spanish Enrichment Guide, attended the Summer Assistants Course at Washington Montessori Institute in Columbia, Maryland. She was enthusiastic to share, “The training provided great information helping me with a better understanding, not just about the Montessori philosophy, but about the needs and expectations of the child from 6-12. I am excited to put in practice all the learning and use it during the Spanish time with the students.”
Kim McCaslin, Spanish Dual Language Toddler Guide, entered her second summer at the Mid-America Montessori Teacher Training Institute in Omaha, Nebraska to earn the AMS Toddler credential. She writes:
“I greatly enjoyed my time training at Mid-America Montessori Teacher Training Institute in Omaha, NE for three intense weeks this past July. I had the opportunity to study both infants and toddlers. During my training, we made materials, practiced lessons and created practical yet thorough albums. I brainstormed new ideas with both my teachers and my classmates. Overall it was a wonderful experience that gave me a more complete understanding of the importance and beauty of a Montessori education.”
Two new staff members, Monique Crabb, Dual Language Children’s House Assistant, and Shweta Santosh, Floating Assistant, began their AMS Early Childhood training at our very own Maryland Center for Montessori Studies. Both are looking forward to pairing their knowledge from training with real-world implementation in the classroom.
11 other team members – including Lead Guides, Assistants, and Administrators – attended conferences and trainings, bringing back a wealth of knowledge on Montessori practice. We are looking forward to a fantastic year of continued growth!

Kimberly Zerfas

Kimberly Zerfas is the Director of Marketing & Communications at Greenspring Montessori School. A graduate of the Publications Design M.A. program at the University of Baltimore, Kim loves combining words and images to tell our unique story. She loves creative problem-solving, designing and writing materials that convey in-depth information in new and interesting ways. Learn more about Kim.

Recent Posts

2024 Adolescent Social Justice Data Fair

2024 Adolescent Social Justice Data Fair

As part of a unit on data literacy, our Adolescents have been investigating social justice issues of their choosing in Humanities and Math classes. The students interviewed their families on social justice topics and then brought their findings to the class to...