Your Voice is Heard

Montessori Life, Winter 2004 by Henderson, Amy

Our membership survey conducted last fall con firms that the most valued benefit provided by AMS is professional development. That the vast majority of respondents are teachers aptly reflects our constituency, which rated the three prominent benefits AMS provides as Montesson Life, conferences, and preparing new Montessori teachers in the teacher education programs. All three of these benefits are focused on professional development. From the surveys, we are extracting ideas to add to our membership portfolio.

This communication is always open, so please continue to let us know how we can support you best by contacting one of the board of directors or calling the AMS office staff. Contact information and Email addresses are available on the beautifully updated www.AMSHQ.ORQ web site. Our goal is to support you in your Montessori endeavors, whether you are a teacher, student teacher, head of school, family member, administrator, or africnd to AMS. Many members included in their surveys ideas for articles in Montessori Life. Your letters to our editor, Joy Turner, are always welcomed and encouraged.

Through the years, the board of directors have heard that insurance is needed for our members. Insurance currently offered by AMS includes term life, professional liability, disability, student accident programs, and personal auto insurance. We have determined that health insurance policies must be handled at the state level. The laws governing health insurance may be challenged over time and allow AMS to offer plans on a national level in the future. Your representatives will keep abreast of the current insurance reforms with the intent of providing coverage for educational professionals.

Your American Montessori Society community has celebrated several opportunities to exchange ideas, collaborate, and network this year. The fall conference in lovely Anaheim, CA, brought inspiration from keynoter Margaret Wolf'f, wisdom on recent brain research from Dr. Dee Joy Coulter, and parenting ideas from Dr. Wendy Mogel. A heartfelt round of appreciation to the co-chairs of the conference, Claudia Krikorian and Cathy Smythe, for their guidance in assuring success of this professional development event. Along with our current executive director, Eileen Ast, two former national directors were in attendance: our AMS Living Legacy Bretta Weiss and Michael Eanes. A highlight of this conference was the initiation of the Centennial Campaign by chair, Marie Dugan. The Centennial Campaign is a 3-year fund development initiative that Marie is graciously leading to enable AMS to reach its long term strategic goals.

Diversifying the selection of professional development, AMS offered a leadership weekend in ForlLauderdale, FL. The goal of providing these types of events is to have a more focused topic. In the next few years AMS will offer more professional development weekend events bringing opportunities to a greater outreach of areas around the country. The Annual Conference will still anticipate a large number of members attending, with a broad scope of topics and tracks for the various age groupings in Monlessori education.

The Peace Committee of AMS brought an exciting opportunity for approximately 30 students 12-16 years of age by hosting a new program, Youth Visits the United Nations. This was a 2-day event provided to help students learn about the workings of the UN through dialog, discussion, and experimental activities. The program culminated in a tour of UN headquarters, luncheon in the Delegates Dining Room, and a commitment from participants to share what they learned with peers, schools, and the greater educational community. Thank you to Dr. Ruth Selman for the vision and to volunteers Pat Yonka, Leslie Nan Haberman, and Tom Jankowski, who helped to bring the project to fruition. If you need ideas on leaching peace for your own classroom, please link to the Peace Seed Connection on the AMS web site. Sonnie McFarland, Peace Committee chair, is currently planning a Peace Retreat in the beautiful mountains of New Mexico for this summer.

Led by Dr. Betsy Coe, the Teacher Education Committee met in Nashville, TN, in November to discuss the many aspects of adult education. This is a dynamic group of educators who are collectively responsible for the continuation of Monlessori education by providing high quality Montessori teacher education centers across the Amerieas and abroad. From the beginnings of AMS in 1960, when AMS teacher education programs could be counted on one hand, they have grown to 70 centers. This is a vital part of the American Montessori Society and I would like to honor those dedicated teacher educators who inspire and instruct our new teachers, thus ultimately perpetuating AMS and Montessori education. This assembly of esteemed Montcssorians is truly our AMS lifeline for the future.

As a part of our AMS policy, many schools that have become affiliated over the past 5 years will necessitate a consultant visit to retain their status or proceed to accreditation. The Accreditation Commission, led by Kathy Roemer, has planned numerous consultant training workshops for those who would like to become AMS school consultants. Requirements to enter the consultant training are that the person be a member of AMS, hold a bachelor's degree, have an AMS or other credential from a MACTE- accredited program, and have completed at least 3 years of teaching beyond the practicum. AMS is looking for many qualified people to do this important and fulfilling job that will help all of us to strengthen our schools and our connection with one another.