Utah Montessori Council
October 2012
Dear Montessorians;
We are pleased to present your registration materials for our 10th Annual Conference, “Developing a Vision of the Universe” to be held at Montessori Community School in Salt Lake CityJanuary 25thand 26th, 2013.
This year’s conference features keynote speaker, Dr. Michael Dorer. Dr. Dorer’s educational background includes a doctorate in Instructional Leadership, primary and elementary level certifications from the American Montessori Society and elementary level certification from the Association Montessori Internationale. In 1991, he was responsible for writing the charter and gaining approval for the nation’s first charter school. Dr. Dorer is a past member of the Board of Directors of the American Montessori Society, Immediate Past President of AMS and is also Past President of the International Association of Montessori Educators. Presently he is Associate Professor and Montessori Program Director at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. He is also Director of the Montessori Leadership Group, a Montessori teacher support and consultation firm.We are delighted to have Dr. Dorer with us and we hope you and your faculty will plan to attend.
The volunteer efforts of our members and friends help us to keep costs low while offering a professional conference experience with something to interest everyone from parents to administrators. Early Bird registration for UMC members for the full conference is $65 per person until November 15th, and $80 thereafter. Registration includes appetizers, school tour and round table discussions on Friday evening as well as workshops, light breakfast and lunch on Saturday. This will be the third time our friends at Montessori Community School have hosted the conference and they do an excellent job of making us feel welcome and planning for every detail.
Come prepared to shop since our vendors often offer special conference discounts. Vendors who have confirmed so far include Montessori Research and Development, Alison’s Montessori, ETC Montessori, SonicDad, doTerra Essential Oils and Educational Sounds and Images.
This year the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show and Sundance occur on the same weekend as our conference so hotel space is already at a premium. We’ve found that although some travel sites (Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity, etc) say all rooms are booked, others still have a few. We advise you to book your rooms right away!
If you are not yet a member of the UMC just download the membership application from the website ( There is no membership fee. Membership entitles your school to a vote at UMC meetings, eligibility for UMC school certification, publications and notification of information and events throughout the year.
Complete the registration forms below and return with registration fees no later than December 15th. Please pass this on to other Montessorians. See you in January!
Sincerely,
Duna Strachan
UMC Conference Coordinator
“Developing a Vision of the Universe”
Utah Montessori Council
10th Annual Conference
Friday and Saturday, January 25th – 26th, 2013
Hosted by Montessori Community School
2416 East1700 South
Salt Lake City
Friday
4:00 pm Registration, Self-guided Tour of School, Shopping Opportunity, Munch & Mingle
5:00 pm Round Table Discussions
Infant/Toddler Level: Siobhan Sullivan, Montessori Education Center of the Rockies, Boulder, CO
Early Childhood Level: Ann Gavey, MEd, Montessori Teacher Education Program of the San Francisco Bay Area, San Francisco, CA
Elementary Level: Margaret McDonald, Montessori Community School, Salt Lake City, UT
Middle School Level: Jeff Whitehead, Montessori at Riverton, Riverton, UT
General:Dr. Michael Dorer, St. Paul, MN
Saturday
8:00 am Registration, Light Breakfast
8:30 – 10:00 am Keynote Address:Cosmic Education
Dr. Michael Dorer
A very exciting focus of Montessori’s approach in the elementary and adolescent years is what she called “Cosmic Education”. It is so vital that it could be called the very heart of the Montessori elementary environment. Michael will present the meaning and background of Cosmic Education, including the very important applications to the early childhood or primary level. We will see how the cosmic approach penetrates and unites every level of Montessori. You will certainly have exciting applications that you can bring back to your school. Please join us! Michael Dorer is an internationally trained Montessori educator, specializing in Montessori teacher education and Montessori curriculum and materials. He has worked with children in Montessori education from toddlers to middle schoolers since 1969, and with Montessori teacher education since 1978. Michael has a doctorate in Instructional Leadership and Montessori credentials (age 3-12) from both the American Montessori Society and the Association Montessori Internationale. He has written a number of Montessori textbooks and is associate Professor and Montessori Program Director at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. He is retired as Program Director of the Center for Contemporary Montessori Programs at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN. The director of the Montessori Leadership Group, a Montessori teacher support and consultation firm, Michael is a past president and board member of both AMS and the International Association of Montessori Educators. He is a frequent presenter at national and regional conferences as well as a regular consultant and resource for Montessori schools internationally.
10:30 – 11:45 am Workshop Session I
- Another Look at Observation
Siobhan Sullivan
We all remember learning about the importance of observation during our training. Let’s take another look and see how we’re doing. This talk will help rekindle that flame that Maria Montessori lit (and spoke about so well throughout her writing). Observation is the key to guiding a child towards his/her full potential. Siobhan has been teaching for over 20 years in the Denver/Boulder, Colorado area with a brief stint in Hawaii. She holds a BA in Elementary Education, and is Montessori certified Birth through 6 years old. She has been an instructor and Field Consultant for the Montessori Education Center of the Rockies for over 10 years.(Toddler, Early Childhood, Heads of Schools)
- The Web of Knowledge: Unlocking Cultural Knowledge for the 3- to 6-year-old
Ann Gavey, MEd
Here are some interesting tips and tricks to make the 3-6 cultural curriculum interesting and accessible to each age. We will look at the overview of all the subjects in cultural subjects: botany, zoology, history and geography. We will show models, live specimens if possible, puzzles, and information, activities, songs, finger-plays and dioramas. Following a six step pattern, we can show you how to make the cultural alive and interesting. You will be given handouts, outlines and sample songs, activities, children’s literature so that you can go right back to the classroom and get started! Manuals and nomenclature will be available for sale from Montessori Research and Development. Ann Gavey, MEd, is founding head of school at Rising Star Montessori School in Alameda, CA, and is a teachereducator at Montessori Teacher Education Center of the San Francisco Bay Area for primary, elementary and administration levels. She is also an AMS consultant at the early childhood and upper elementary levels. AMS-credentialed (Early Childhood, Lower EIementary).
- ElementaryPortfolios
Sarai Hess & Jenessa Rogers
Do you ever get to the end of the year and wish you had something to show for all the hard work you and your students have done? Come and get ideas on how to help your students make beautiful portfolios of their work. Learn how to use those portfolios to assess your student’s progress throughout the year. Learn strategies to keep on top of your portfolio from the beginning of the year. Sarai Hess graduated with a BA from Boise State University. Last year she earned her teaching certificate and is currently pursuing her Montessori certification. She has been with Walden School of Liberal Arts for four years and enjoys teaching 6-9 yrs. Jenessa Rogers graduated with a BA in Statesmanship from George Wythe University. She has been involved in education for many years and is currently working on getting her Montessori Certification. She worked for the Walden School of Liberal Arts as a Lower Elementary Montessori Teacher for four years and loves the Montessori Method of teaching.(Toddler, Early Childhood, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, Heads of Schools)
- Student-run Business Models for Elementary, Middle and High School
Brandi Allen
This workshop will cover ideas used in Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary and Middle School classes to create and develop a student-runsmall business in the school community. We will look at managing, investing and spending funds made through the business. Brandi Allen has taught at MontessoriCommunity School for over 11 years. Her teaching has ranged from kindergarten through 8th grade with subjects such as service learning, yoga, small business ventures and P.E. She holds a BS in Elementary Education and also teaches yoga for adults and children in SaltLake City. (Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Heads of Schools)
- Montessori Storytelling, Part I
Michael Dorer, EdD
Unleash your imagination with Montessori based creative stories. Good storytelling is vital to the whole brain Montessori experience. Stories for the primary class are to be reality based. These help the children learn about the world around them. Stories offered to an elementary group emphasize the imagination and serve curriculum. Come and listen to original and traditional Montessori stories for both levels, as well as tips on how and when to tell educational stories. Bring exciting stories back to your Montessori classroom, ready to use!Be sure to register for both sessions of this workshop. Michael has a doctorate in Instructional Leadership and Montessori credentials (age 3-12) from both the American Montessori Society and the Association Montessori Internationale. He is Associate Professor and Montessori Program Director at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. (Early Childhood, Elementary)
- Children’s Literature
Nancy T. Sager, MA
Literature for children encompasses many genres. Today's literature for children is marked by increasingly varied content, continued experimentation with innovative formats and literary techniques.This workshopwill offer some insights in how to use literature in the classroom.Nancy is a former professor of Child Development, founder and director of a Montessori school in San Diego and currently serves on the Board of Directors for two schools. Nancy is school librarian holding Story Time each week for 140 students. A former Montessori classroom teacher and head of school, she has taught for a variety of Montessori teacher education programs. She is AMS-credentialed at the Elementary I and II levels and St. Nicholas-credentialed.
(Toddler, Early Childhood, Lower Elementary)
- The Great Lesson Experiments
Angela Choberka, MA
The Great Lessons Experiments are a series of about 25 experiments that are intended to be performed prior to "The Great Lessons." These experiments provide a grounding in experience for imagining the processes described in the five lessons. Examples include demonstrating the properties of matter, chemical reactions such as creating carbon, and the reactions differing metals have as they are heated. This will be primarily a demonstration, but if time allows teachers can try the experiments as well.Angela has been a Lead Teacher in the Elementary Program at Evergreen Montessori Academy for six years. She will complete her Elementary Certification in Spring 2013 from Houston Montessori Center, which is affiliated with the American Montessori Society. She also holds a Master of Arts in English.(Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, Middle Schools, Heads of Schools)
- A Dynamite Formula for Igniting Imaginations through the Music of Great Composers!
Debby Smith
IGNITE imaginations with a dynamite formula for presenting the musical tales of great composers! EXPLORE how to assist children to “see” with their ears and “hear” with their eyes while discovering the true power of music through storytelling, dramatic play and creative movement. Debby holds a BA in Music Theater and Voice from BYU. She has directed children in the performing arts for over 20 years. Currently, Debby is the Voice Vice-President for the Suzuki Association of Utah developing and teaching repertoire for the young singer beginning age 3. She has presented lectures, workshops and teacher trainings throughout the United States. She has taught music at Discovery Academy Montessori School for eight years. Currently, she is a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. She maintains a private vocal studio in Salt Lake and Bountiful.(Early Childhood, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary)
11:45 am – 1:00 pm Luncheon Door Prize Drawing
You must be present to win!
1:00 – 2:15 pm Workshop Session II
- Building a Toddler Community
Nanette Cenaruzabeitia, Sophie Lake, Meghan Burrows, Alia Hovious
Join us to look at the process of building a strong community between staff, parents and children. We will discuss the importance of developing good staff communication.as a foundation to creating an exciting and positive environment where parents and teachers collaborate in the best interests of the children. Nanette, Sophie, Meghan and Alia have been working together for the past three years. They completed their Infant/Toddler training through the Institute forGuided Studies in January of 2012. Nanette is a UMC Elder, has been a Montessorian for 28 years and is the head of the Toddler Department at MCS.(Toddler, Heads of Schools)
- The Web of Knowledge – Unlocking Cultural Knowledge for the 3 to 6 year old
Ann Gavey, MEd
Here are some interesting tips and tricks to make the 3-6 cultural curriculum interesting and accessible to each age. We will look at the overview of all the subjects in cultural subjects: botany, zoology, history and geography. We will show models, live specimens if possible,puzzles, and information, activities, songs, finger-plays and dioramas. Following a six-step pattern, we can show you how to make the cultural alive and interesting. You will be given handouts, outlines and sample songs, activities, children’s literature so that you can go right back to the classroom and get started! Manuals and nomenclature will be available for sale from Montessori Research and Development. Ann Gavey, MEd, is founding head of school at Rising Star Montessori School in Alameda, CA, and is a teachereducator at Montessori Teacher Education Center of the San Francisco Bay Area for primary, elementary and administration levels. She is also an AMS consultant at the early childhood and upper elementary levels. AMS-credentialed (Early Childhood, EIementary).
- Practical Life in the Lower Elementary Environment
Julie Wand
Practical life does not stop when the child enters the Montessori elementary classroom. Come join us as we explore ways to enhance our practical life area in the 6-9 environment. Learn how the philosophy behind practical life will not only help your children in care of self, care of the environment, control of movement, and grace and courtesy but just like in the 3-6 environment it will help with normalization, reading skills, and math skills. Julie Wand received her certification for children ages 3 to 12 in 1985. She taught at the Maria Montessori Elementary in San Diego from 1983 to 1995. She is a teacher at Dayspring and Gateway Preparatory Academy. She is the Director of the Teacher-Training Center of Southern Utah Montessori Teacher Training Center. She is a presenter of workshops at many Montessori conferences.(Lower Elementary)
- Imagine the World of Grammar
Rose Dorer
Welcome to the World of Grammar! Imagine an exciting, lively, and effective method of bringing the Functions of Words to 6 to 9 year old lower elementary students. I will use reading, writing, storytelling, and cartoons to bring language and grammar alive, culminating with special chars and exercises for the whole World of Grammar. Plan to immediately have ideas and material to upgrade your language arts level in your lower elementary classroom. Rose is a lower elementary Montessori guide at Bright Water Montessori School, a public charter Montessori school in Minneapolis, MN. Rose is also an adjunct faculty member at the Institute for Montessori Innovation at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. She is co-author ofWORDS: Montessori Language for ElementaryandLIFE: Montessori Biology for the Elementary I. Rose is AMS-credentialed (Early Childhood and Administration), and AMI-credentialed (Elementary I and II).(Lower Elementary)
- Teamwork
Kacee Weaver & Nicole Householder
Explore a variety of ways to create a collaborative and cohesive environment in your school. Learn to use team-building activities between staff and/or students. Create a climate full of mutual respect and support throughout the year by utilizing meetings (staff or classroom), conferences, observations and evaluations to their full extent. Kacee is a third year lower elementary guide at Maria Montessori Academy Charter in North Ogden. She holds a dual BA in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education as well as a 6-9 MEPI certification. Nicole is a third year Upper Elementary teacher at Maria Montessori Academy. She has been involved in the Montessori arena for seven years. She holds a BA from Seattle University in Ecological Studies and Sociology, 6-9 training from NAMC and 6-12 certification from MEPI.(All)
- We Are All in This Together: Collaborative leadership in Montessori Schools
Nancy Lindeman, MA
Do you ever feel like you are the Lone Ranger at the "top of the heap"? Leading a Montessori school can be a lonely and challenging prospect. Join Nancy for a look at a collaborative leadership style that fosters teamwork and personal growth of all staff members, including the director. Nancy has shared life with children and like-minded adults for 35 years. She is Montessori certified on the 3-6 and 6-12 age levels with 25 years of classroom experience. Nancy has a BS in Special Ed and a MA in Educational Leadership. She has established and directed three Montessori schools and currently is the director of Maria Montessori Academy. She has also been a Montessori teacher educator for 18 years.(Heads of Schools)