All interested parents and educators are welcome to attend.

Adolescent creAtivity, collAborAtion, & discovery

February 13-16, 2015 • Atlanta, GA

A NAMTA Event at the AMI/USA

Refresher Course

AMI

MONTESSORIINTERNATIONALE

ASSOCIATION

Adolescent Workshop

Atlanta Marriott Marquis • 404-521-0000

Adolescent Workshop, A NAMTA Event at the 2015 Refresher Course, Atlanta, GA

Friday, February 13, 20158:30 – 11 a.m.Registration

10:00 a.m. – NoonLeadership Workshop, Optional and Open to All

The Pedagogical Lens of LeadershipGretchen Hall

Administrative leadership and policy work will be discussed in an approach that supports best practice, effective teaching, and optimal outcomes.

10:00 a.m. – NoonInclusion Workshop, Optional and Open to AllMontessori and the Child with Special Needs

Monica SmithLearn more about how the Montessori legacy can help you support all of the children in the prepared environment.

12:30 – 2:00 p.m.Registration

1:00 – 3:00 p.m.Advocacy Workshop, Optional and Open to All

National Network of Montessori AdvocacyRepresentatives of AMI, AMS, MPPI, and the State Advocacy Coalition

Learn about opportunities for contributing to raising Montessori awareness at state and national levels.

A NAMTA Event at the AMI/USA Refresher Course

Adolescent Workshop

Adolescent Creativity, Collaboration, & Discovery

February 13-16, 2015 • Register before February 1, 2015

Friday, February 13, 2015, continued4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Registration

7:00-8:30 p.m.Young Children as Explorers

Alison GopnikWhen looking at how children solve problems, across three different types of problems and age ranges, a surprising developmental pattern appears: Younger learners are better than older ones at learning abstract principles. Given evi-dence, children are better than adults at being able to deduce causation. Alison will explore two factors that might contribute to these counter-intuitive results. In the first, as we gain knowledge, we appear to become less open to new ideas. The second factor, resulting from both neuroscience and evolution, is that young-er minds and brains are intrinsically more flexible, creative, and exploratory, although less efficient as a result. Alison will discuss implications of this research in our understanding of early childhood education, and will suggest that adults may have something to learn from this child-like openness.

8:30-10:00 p.m.Fruit and Cheese Reception

Saturday, February 14, 20157:15 – 8:45 a.m.

Registration

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.The Adult’s Role in Adolescent Creativity,

Collaboration, and DiscoveryR. Keith Sawyer

In the 21st century, the key task for educators is to prepare learners to participate creatively in today’s innovation age. The new interdisciplinary science of learning has come to a

consensus about structuring learning environments that result in enhanced skills of creativity, collaboration, and discovery. This talk will explain how creativity and inno-vation happen in today’s knowledge economy. The core message is that innovation today is always collaborative: It is deeply embedded in organizations and social networks. Some types of education are most likely to result in the kind of knowledge that underlies creative collaborative work. Learners need a deep conceptual under-standing of complex concepts and the ability to work with them creatively to generate new ideas, new theories, new products, and new knowledge.

Atlanta Marriott Marquis • 404-521-0000

Adolescent Workshop, A NAMTA Event at the 2015 Refresher Course, Atlanta, GA

break out sessions continue on the following page

Saturday, February 14, 2015, continued10:30-11:00 am

Book Signing with Keith Sawyer

11:00 – 11:45 a.m. (Q & A Session 11:45 a.m. – Noon)The House that Adolescents Built:

A Journey of Discovery and ConstructivenessJenny Höglund

This is the story of an adolescent farm project that has found a unique self-discovery process in its foundation for building social community. The students built the physical environment, in-cluding a farm house, barn, and many out buildings, and worked alongside the adults while sharing adult-level responsibilities. These students were able to reach the highest level of social awareness through the practical reality and unity of the farm enterprise. The power of the Sätila Montessori farm community demonstrated the levels of cooperation and depth in Montessori adolescent educa-

tion as it prepared the adults for authentic encounters of the teen personality at the Swedish AMI Montessori Orientation to Adolescent Studies in the summer of 2014.

Noon – 1:30 p.m.Lunch

1:30 – 4:30 p.m. (Break 2:45 – 3:00 p.m.)Break Out Sessions (Choose one)

Sessions will be repeated on Sunday.

A. Navigating the Intersection between Montessori Education and Informative Data: Why Record Keeping Matters When Fostering Adolescent Discovery

Katy MyersKaty Myers will discuss record keeping at the adolescent level, the use of adaptive online assessments, and how practitioners can use this valuable information to inform individualized in-struction. She will also present the innovative record keeping system currently in use at Denver Montessori Junior/Senior High School. This system was created using the free Google Apps for Education platform and can provide a roadmap for schools to design their own record keep-ing systems that are suitable to the needs of their unique programs.

Adolescent Creativity, Collaboration, & Discovery

February 13-16, 2015 • Register before February 1, 2015

B. Montessori Adolescent Psychology: The Keys to Successful Interactions with Young Adults James MoudryHave you prepared yourself to be interpersonally effective in your work with teenagers? The role of service to adolescent development is complex and not easy to master. Adolescent psychology demands a steady adult guide and a thoughtful model for the students to build their individual personalities. In

this session, we will look at case studies to reveal best practices based on Montes-sori’s pedagogy. Attendees will take away concrete, positive examples of how to be effective in working with teenagers. Participants will have the opportunity to share cases from their own experiences.

C. Exploring the Adolescent’s Creative Pathways through Humanities and the Dramatic Arts

David McNeesNurturing a holistic, creative principle within our students brings hope for social change, adaptation, and peace. The adolescent is a seeker on the path of discovering an authen-tic and personal role in the power to serve good and is learn-ing to recognize the value of character and how it affects community. Along this path, the adolescent tries on many roles. As Montessori guides, we have unique opportunities to coalesce ideas concerning healthy role fluidity and the spark of creative flow as they inform our pedagogy and enhance our students’ experience. In this, we may explore how the adult guide can prepare an environment that honors the connections between social development, creativ-ity, and cognition within the humanities and dramatic arts.

5:00 – 6:00 p.m.Open Meeting with the AMI/USA Board

6:00 p.m.School Tours

Register with AMI/USA and pay the tour fee at the event.

8:00 p.m.Call for Papers

NAMTA invites graduates of the Orientation to Montessori Adolescent Studies to submit an outline for one twenty-minute presentation to be given on Saturday, Feb-ruary 14, 2015, 8-10 p.m. at NAMTA’s adolescent workshop. Please submit your outline by email to christine@montessori-namta.org. Include your name and the year you attended orientation. Deadline for submission is January 15, 2015. Those chosen to present will receive a 50% tuition discount for the adolescent workshop. There will be time for five selections. Presenters will be notified January 20.

Ori

entat

ion Graduates • Call for Papers • Februar

y 14

•

Atlanta Marriott Marquis • 404-521-0000

Adolescent Workshop, A NAMTA Event at the 2015 Refresher Course, Atlanta, GA

Sunday, February 15, 20159:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Creating a Context for Students’ Flow and Creativity: The Importance of Personal Insight and Experience

Kevin RathundeCreating optimal environments for students’ flow experience and creativity is easier when parents and teachers under-stand these processes from the inside through personal insight and experience. Dr. Rathunde draws on his past research on flow, Montessori education, and his current study of play in middle adulthood to suggest ways that adults can foster students’ self-expression and creativity by first cultivating these processes in their own lives.

10:15 – 10:45 a.m.Break

10:45 a.m. – NoonFollowing the Adolescent: Keys to Discovery through Observation and Planning for Spontaneous Activity

John McNamaraAfter working in the classroom for 43 years, John re-exam-ines his role in designing an environment that fosters student exploration and discovery. Each year John asks, “Who are my students?” Maria Montessori called it “following the child,”

which is how Montessori guides allow the nature of the student to provide the plan and direction for the environment. When students are given the freedom to act on their environment they develop their intellect and will. The teacher as observer is always willing to make changes both in himself and in the environment giving stu-dent’s remarkable and spontaneous learning abilities.

Noon – 1:30 p.m.Lunch

2008 Montessori Orientation to Adolescent Studies

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Adolescent Creativity, Collaboration, & Discovery

February 13-16, 2015 • Register before February 1, 2015

Sunday, February 15, 2015, continued1:30 – 4:30 p.m. (Break 2:45 – 3:00 p.m.)

Break Out Sessions (Choose one)

D. Navigating the Intersection between Montessori Education and Informative Data: Why Record Keeping Matters When Fostering Adolescent Discovery

Katy Myers

E. Montessori Adolescent Psychology: The Keys to Successful Interactions with Young Adults

James Moudry

F. Exploring the Adolescent’s Creative Pathways through Humanities and the Dramatic Arts

David McNees

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.Meet and Greet/Networking

Monday, February 16, 20159:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Designing Adolescent Frameworks: The Art of Environment Planning for Student Discovery

Laurie Ewert-Krocker and David KahnBoth David and Laurie have collaborated in the process of de-signing adolescent programs that lead adolescents to each make their own connections and discoveries and to subsequently own

them through a community process. This presentation will convey the principles behind learning structures that encourage both teachers and their students to find independent, site-based projects that are original, involve choice, and contribute to both the adolescent and larger communities while supporting a wide expo-sure to the disciplines.

10:00 – 10:15 a.m.Break

10:15 – 11:30 a.m.Closing Session

2008 Montessori Orientation to Adolescent Studies

Atlanta Marriott Marquis • 404-521-0000

Adolescent Workshop, A NAMTA Event at the 2015 Refresher Course, Atlanta, GA

Laurie Ewert-Krocker is pedogogical advisor at Hershey Montessori School’s Adoles-cent Community in Huntsburg, OH. She holds AMI diplomas at both the primary and el-ementary levels, a BA in English from John Carroll University (OH), and an MA in English from the University of Washington. Ms. Ewert-Krocker was the founding head teacher of the Hershey Montessori School’s Adolescent Community, a Montessori farm school model that most recently is planning for students ages 12-18. She continues to innovate through practice and uses the farm as the basis for preparing teachers in the AMI Montes-sori Orientation to Adolescent Studies.Alison Gopnik is a professor of psychology and affiliate professor of philosophy at the University of California at Berkeley. She received her BA from McGill University and her Ph.D from Oxford University. Her most recent book is The Philosophical Baby: What Chil-dren’s Minds Tell Us About Truth, Love, and the Meaning of Life.Gretchen Hall is the AMI primary director of training at the Montessori Training Center of New England and the director of CREC Montessori Magnet School, both located in Hart-ford, CT. She has a BS degree in electrical engineering from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in Montessori education from Loyola University.Jenny Höglund is an AMI elementary trainer. She holds AMI primary and elementary diplomas. Jenny co-founded the Montessoriskolan Lära för Livet in Sweden in 1995 and has taught elementary and adolescent students for over twenty-three years as well as serving as head of school since 2006. She has lectured at the Bergamo Centre in Italy since 2006. David Kahn has served as a director for various non-profit Montessori management or-ganizations over the last 40 years. He has 17 years of Montessori teaching experience, 12 of them as teaching principal at Ruffing Montessori School (Cleveland Heights, OH). Mr. Kahn was founding director of the Hershey Montessori School’s Adolescent Com-munity in Huntsburg, OH, an internationally acclaimed Montessori farm school model for adolescent education. He also serves as founding director emeritus of Montessori High School at University Circle (Cleveland, OH). David developed the summer training insti-tute with Laurie Ewert-Krocker and Jenny Höglund, The AMI Montessori Orientation to Adolescent Studies, to guide and develop teachers who work with students ages 12-18. John McNamara is a teaching principal at Ruffing Montessori School, West (Rocky River, OH). He holds the AMI elementary diploma from Bergamo, Italy, has a BA from the Uni-versity of Windsor, Ontario, and an MA in educational administration from the University of Toronto, Ontario. John has taught for over 40 years.David McNees is a guide at Hershey Montessori’s Adolescent Community in Huntsburg, OH. He holds a BA in English from U.C. Berkeley, a master’s degree in creative art thera-py, applied psychology from New York University and a certificate from NAMTA’s Montes-sori Orientation to Adolescent Studies. James Moudry is an author, presenter, and advocate for responsive education for chil-dren of all ages. He concentrates on professional development and personal transfor-mation for adults working with children. He focuses on supporting professionals serving teenagers in school environments. James has worked in adolescent programs as an administrator, faculty member, and coach. His current position is high school director at The Post Oak School in Houston, Texas. He also serves on the board of the Montessori Administrators Association and as a member of the AMI Global Research Group.

Conference Speakers

Adolescent Creativity, Collaboration, & Discovery

February 13-16, 2015 • Register before February 1, 2015

Katy Myers is currently the founding principal of Denver Montessori Junior/Senior High School located in Denver, CO. Katy consults with schools throughout the United States and was a founding parent of Compass Montessori, a pre-K through 12th grade public Montessori charter school in Golden, CO where she served as the business manager and assistant head of school for four years and head of school for six years. Katy’s education-al background includes the AMI elementary diploma, adolescent Montessori certification, a B.S. in speech and economics from Northwestern University, and an M.Ed from Arizona State University in education administration and supervision.Dr. Kevin Rathunde is a professor in the department of family and consumer studies at the University of Utah. His research focuses on “optimal” experiences (e.g., flow ex-perience and interest) and explores two interrelated areas: 1) how optimal experiences impact human development, education, and creativity; and 2) how characteristics of indi-viduals and social contexts (e.g., family and school) enhance or disrupt such experiences. Dr. Rathunde’s latest study explores flow, identity development, and creativity in middle adulthood by collecting in-depth interviews and drawing on his own experience as a musi-cian. Before receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago with Mihaly Csikszentmih-alyi, Dr. Rathunde performed for over a decade in an original pop-rock band and studied guitar improvisation at the Bloom School of Jazz.Dr. R. Keith Sawyer, a professor of education at the University of North Carolina in Cha-pel Hill, studies creativity, learning, and collaboration. He received a computer science degree from MIT in 1982 and then began his career with a two-year stint designing vid-eogames for Atari. In 1990, Dr. Sawyer began his doctoral studies in psychology, where he studied creativity with Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. He has been a jazz pianist for over 30 years and spent several years playing piano with Chicago improv theater groups. Dr. Sawyer has published 14 books and over 80 scientific articles. His latest book is Zig Zag: The Surprising Path to Greater Creativity.Monica Smith holds a master’s degree in inclusive early childhood education and has her New York State certification in regular education and special education (0-second grade). She holds a Montessori primary diploma from the Maria Montessori Training Or-ganisation in London.

Atlanta Marriott Marquis265 Peachtree Center Avenue

Atlanta, GA 30303404-521-0000

Register at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis by January 20, 2015 to receive the AMI/USA room rate of: single/double or triple/quad at $139.

The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is approximately 12 miles from the hotel. Airport shuttle services are available The Atlanta Airport Shuttle Service (call 404-941-3440 or visit http://www.taass.net). Estimated taxi fare from the airport to the hotel is $32.

Additional directions and hotel details may be found on the hotel website: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/atlmq-atlanta-marriott-marquis/

Hotel and Transportation Information

Atlanta Marriott Marquis • 404-521-0000

Adolescent Workshop, A NAMTA Event at the 2015 Refresher Course, Atlanta, GA

Register by February 1, 2015 for early registration rates!NAMTA member tuition fee: ❑ $370 ( ❑ $385 after February 1) Non-member tuition fee: ❑ $395 ( ❑ $410 after February 1)

Tuition fees include Saturday and Sunday luncheons. Choose one: ❑ Non-Vegetarian ❑ Vegetarian

Saturday break out choice: Sunday break out choice:❑ A. Record Keeping/Myers ❑ D. Record Keeping/Myers❑ B. Psychology/Moudry ❑ E. Psychology/Moudry ❑ C. Creative Pathways/McNees ❑ F. Creative Pathways/McNees

Last Name: ______________________ First Name: ___________________

Address: ______________________________________________________

City: __________________________________________________________

State/Province: ___________ Postal Code: ________ Country: __________

Name of Your School: ____________________________________________

Phone : _________________________Email: ________________________

Payment Options ..................................................................................................

❑ Check or money order: payable in U.S. currency and drawn on a U.S. bank.

❑ Visa ❑ MasterCard ❑ AmEx ❑ Discover (complete the information below)

Card Number: __________________________________________________

Name on Card: _________________________________________________

Expiration Date: _______________3- or 4-digit Authorization Code: ________

(month/year) (found on front of AmEx, back of other cards)

Address: ______________________________________________________

Street Address where credit card bills are sent.

City: ___________________________________State/Province: __________

Postal Code: ____________________________Country: ________________

Use this form to join NAMTA or renew your membership.Membership is for individuals only. No schools, please. Please furnish your home mailing address. You must provide an e-mail address to receive member mailings.

U.S. Resident ............................................................................❑ $50 Outside U.S. ..............................................................................❑ $60 Lifetime .....................................................................................❑ $600The NAMTA Directory (not included with membership) ............❑ $18 NAMTA’s Online Bibliography (see description below) ...........❑ $10Total Enclosed ...........................................................................$______

Return by January 15, 2015, to have your name listed in • The NAMTA Directory. ❑ Check here if you do not want your name listed.The NAMTA Online Montessori Bibliography is a searchable database of • Montessori articles. Copies of articles are available for a fee.

Last Name: ______________________ First Name: ___________________

Address: ______________________________________________________

City: __________________________________________________________

State/Province: ___________ Postal Code: ________ Country: __________

Name of Your School: ____________________________________________

Phone : _________________________Email: ________________________

If you are a new member, please list your Montessori training information:Location: _____________________________________ Affiliation: _______Date of Diploma: __________________________ Level of Course: _______

Current Montessori Status: ❑ Administrator ❑ Guide (Teacher) ❑ Trainee ❑ Assistant ❑ Parent ❑ Program CoordinatorPayment Options ..................................................................................................❑ Check or money order: payable in U.S. currency and drawn on a U.S. bank.❑ Visa ❑ MasterCard ❑ AmEx ❑ Discover (complete the information below) Card Number: __________________________________________________

Name on Card: _________________________________________________

Expiration Date: _______________3- or 4-digit Authorization Code: ________ (month/year) (found on front of AmEx, back of other cards)

Address: ______________________________________________________ Street Address where credit card bills are sent.

City: ___________________________________State/Province: __________

Postal Code: ____________________________Country: ________________

2014-2015 Individual NAMTA Membership

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