Innovation at the American Montessori Society

in· no· vate | \ ?i-n?-?vāt: to make changes or do something in a new way

Maria Montessori was an innovator. She lived her life boldly and was unafraid to push back against the status quo as she developed her educational pedagogy and spoke out for social justice and peace. Nancy McCormick Rambusch continued this legacy of innovation when her desire for a different kind of education for her children started her on her own Montessori journey. And Montessori educators and advocates around the globe—continue to be an integral part of our innovative movement. Together, we are revolutionizing education.?

These efforts have never been more important. The landscape in education is ever changing, and here at AMS, we are constantly reimagining how we approach this timeless philosophy.

Earlier this year, our community mourned the loss of renowned community member and lifelong innovator, Dr. Marlene Barron. To honor her memory, members of the AMS community came together to create the Dr. Marlene Barron Innovation Fund. This new giving fund will support new initiatives designed to move Montessori education forward in exciting and, you guessed it, innovative ways.

I am thrilled to announce the inaugural Leadership Labposium, taking place January 2023 in San Diego, CA. Part laboratory and part symposium, the Labposium was designed for AMS school leaders and teacher education program directors and coordinators. Participants will study keys to accelerating innovation in Montessori schools and teacher education programs through collaboration, interactive programming, special workshops, and group projects.?

Another new initiative is the AMS Innovation Fellowship Think Tank. The Think Tank was designed to take research-based concepts and creative ideas and put them into practice. It will feature a global cohort of Montessori leaders and will afford the opportunity to exchange knowledge and bring innovative approaches to the work not just of the American Montessori Society, but of all our individual organizations as we move to the next level of excellence.?

Both the Labposium and the Innovation Fellowship Think Tank will be supported by 2022 Montessori Event keynote speaker Jaime Casap , former chief education evangelist at Google. Also included in this work will be two consultants— Ulcca Joshi Hansen , author, educator, and speaker; and Eric J Rodriguez , education regional director at Intel Corporation.

We understand how important it is to constantly be questioning, analyzing, and revolutionizing our work and we understand that thinking about things in new ways is how we move forward. We are now teaching children who will be alive in 2100 and we have a responsibility to prepare ourselves for a future we cannot predict and to equip our students with adaptable life skills for whatever tomorrow brings. The child who constructs themselves today will grow up in a different world than Maria Montessori’s students. As such, it is our duty to constantly challenge our practices and look toward the future of Montessori education with curiosity for the opportunities that await.

Innovation is not a luxury but rather a necessity. Do you have an innovative idea you’d like to share? I’d love to hear from you.

Learn more about the Labposium: amshq.org/labposium

Learn more about the Think Tank: amshq.org/innovation??