BringMontessoriOutOfthePast

CONVENER(S): Dr. Kathleen Bowser

PARTICIPANTS: Mimi Basso, Anna Perry, Marilyn Stewart, Mary Cooper, Linda Zankowsky, Bobbi Ann Helgeson

SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION:

1. Make a commitment to progress ,

2. Interface with other educational movements and educators: NAEYC, ACEI, IRA, NAIS, CAPE and others,

3, Re-examine mission practices,

4, Use current research to explain and validate and expand our assertions,

5, Re-examine and throw out jargon, i,e, normalize, Directress, others,

6, Develop an action plan for AMS' strategic plan and intergrate it with everything AMS does.

7. Bring it tthe Public.

8 Mission: To reform best practices for ALL. children.

9, RESEARCH:

a,} Look at current research for support of Montessori principles and practices.

b.} Correlate research and practice.

c.} Have a cognitive scientist with specialty in classroom applications.

10. Public Policy:

a.] Awareness before advocacy,

b.] Watchdog: [Politics 101],

c.] Repot and inform the Montessori community.

11.] Teacher Education Programs back to the scientific pedagogue:

a.]Infuse techer educational practices with critical thinking.

b.] stop dishing out information; insist on professional development.