Page 1: Read Me First!

With over 100 years of successful Montessori education in our collective history, and current research corroborating Montessori?s work, the American Montessori Society has an eye on the future. Reflecting on Maria Montessori?s statement,  ?The child is both hope and a promise for mankind" ?AMS is eager to present a conference to help us fulfill her vision that educating our children is the answer to a thriving peaceful existence. As the ways in which we access data increase exponentially in this Information Age, Montessori educators must examine best practices and the multitude of new ways our children can absorb information. In a rapidly changing world, we also must renew and invigorate our commitment to preparing students to face any challenge in our global society. The more education fails, the louder the cry for increased uniformity and standards.

Where does the Montessori Method, which encourages individual growth and personal development, fit into the current educational system? How can we further Dr. Montessori's commitment to diversity and justice in mainstream education in order to value the gifts of all children? As our society harnesses the power of technology, we embrace the promise of a world in which education is available to all who seek it. Through this conference, we will explore the ways a Montessori education can transform lives and advance the world toward a better future.

In this spirit we invite workshop proposals on the following topics:

• Curriculum: Overview of Montessori curriculum areas; new ideas for Montessori curriculum lesson plans/materials; practical ideas and strategies for the Montessori class or home; "make-and-take" ideas; the role of play and creativity in a Montessori environment; alignment of state standards with Montessori curriculum.
• Philosophy: Theoretical underpinnings of Montessori education; Montessori planes of development; the viability of Montessori as an option for public and charter schools; comparisons of Montessori with other educational theories and pedagogies.
• Socio-Emotional Development: Peace education; conflict resolution; bullying; diversity; moral development; spiritual development; the use of grace and courtesy to further our peaceful existence;adapting grace and courtesy standards to today's standards and practice; responding to children who have experienced violence, grief, terrorism, war, natural disasters.
• Supplemental Curriculum: Foreign language, including ESL; physical education; the role of technology in fulfilling Montessori's promise and the evolution of its place in Montessori education at various levels; and effects on child development and children's learning style; the use of social networking as an educational tool; environmental education; environmental sustainability; global environmental issues.
• Leadership: Leadership skills for educators, teacher educators, and administrators; Montessori education as an option for public and charter schools (convincing school boards); board cultivation and relations; human resources considerations; emergency preparedness; health and safety; marketing and admissions; adding program levels; starting new schools; strategic planning; development and fundraising; building and renovating schools; creating eco-friendly green buildings, environments, and practices.
• Community & Public Policy: Family involvement in education; community organizations as partners in education; advocacy issues; action opportunities; diversity issues in education (ethnic, racial, family relationships, economic, gender identity); effectiveness of Montessori philosophy and methods outside the typical classroom arena, e.g. use with Alzheimer's patients; service learning; intergenerational programs; Standardized testing and its place in Montessori education; examining the promise as partnership between home and school.
• Research: Research related to Montessori education; assessment; Montessori outcomes; the impact of the media and information accessibility on today's students; the effects of globalization and the virtual world on our social and economic landscape and its impact on Montessori's promise.

Rules of Participation
The box following each item is a required field. For your submission to be successful, you must put a check in each box.

• Proposals must be submitted online, using this submission form.
  
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• A maximum of two proposals may be submitted by a presenter, either as a presenter or co-presenter of a session.
  
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• Presenters must be available to present on any day during conference, and at any time, as determined by the Program Committee. Individual schedules cannot be accommodated.
  
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• Presenters who receive an acceptance e-mail from AMS must respond by the date specified, or their opportunity to present will be forfeited.
  
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• Up to two presenters per workshop will receive complimentary conference registration. If there is only one presenter, only one complimentary registration will be given. If someone is presenting more than one workshop, s/he will receive one complimentary registration only.
  
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• Only presenters included in this presentation proposal will be accepted for presentation. With apologies, there are no exceptions.
  
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• If requested by presenter, the workshop room will be equipped with a wired microphone, LCD projector, and screen. (The request must be made in the A/V request form sent by AMS to every presenter whose workshop is accepted.) Laptops, power cords, and adaptors (for Apple computers) must be provided by the presenter. Additional equipment may be supplied upon request, subject to approval by AMS, availability, and response from the presenter by a specified date. Presenters will be responsible for any fees incurred by the additional equipment. Requests received after the date specified by AMS, including changes or requests made on-site, will incur rental and handling fees. Internet access in the workshop rooms will be provided at the presenter's expense, subject to availability.
  
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• Presentation proposals for strictly commercial purposes will not be accepted. If a presenter has a commercial product(s), service, or publication to promote, this may be done by purchasing space in the Exhibit Hall.
  
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Suggestions for Successful Submissions:

• Have complete biographical information for all presenters on-hand before you begin: names, contact information (including e-mail addresses), education degrees and fields, Montessori credentials (levels, awarding agencies), position titles and descriptions, prior conference experience, awards, board and other volunteer experience, and other relevant background information.
• First write (and save) the required descriptions of your presentation in a Word document. Then copy and paste it into the proposal.
• Allow time for successful submission. To avoid problems caused by unexpected events (malfunctioning computers, family emergencies, etc.), do not wait until the final deadline date to submit. Also note that due to site overload, submission difficulties on the last day may be encountered. Late entries will not be accepted.
• If your proposal bounces back when you try to submit it, find the field(s) highlighted in red. Complete them. (Make sure you check for red on every page. To navigate to the different pages, click on the tabs at the bottom.)  After you complete the fields highlighted in red on every page, try submitting again.

Review Process
Proposals are reviewed by a committee of teachers with Montessori credentials at all levels from various geographic regions, as well as heads of Montessori schools and AMS senior staff. The reviewers' comments are shared with the senior directors who analyze the evaluation data and make final selections.