Montessori on Wheels

I am gearing up for the AMS full-staff Montessori-inspired working retreat next month in Denver, CO, with the theme of "Leveling Up!" This theme embodies our dedication to progress, empowerment, and reaching new heights as a team. During this retreat, we will concentrate on deepening our connections, aligning on our collective objectives and goals for FY25, and seizing opportunities for personal and professional growth. The agenda is packed with enriching activities, including visits to Montessori schools and teacher education programs, a site visit to Gaylord Hotels - Rockies Resort & Convention Center home for The Montessori Event 2025, the launch of the new AMS Management Mentorship Forum, Montessori on Wheels, and a workshop on AMS Dispositions: Living Our Values led by Kate Webster, Ph.D. Additionally, we will have department meetings led by Senior Directors. I look forward to the beautiful opportunities for growth, learning, and collaboration. Please share any ideas you have that align with our theme: Leveling Up! #AMSHQ #LevelingUp #montessori #TeamAMS #TheMontessoriEvent

In 2022, as I was piloting and designing programs for MoW, Eric Rowe recommended a read "Design for Belonging" by Susie Wise from The Stanford d.school. This transformative book reshaped the way we approached community engagement within our Montessori on Wheels program both in Denver and abroad. As a son of Zimbabwean soil, I am deeply influenced by the profound African adage, "It takes a village." This principle guided our embrace of community-wide involvement, a theme central to "Design for Belonging." The book offered invaluable strategies and frameworks that were instrumental in fostering a sense of belonging among the Black, Indigenous, and Other Communities of Color (BIOC) we serve. Integrating these principles led to significant improvements in the interactions and connections between students, parents, and educators within our Montessori on Wheels program. Ideas from "Design for Belonging" allowed us to: 1-Enhance our communication strategies to be more inclusive. 2- Develop programs that cater to diverse learning styles and backgrounds. 3-Strengthen our community’s cohesion, echoing the sentiment that it truly does take a village to educate a child. We are committed to continually evolving and using these innovative approaches to ensure our education systems are not only accessible but also empowering for every child and family that steps on our bus.#dBooksGiveaway

I recently had the incredible opportunity to discuss the introduction of the #Montessori method to the Zimbabwean education landscape on #NRTV. In the interview, I shared insights on how Montessori principles can revolutionize our education system by fostering a more #child-centered approach, encouraging #creativity, #critical thinking, and #independence among our young learners. I believe that integrating Montessori education can play a significant role in shaping a more #innovative and #inclusive future for Zimbabwe. It was a privilege to discuss how we can work together to bring this vision to life. Tendai "Sokostina" Garwe

In times of conflict, education speaks louder than the bombs by bridging the developmental gap often left by warring powers. #Montessori education creates an enabling environment for education to be flexible, #adaptive, and #holistic enough to cater for the needs of children affected by conflict. Thus, education becomes the embodiment of #hope, and a way for children to restore their #childhood. It serves as a conduit for greater understanding of what has occurred, and a panacea for all that has been lost. Education becomes more than a humanitarian intervention, but a means to re-establish hope and a means to survive. #MoW believes in the undying potential of children to reimagine their futures for the better, even in the face of unprecedented calamity. Montessori on Wheels Charlotte Awdry Nikki Conyers Claudia Mann Makomborero Carl Muropa Steve Sosebee