SCMA
September 24, 2014
JOYFUL ENGAGEMENT
South Carolina Montessori Alliance
Friday, October 24TH
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South CarolinaMontessori Alliance
13 Annual Conference
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Sanders Middle School
Columbia, SC
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13th Annual Conference
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Sanders Middle School!
3455 Pine Belt Road!
Columbia, SC 29204!
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SCMA
September 24, 2014
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2014 SCMA Conference Schedule
Friday, October 24, 2014
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Registration and Exhibitors Open
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Session 1: A, B (Limit 50), C
5:45 pm - 6:45 pm Session 2: A, B (Limit 50), C
6:45 pm Potato and Salad Bar
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Celebrating What Is Right With The World
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Saturday, October 25, 2014
7:30 am - 8:00 am Registration and Exhibitors Open
8:00 am - 9:15 am Session 1: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
9:30 am - 10:45 am Session 2: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
11:00 am - 12:15 pm Keynote Speaker: Sarah Werner Andrews
Joyful Engagement: Montessori’s “Uncommon Core”
12:15 pm - 1:15 pm Lunch
1:15 pm - 2:30 pm Session 3: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
2:45 pm - 4:00 pm Session 4: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
4:00 pm- 5:00 pm Dismissal, Networking & Visit Exhibitors
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Keynote Presenter, Sarah Werner Andrews
Sarah Werner Andrews is an AMI Trainer, consultant, examiner, and presenter at local, national, and
international conferences. She is currently Primary Director of Training for Montessori Northwest in Portland,
OR. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance, a M.Ed. from Loyola University, AMI Primary and
Elementary diplomas and is an Oregon Registry Master Trainer. Sarah began her work in Montessori education
in 1987, with many years teaching experience at both the primary and elementary levels, as well as experience
in administration. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Oregon Montessori Association and
Montessori Northwest, and is a recipient of the Susie Huston Memorial Award for Outstanding Teaching. She
and her husband, Dave, have lived in Portland since 1991, and have two teenage sons, Julian and Evan, who
are great reminders to listen, keep learning, and not take life too seriously. Sarah enjoys botany, music,
croissants, a great book, historical documentaries, and the AMAZING story of the Bretz Floods.
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Featured Speaker, Frank Leto
Frank Leto is an early childhood educator, a musician, a composer and a
Montessori teacher who has been working in Montessori schools throughout
the country for over 30 years. He is also a professional musician, Orff music
teacher and steel band director. He brilliantly combines his skills as both
teacher and musician to create a sound that children love! In 1975 Frank
Leto became Montessori certified. He has taught at Montessori schools in
Michigan, St. Thomas, San Francisco Bay Area, Hawaii and New Mexico.
Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophy on education inspired Frank to develop a
similar approach in music education. He travels the nation extensively,
presenting keynote speeches and workshops at many educational
conferences, including the American Montessori Society. Frank promotes
his own approach to imparting the love of music on to children. His
interactive workshops for teachers are designed for non-musicians. In the
course of a single workshop, attendees are singing, dancing and playing
instruments with a new sense of confidence. With newly learned skills they
enthusiastically return to the classroom and enrich the children’s musical
environment.
13th Annual Conference
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SCMA
September 24, 2014
Friday, October 24th
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IT (Infant/Toddler) EC (ages 3-6) EL 1 (ages 6-9) EL 2 (ages 9-12) MS (ages 12-14) Administration , Parents
Session 1
Session A: Interactive Workshop – Promoting the Love of Music on to Children
ALL
This interactive workshop for teachers is designed for non-musicians. In the course of this
workshop, attendees will be singing, dancing and playing instruments with a new sense of
confidence. With newly learned skills, participants enthusiastically return to the classroom and
enrich the children's musical environment. Frank Leto
Session B: Lovely Leaves
ALL Limit 50
You have the opportunity to create two separate projects with the instructors. In the first session,
come learn how to use watercolor pencils and watercolor paint to achieve beautiful, blended colors!
You will use leaves as the subject matter to create a vibrant, colorful painting. Jill Plumley and Amy
Kuhl-Cox
Session C: Thru Hiking the Appalachian Trail with “Slim Jim”
MS, Adm., Par.
This presentation will chronicle the presenters 2013 thru hike of the Appalachian Trail from
Georgia to Maine. He will relate his experiences during the hike that began on March 23 and ended
on September 9. The audience will learn the good, bad, and ugly of undertaking a 2194 miles long
distance hike. Chris Spencer
Session 2
Session A: Interactive Workshop – Promoting the Love of Music on to Children
ALL
This interactive workshop for teachers is designed for non-musicians. In the course of this
workshop, attendees will be singing, dancing and playing instruments with a new sense of
confidence. With newly learned skills, participants enthusiastically return to the classroom and
enrich the children's musical environment. Frank Leto
Session B: Printmaking Techniques
ALL Limit 50
In the second session with these instructors, come learn about a variety of printmaking techniques,
including project ideas that you might implement in the classroom. You will explore one technique
to create your own unique notecard to take home with you! Jill Plumley and Amy Kuhl-Cox
Session C: Thru Hiking the Appalachian Trail with “Slim Jim”
MS, Adm., Par.
This presentation will chronicle the presenters 2013 thru hike of the Appalachian Trail from
Georgia to Maine. He will relate his experiences during the hike that began on March 23 and ended
on September 9. The audience will learn the good, bad, and ugly of undertaking a 2194 miles long
distance hike. Chris Spencer
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13th Annual Conference
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SCMA
September 24, 2014
Saturday, October 25, 2014: Session 1
IT (Infant/Toddler) EC (ages 3-6) EL 1 (ages 6-9) EL 2 (ages 9-12) MS (ages 12-14) Administration , Parents
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A: Circle Time with Frank Leto - Frank Leto, Featured Speaker, ALL
New songs, presentations, games and activities to enrich your circle time experience. Achieve the ultimate
circle time while improving your students attention span, listening skills, ability to follow oral instructions,
social skills and self-esteem.
B: Teaching Language with the Tools Dr. Montessori Gave Us, EC, Ages 6-12 (Limit 50)
This session will focus on back to basics with primary language so that you may simplify your language,
keep it authentic, and simplify your life. Cheryl Spencer
C: Integrate Topics of Social Justice for Writing and Art Ideas Exposing Various Mediums by Author/
Illustrator, EC, EL 1
Stories that move the heart and illustrators that make our senses get a work out will be explored in this
session. Come try out some new ideas for your Primary or Lower El prepared environment to inspire your
children’s thinking and help to move children’s inquiry so they “wonder’ while they read, write, and design.
LaDene’ Conroy
D: Expanding the Three Period Lesson , EC, EL 1
Dr. Montessori gave us a last legacy with the Three Period Lesson. In today’s classrooms, students are
expected to know more than the basic knowledge presented during the first period. How do we change our
paradigm of what students, during the second period, should know and do in today’s classroom? How do we
as Montessorians move beyond basic nomenclature and simple questions, which generate simple answers,
to restructuring our question skills and expectations? How do we shift from routine questions towards
questions that raise the level of thinking? What steps do we need to take in order to develop engaging
assignments that provide students with the opportunity to develop 21st century skills? Finally, how do we
make use of a variety of formative assessments that help us guide students towards summative assessments?
This presentation will present an overview of higher levels of thinking, the use of question stems,
performance tasks, and Depths of Knowledge within the content of the elementary Montessori Classroom.
Russell Long
E: Emotions and Teaching – Why Happiness Matters , ALL
Explore research on teacher/student emotions and why happiness matters in the classroom. As educators,
being happy does not mean to be free of problems, but it means to choose “optimism.” Listen to choices you
can make and how optimism has influenced others. The preparation of the educator has long been an
integral part of Montessori education. Let’s talk about why this preparation matters from a research
standpoint and a health and well-being statement. Everyone benefits. Kathleen Trewhella-Grant
F: Bring A Free Little Library to Your Neighborhood , MS, Adm., Par.
Create a Take a Book, Leave a Book place for your community to share and celebrate literature and stories.
Join this nationwide endeavor to READ! Rosemary Herold
G: Occupational Therapy Tools for Enhancing Joyful Engagement , EC, EL1
As an OT working in Montessori classrooms throughout Charleston, SC, the presenter will present
classroom ideas to help children who need extra support with sensory, motor, and initiation of joyful
learning. Becky Doolittle McFalls
H: Bringing Biomes to Life, EL1
The presenter will offer suggestions, hints, and ideas for biome studies in the 6-9 classroom. Learn one easy
way to cosmically educate with Biomes as your starting point. Darisa (D.D.) Crawford 13th Annual Conference
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SCMA
September 24, 2014
Saturday, October 25, 2014: Session 2
IT (Infant/Toddler) EC (ages 3-6) EL 1 (ages 6-9) EL 2 (ages 9-12) MS (ages 12-14) Administration , Parents
A: Teaching Language with the Tools Dr. Montessori Gave Us,EC, EL 1, Ages 6-12Limit 50
This session will focus on back to basics with primary language so that you may simplify your language,
keep it authentic, and simplify your life. Cheryl Spencer
B: Fine Motor Development and the Lessons on the Shelf, EC, EL 1, Parents
The presenter will address the following key question: What lessons should I have on the shelf to help
correct fine motor delays and problems in some of my students? Using a process of comparing the
developmental stages to the child’s age, new and specific lessons will be shown to enhance the child’s
transition to the next level and/or to correct bad pincer grips, etc. This presenter will first revisit the fine
motor stages from birth to 6 years old. Next, this presentation will give specific fine motor activities to
naturally strengthen the child’s development from one stage to the next. After identifying delays and
problems in fine motor, this session will present lessons to remedy those issues. The session will include
lessons ranging from those materials already on our Montessori shelves to items found around the house
and/or purchased cost efficiently. After the presentation, there will be Q & A time to talk about specific
problems attendees see in their classroom and provided lesson ideas to help that child. Regina Collins
C: Make a Joyful Sound with Finger Plays and Rhymes, IT, EC
Finger plays are valuable activities that help children acquire skills that are essential to their development
and learning. They help improve and advance memory and language skills, while also aiding in the
development of eye-hand coordination and enhancing their gross and fine motor skills. When children
repeat finger plays and rhymes, they are learning and practicing many important language skills: building
vocabulary, rhyming, rhythm, memory, matching words with actions – just to name a few. Verses can also
help develop children’s muscle coordination and listening skills as well as strengthen children’s
understanding of concepts such as counting, colors, ad spatial positioning (up, down, behind, etc.) This
workshop will provide a refresher course on how to deliver fun and exciting finger plays and rhymes. There
will be a make-and-take on a few of the favorites. Meredith Hines
D: Love and the outcomes: Creating a Class of Loving Learners, EC, EL 1, EL 2, Adm., Par.
The classroom environment sets the tone of learning. Scientific research shows that students who feel that
they are safe and secure outperform those who are in a high stress situation. Creating a classroom where
students feel loved is as important as what we do! Using a combination of ideas from Chick Moorman’s
“Spirit Whisperer” and Dr. Eggerichs’ “Love and Respect in the Family,” teachers will learn the how to T-EA-C-H with a loving heart and how to create a Cycle of Reward in their classrooms. Missy Sawyer
E: The Soul of Education, EL 2, MS
This presentation focuses on bringing silence and stillness to a classroom and ultimately creating peace
through a solo period in a child’s day, no matter what age. Jarrett Murgolo
F: Back to Basics – Demystifying Fractions for the Upper Elementary, EL 1, EL 2
We grow up being intimidated by fractions. Montessori materials will add excitement to the wonderful
world of fractions as we review using the Montessori peg board for finding common denominators, then
work with multiplication and division of fractions. Word problems with fractions and hands on art projects
will visually solidify the fraction concepts so we can teach fractions comfortably. Ellie Elzerman
G: Why Johnnie Can Read!, EC, EL 1
This workshop is a review of the 44 phonetic sounds of the English language and how to spell them. If a
person learns these 44 sounds he/she can decode any word. Karen Kuse
H: Using Rube Goldberg to Focus and Bring Together Your Class at the End of the Year, EL 2
The end of the year is full of distractions and anticipations for students. In order to excite them about end of
year work, and unite them as a class, use a project that calls for imagination, whimsy and science. Creating a
Rube Goldberg machine that the whole class designs, allows for open discussion, trial and error and
cooperation. During this presentation, we will discuss organization, preparation, outcomes, and pitfalls of
this project. Zak Oberrath
13th Annual Conference
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SCMA
September 24, 2014
Saturday, October 25, 2014: Session 3
IT (Infant/Toddler) EC (ages 3-6) EL 1 (ages 6-9) EL 2 (ages 9-12) MS (ages 12-14) Administration , Parents
A: Beauty, Organization and Order in the Classroom I/T, EC, EL 1, Adm.
According to Dr. Montessori, her method is based on order and organization. How can this be achieved in
our classrooms? Is your classroom beautiful? Learn how to make children love its order and beauty. Cheryl
Spencer
B: Early Childhood Math: Back to Basics EC (3-6)
Every once in a while it is a good idea to pull out the math album and revisit the years of training. While for
some of us, it may be in double digits since we learned the Montessori Math Methods, while for others it is
still fresh in your mind. We will look at the different parts of math, review, discuss and see how these lessons
are fitting into the classroom of 2014. The session will be a fun review for all. Chris Sacerdote
C: Joyful Engagement – The Adult’s Role is Laying the Foundation, EC, EL 1, EL 2, Adm., Par.
Montessori education is inherently set up for learners to be engaged and happy with their work. What are
the key elements in a Montessori classroom and key actions by the adults that foster joyful engagement? In
this workshop teachers and assistants will receive an observation form to self-assess their work.
Administrators can use this tool as a basis for providing input/coaching teachers and assistants. Parents will
learn what to expect to see in a high quality Montessori classroom. Gina Riga
D: I Want to Say Something! Using Technology to Help Students Find & Express Their Unique Voice EL 2,
MS
“Our aim is … so to touch (the child’s) imagination as to enthuse him to his innermost core,” Dr. Montessori
reminds us. What if we could tap into the inherent enthusiasm and social nature of second plane students to
help them learn how to express their inimitable core? Find out how to start your children on a journey of
getting in touch with what they really want to say to the world by providing them with regular opportunities
to reflect on themselves and their universe with an authentic audience. Teach them how to utilize interactive
writing to communicate effectively in a collaborative context. Turn them loose to create text/graphics that
give insight into their personalities. Show them how they can use cloud-based tools to provide commentary
on their life and world. Help them see that they can even tell their stories without using words at all. Leave
this session with user-friendly resources, helpful how-to tips, and implementable ideas to fire your students’
imaginations with creative and accessible technology tools. M. Ansley Brown
E: Economic Geography: The Needs of Humans and Economic Awareness EL 1, EL 2
We live in a world of interdependent economic forces and realities. Lower Elementary students begin to
understand these realities with the study of “Where Does Bread Come From” and “T-shirts come from
Swansea.” Upper Elementary students delve into more complex studies with “Bears and Bulls and Maria’s
Bakery,” Unending Taxes,” and “The Chart of Interdependency.” Russell Long
F: Why Johnnie Can Read!, EC, EL 1
This workshop is a review of the 44 phonetic sounds of the English language and how to spell them. If a
person learns these 44 sounds he/she can decode any word. Karen Kuse
G: Sensorial Basics = Endless Possibilities,EC
Have your students lost interest in the Sensorial materials? Reignite their interest with challenges, games,
and extensions. Sheryl B. Ancone
H: The Garden as a Classroom, EC, EL1, EL2 MS
Maria Montessori believed that children should first receive an ‘education of the senses, then an education
of the intellect.’ In addition to awakening their senses, she stressed the importance of gardening in teaching
children to appreciate nature as well as to develop a sense of responsibility and purpose. We know how
important it is to get our students outside and into the garden, but it can sometimes be a challenge with the
academic performance demands we all experience. The presenter will share a newly developed curriculum
with lessons that address STEM in the garden for K-8th grades and the standards that align with them, in a
way that educates the student’s senses as well as their intellect. Karen Latsbaugh
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SCMA
September 24, 2014
Saturday, October 25, 2014: Session 4
IT (Infant/Toddler) EC (ages 3-6) EL 1 (ages 6-9) EL 2 (ages 9-12) MS (ages 12-14) Administration , Parents
A: Grace And Courtesy: For Community and For Life, IT, EC, EL 1
Sarah Werner Andrews: Keynote Speaker
The Montessori lessons of “Grace and Courtesy” support joyful engagement, develop core executive
functions, and are an exceptional classroom management tool- what's not to love!? This session will reinspire teachers as well as provide a practical structure to use in developing the unique grace and courtesy
lessons to match your own classroom’s needs.
B: Where Am I in the Universe?, EC, EL 1
This workshop will lead participants through a beautiful geography lesson of a child’s place in the universe.
Using a set of specially painted Russian Matryoshka dolls, attendees will be guided through a lesson plan
that includes extensions and an art activity. This lesson is sure to spark interest in the geography materials.
This lesson intends to help children ages 2 1/2 -9 have a better understanding of ‘place’ in the universe. Judy
Blahut
C: Embracing Expectations in Systems Will Increase Engagement and Fidelity of Implementation, EC,
EL 1
The Montessori Way belongs to us all. Implementation with fidelity keeps our promise to Dr. Maria
Montessori, the families, and the children. How can we be the example, the model, have high expectations
for ourselves and children and choosing systems of accountability that work? Do you have the drive and
motivation, interest and knowledge to navigate the rough waters? LaDene’ Conroy
D: Geometry City, EL 1, EL 2, MS
Make geometry even more fun for the students by using kinesthetic lessons as the extensions to the
Montessori materials. After the lessons are given, have the students build a city using their geometry
knowledge and incorporate many other subject areas. Teena Kyer
E: Old Mac D Had a Farm and So Did Montessori, EC
The Montessori Farm is a lovely and engaging way to develop children’s vocabulary and give them a concrete
introduction to grammar. Sometimes we are less than confident on how to present the lessons. Participants
in this workshop will learn simple and effective ways to use “the farm.” Variations of the farm (No expensive
barn or animals are necessary!) will be explained and demonstrated. Who knew the farm could be so easy?
Teresa Noble
F: Montessori Middle School Round Table Discussion, MS, Adm.
This session is designed to give Montessori middle level teachers time to discuss current programs and
practices: successes, opportunities for growth, and to share ideas. Each participant is asked to be prepared to
share and have open and honest dialogue with one another. Candi Wilson
G: Cultivating Creative Movement into the Montessori Learning Environment, ALL
Movement is one of the hallmarks of the Montessori Approach to Learning. Join this interactive workshop
to experience some lively innovations in creative movement that you can bring back to the life of your class.
Melody Mosby
H: Linguistic Enrichment to Promote Social Inclusion in a Montessori Classroom, EL 1, EL 2
Dr. Montessori’s emphasis on the fundamental needs of humans is more important today than ever.
Students who come from different backgrounds sometimes find themselves excluded by other students
because of their differences. In a case study involving a new student with limited English proficiency, the
teacher attempted to highlight the commonalities of all people by adding bilingual English and Spanish
print and language activities to the classroom. Sociograms created before and after the interventions suggest
a significant positive effect of the bilingual print and activities on the climate of the classroom. Michael R.
Thigpen
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SCMA
September 24, 2014
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2014 South Carolina Montessori Alliance Conference Exhibitors
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13th Annual Conference
Alison’s Montessori: www.alisonsmontessori.com
East Educational Services: www.easteducational.com
Fun Science: fivedollarfunscience.com
Hello Wood Products
Kaplan Companies : www.kaplanco.com
Laughing Star: [email protected]
Montessori Treasures
Unborne Books: usbornebooks.com
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