Professional Development

Maria Montessori knew the value of instilling a lifelong love of learning.

Our goal is to offer meaningful and accessible educational opportunities for further professional development.

Two women sitting on the floor of a classroom or library surrounded by shelves of books and educational materials, with a large window in the background.
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Building Bridges with Families: Neuroscience, Montessori Principles, and Anti-Bias Practice for Partnering with Today’s Parents

By Krithika Rangan

This interactive, in-person workshop equips infant/toddler teachers with practical, research-grounded strategies for communicating and partnering with families in an era of heightened parental anxiety.

Participants will explore the neuroscience of stress and trust

— how attachment and co-regulation apply not only to children but to the adults who love them

— and how Montessori’s model of home-school partnership positions parents as their child’s first teacher.

The session integrates cultural humility and Anti-Bias/Anti-Racist (ABAR) principles for recognizing and honoring diverse parenting values, communication styles, and family structures.

Teachers will practice concrete language for navigating hard conversations — from developmental concerns to differing views on discipline — while maintaining trust and respect.

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Assistant Training

Montessori classrooms thrive with the support of well-prepared assistants. A trained assistant who understands Montessori philosophy is an asset to any program. This course offers assistants the opportunity to build meaningful skills.

Assistants will learn:

  • Montessori philosophy

  • The role of the assistant

  • How to respectfully and effectively support children, lead teachers, and co-workers in the Montessori environment in ways that reflect the values and principles of Montessori education.

  • Although not a materials course, participants will also deepen their understanding of some Montessori materials and the prepared environment.

This course is in a hybrid format with an introductory Zoom session, online Google Classroom assignments, and an on-site meeting for a well-rounded and impactful learning experience. 11 hours of STARS credit is available upon completion of online and in-person work.

2027 Dates

February 4 and 13 (Registration opens December 2026)
April 8 and 17


Schedule

The assistant training workshop starts with a half-hour live Zoom introductory session. This is followed by seven days to complete four hours of online learning at your own pace. Note: This Google Classroom portion requires a GMAIL account.

The workshop culminates in a seven-hour in–person class.

Registration opens six weeks before the workshop starts.

Black and white portrait of Maria Montessori, wearing a dark top and a scarf around her neck.

 “The future generation must not only know how to do what we can teach them, they must be able to go a step further.”

— Maria Montessori, The 1946 London Lectures, page 140

“Learning the difference between praise and acknowledgement was helpful and something I was able to use right away in the classroom.”

– Assistant Training Participant

Two women sitting at a table in a classroom, engaged in a science experiment or activity. One woman is wearing goggles and a beige jacket, and the other woman has long dark hair and a light-colored jacket. The table has notebooks, a sealed plastic bag, and various small containers and supplies.
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Virtual Opportunities:

Coming soon