Introduction
Chongqing: Journey to New Accomplishment! The Fourth Annual Conference of AMI China Affiliated Society will have its brand opening in Chongqing on October20-21, 2018.
The Association Montessori Internationale(AMI), founded by Dr. Maria Montessori, is an internationally recognized authority on Montessori education. The Annual Conference, successfully held by AMI China Affiliated Society for three times since 2015, is not only a gathering feast for Montessori people, also being the forefront of spreading Montessori in China.
Conference information
Conference date:
October20-21, 2018
Conference place:
the Ambassador Hotel (No.168, Yuzhou Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing)
Organizer
The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)
Co-organizer
AMI China Affiliated Society-Montessori Institute of Child Development
AMI Chongqing Training Center
Establishing a United Educational Ecology
Time brings great changes to the world. Human society has gone through primitive civilization, agricultural civilization, industrial civilization, and is going to step into the era of ecological civilization. We are confronting with many challenges such as the problem of environment and resources, social equity and sense of lost values which all generated by industrial civilization.
Establishment of ecological environment is favorable to the harmonious coexistence between man and nature, man and society, society and society; Establishment of ecological environment is also favorable to the sustainable and harmonious development of the education environment which means that all the parties of society can understand and cooperate with each other.
A newborn came into the world with a cry, just as a seed roots and sprouts on the ground. He absorbs nutrition from the surrounding environment, in exchange for the growth of body and mind. The establishment of the educational ecology environment has already started from this moment. Environment as education, is the whole world to the children. This is the essence of Montessori's educational concept of "to love is to educate". It is hoped that all parties of society will also take love as their basis, attach importance to the needs of children, conform to children’s innocent nature, respect the children’s independent thoughts and will, understand children’s desire to participate in society, and strive to help our children to acquire sustainable development, and try our best to create a great educational ecology.
Chinese early childhood education serves the most enormous amount children in the worlds, which obviously caused lots of weaknesses: the development of early childhood education in region, district, urban and rural is imbalance. The resources of early childhood education have not been utilized sufficiently. Preschool education as public interest has been challenged. The contradiction between supply and demand of the teacher resources is getting acute gradually. In addition, the main problem of the family education is spoiling, doting on the kids or to be a loveless family. The weakness of education in the kindergarten is that they pay more attention in knowledge education, but less attention in physical and psychological education. The outstanding social problem is superficial, unilateral and overreacting attitude towards the early childhood education. All above mentioned problems separate the integration of education and ecology, break the balance between education and ecology, interdict consistency of education and ecology, gradually trigger the attention and consideration of the public. At the same time, the rapid development of science and technology brings in lots of new ideas and various value systems, which caused many traditional concepts of education to be challenged and questioned.
However, no matter how fast the time changes, the basis of sustainable development is always educational ecology; the essence of early childhood education is always to respect the nature of the children, and "life", "livelihood" and "growth" is always the three themes of the eternal exploration .
The ecological civilization under the scope of education, manifests as group consensus, concreted cooperation, keeps the balance and identifies the value. The government protects the education and ecology development by using regulation, strengthens the security system, establishes the accountability system, strictly controls the access standards ,and set up forcibly withdraw system. The culture makes the society prosperous, carries out public benefit in the community, mutual communicates with the neighbors, propagates the traditional virtues and praises the virtuous behaviors. The school develops children mind by using kinds of courses, consciousness of innovation, liberation and enlightenment, respect individual personality; The family establishes the principles for the person with ethics, parents gives an example personally, as good as their words, they builds the foundation of the family with love, and teaches the children with rationality.
The family raises the children, the school teaches the children, the society cultivates the children, and the culture edifies the children, every parts is indispensable part for establishment of the educational ecology and every parts hooks up and forms the chains for education. The love of parents, the grace of teachers and seniors, the friendship of your classmates or your peers, the kindness of others all together forms the elements of ecology which they can cover all the bases and support each other. We have to stick to the essence of the education, track back to the origin of the education, give the options back to the children, give the participation rights back to the parents, give the rights of creation and innovation back to the teachers, give the rights of running a school back to the school, give the rights of criticizing back to the society and gather the power of all the people to create a flourishing scene of educational ecology.
Education is a tremendous enterprise, needs numerous people contribute all their strengths and supports. In this extensive world, with a great educational ecology all the creatures grow themselves. Everyone has his own position and will shine at themselves because of the prosperity of the world.
We wish -- No one is an island!
Keynote Speakers
▲ Philip O`Brien
Philip O'Brien is currently President of AMI, and Senior Adviser at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation. He was previously Executive Vice President for Communications Advocacy and Development at the Foundation. Prior to joining Elizabeth Glaser, Philip worked for UNICEF in a number of positions and roles, including as Regional Director for Central and Eastern Europe, and Director of Private Partnerships and Fundraising. He has lived and worked in Asia, Africa, US and Europe. He holds a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Wales, Swansea UK.
▲ André Roberfroid
André Roberfroid was UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for programme and strategic planning, in charge of developing the overall UNICEF strategies in the end of child health, education, nutrition and child protection until his retirement in 2003. His past work involved work for children in Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon. In 1984 he became senior planning officer in the UNICEF regional office for the Middle East and North Africa, and advised governments on policies for children in all countries of the Middle East (from Morocco to Iran). André has been President of AMI since 2005-2014 and is now AMI’s Global Ambassador.
▲ Lynne Lawrence
Lynne Lawrence has been the Executive Director of AMI since June 2008, and prior to this held the position of AMI General Secretary ad interim (2007). She was also head of the AMI Human Resources Committee. Lynne was Director of Training and Schools at the Maria Montessori Training Organization (MMTO), now known as the Maria Montessori Institute, since 1989. In her role as AMI Executive Director, Lynne actively promotes AMI’s involvement in Montessori educational projects in developing countries, alongside the many other areas of the association’s work, including teacher training programmes globally and ancillary Montessori programmes, research and development supported by the AMI board, committees and staff.
▲ Megan Tyne
Megan Tyne holds the AMI 3-6 Diploma and a BA Dip Ed and has been involved in Montessori education since 1985. She has three grown children, all of whom attended Montessori. With a professional background in computers, finance and marketing she has assisted numerous Montessori associations both in Australia and overseas. She was Chairperson of the International Montessori Centenary Committee and is website designer for several Montessori organizations including the Association Montessori Internationale. Megan also assists with Indigenous Montessori projects in Australia and attended the 2004 and 2011 Educateurs sans Frontières assemblies. She is currently Executive Director of the Montessori Children's Foundation and the Montessori Australia Foundation, CEO of the Australian Centre for Montessori Studies and Program Manager for the Association Montessori Internationale.
▲ Louise Livingston
Louise Livingston first developed an interest in understanding children through her work as a counselor for abused children with the UK charity Childline. She gained her Montessori diploma at the 3-6 level at the Maria Montessori Institute in London and worked for many years in Children’s Houses latterly running one of the Maria
Montessori Institute’s own exemplar schools. Louise is presently Director of Training at the Maria Montessori Institute in London where she is responsible.
▲ Aidi Chen
Aidi Chen, founder of AMI China affiliated society. In 1999, Aidi Chen introduced Montessori to Zhejiang Provincial Wulinmen Kindergarten, and she has dedicated herself to the promotion of Montessori in China ever since. In 2007, she played a key role in working with AMI to deliver the International Montessori Centenary Conference in Hangzhou, China. In 2008, she assisted AMI to start the first AMI training course in China. She was in the first 0-3 and first 3-6 course and holds AMI diplomas in these two levels. In 2010, she was involved in working with the Chinese Society of Education (CSE) in organizing the “Fusion of Montessori Principle and Chinese Culture” Education Summit in the Great People’s Hall of Beijing and became a member on the expert team for the national research committee. She has applied to the promotion and development of Montessori education in China for many years.
▲ Christine Harrison
Christine Harrison has been involved in Montessori education since 1985 and was the founding Administrator then Principal of the Canberra Montessori School, one of the largest Montessori schools in Australia, for a total period of 22 years. She is the founding Chair of the Montessori Australia Foundation (MAF) and has been involved in policy development, compliance, student care, curriculum development and educational leadership in schools and has a background in mediation, conflict resolution, adult education and a particular interest in governance in community organisations.
Christine has been on the board of the Independent Schools Council of Australia and was Chair of the Association of Independent Schools of the ACT (Australia). She is currently on the board of AMI, President of MAF and a board member of the Montessori Children’s Foundation (MCF),a charitable organisation that aims to make the benefits of Montessori education available to children and communities that would otherwise be unable to access it due to remoteness, poverty or disadvantage. Christine has presented at conferences and workshops in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, UK, Australia and India. More recently, Christine has assisted in the design and presentation of administrator training in Thailand and China.
▲ Patricia Louise Gartland
Patricia Louise Gartland, the Superintendent of schools, Coquitlam (Canada) School District, with more than 25 years of experience in language education teaching and k-12 administration and a multilingual background. Patricia is convinced that the international education curriculum in Coquitlam (Canada) is the most dynamic and global education system for international students. In Coquitlam (Canada) school district, the main goal is to enable all overseas students to experience the highest level of academic and personal achievements while enjoying the cultural pleasures of the west coast of Canada. Patricia has been focusing on the expansion and development of the curriculum since 1999 and the curriculum has grown significantly over the past eight years.
▲ Liu Xiangying
Liu xiangying, the professor of FUKUYAMA City University, postgraduate tutor approved by Japanese Ministry of Education and Science, Adjunct professor of Nanjing Normal University, academic advisor of Education Research Institute of Nanjing Jinglue Institute. He is also an adjunct lecturer of "Friends of Children", a well-known monthly magazine of picture books in Japan published by the evangelical library bookstore. She is also the review committee and editorial board of the thesis of Japanese journal of Pediatric Health Research, China-Japan Education BBS, International Children Education Research. So far, more than 150 academic works, academic papers, research reports, research essays, translation of academic papers and speeches of the society have been written in Japanese, Chinese and English by her. She has participated in several large international comparative studies funded by the scientific research foundation of the ministry of education, ministry of science and technology of Japan.
▲ Laura Flores Shaw
Dr. Laura Flores Shaw is an education researcher, with a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University and a master in family systems therapy. She is the founder of White Paper Press, an education company focused on increasing the scientific knowledge of parents and educators. Dr. Shaw advocates for educational and parenting frameworks that can improve the lives of children and their families. She writes, speaks, and consults with families and educators at conferences and individually around the world on parenting, education, and the neurological, emotional, cognitive, and social development of children.
Dr. Laura Flores Shaw presents concise contemporary essays with carefully sequenced Montessori frameworks for adults who work with children. Her clear researched context of child development has a clarity of presentation making these essays in her Montessori White Papers a tool for discriminating Montessori parents and professionals. This new Montessori periodical draws attention to Montessori principles with deep reverence for Montessori education.
Special guest
▲ Amy Kirkham
Amy Kirkham is come from Australia. Amy Kirkham has been involved in Early Childhood Education since 1988. In addition to the AMI 3-6 Diploma and AMI Trainer Certificate, she holds a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood), a Bachelor of Educational Studies (Hearing Impairment) and Master of Education. Amy is the 3-6 AMI Director of Training for the Australian Centre for Montessori Studies in Melbourne. She is also on the AMI Faculty of Trainers in China. Amy is actively involved in the provision of professional development for Montessori staff as well as parent and community education.
▲ Carol Hicks
CAROL HICKS holds both primary and elementary AMI diplomas and earned a B.A. in history with a minor in elementary education from Marquette University. Carol is an AMI elementary trainer, consultant and examiner and is the past chair of the AMI/EAA. Carol has 14 years of teaching experience at the elementary level in both public and private Montessori schools and served eight years as a program coordinator in the Milwaukee Public Schools. She is currently the director of training at the Washington Montessori Institute at Loyola University in Columbia, Maryland.
▲ Sara Brady
Sara Brady holds AMI diplomas at both Assistants to Infancy and Children’s House levels. She has a Masters in Education from Loyola College in Maryland. Since 1999 Sara has worked extensively in a variety of Montessori settings: long-day care, pre-school and Montessori in the home. She has enjoyed working in Nido and Infant Communities as well as parent-infant classes. Sara lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband and three children.
agenda
October 20th , 2018 morning | |
opening ceremony | opening/welcome performance |
Opening speech | AMI president Philip O`Brien |
Opening speech | Former AMI president AMI Global Ambassador André Roberfroid |
Short Film | Commemorative film |
Keynote | AMI Executive Director Lynne Lawrence |
Work report | Founder of AMI China Affiliated Society Aidi CH EN Lynne Lawrence Executive Director of AMI |
Award Ceremony | Award Ceremony |
Pink Tower ceremony | Pink tower ceremony |
October 20th , 2018 afternoon | |
Keynote | Superintendent of schools, Coquitlam(Canada) School District Patricia Louise Gartland |
Keynote | the founding Chair of the Montessori Australia Foundation Christine Harrison |
Keynote | Founder of White Paper Press Dr.Laura |
Keynote | Professor of FUKUYAMA city university, Liu Xiangying |
Keynote | AMI Trainer 3-6, China Faculty Coordinator Louise Livingston |
October 20th , 2018 night | |
Panel | Montessori education salon |
October 20th , 2018 morning & afternoon | |
Workshop | Montessori workshop |
Closing ceremony | Closing ceremony performance |
Lucky Draw | Lucky Draw |
Notes for the conference
Hotel
The conference fee excludes lodging, but recommended hotels by
Conference committee nearby are available.
Food
The conference committee will provide buffet lunch on Oct 20th and Oct 21st.
Please take care of yourself on breakfast and dinner.
Transportation
the Ambassador Hotel
( 560 meters walk from east of Xietaizi Subway station)
Language
English & Chinese
Participants
AMI students
Montessori education staff
People who are interested in Montessori education
Fee
Conference price:
2600 RMB per person
(printing cost, lunch, tea-break, group picture taking, souvenir are included)
AMI Membership:
2340 RMB per person (90% off)
How to apply
Wechat Application
(scan the code for application)
Contact us
Tel
023-63052430
web
bg-montessori.cn
Address
Floor 21, Building 8, No 89, Jinyu Road, Yubei District , Chongqing, China
Please click the link below for more details and forms