October 9, 2024

Parenting with Purpose: Integrating Montessori into Your Family’s Routine 

Ashley Obst

Join Ashley Obst, (owner of Joyful Montessori, Montessori teacher and mother of three), who introduces the Montessori approach and provides practical tips for parents to apply its principles in their daily lives. Montessori emphasizes self-directed learning, hands-on activity, and collaborative play, and can be incorporated into parenting through simple changes. The five key areas we will be focusing on are:

1. Encouraging independence by giving children autonomy and ownership
2. Fostering curiosity through exploration and discovery
3. Using positive language to encourage and support
4. Creating a prepared environment that is supportive and engaging
5. Embracing mistakes as learning opportunities to foster resilience and perseverance
   

Ashley Obst is the owner and director of Joyful Montessori, a certified Montessori teacher (0-6), parenting coach (certified Circle Of Security Facilitator), and a mother of three. Ashley founded Joyful Montessori (Melbourne, Australia) in 2017 to bridge the gap between the home and classroom, empowering children's independence and fostering mindful parenting practices. Ashley guides parenting partners to strengthen relationships, and to learn how to best support their child’s whole development. Through her work, she models positive discipline techniques, nurturing each child's unique potential and supporting families in unlocking their child’s full potential.

Joyful Montessori provides supportive early learning programs for children from birth to 6 years, empowering them to thrive during the most critical periods of development. Our programs are designed to foster a love of learning, independence, and social responsibility, setting the stage for a successful transition to primary school, and beyond. We walk alongside families every step of the way, offering guidance and support from the early days of parenthood to the milestone of primary school readiness. In addition to her work with families, Ashley is also passionate about guiding and mentoring educators on the Montessori philosophy, empowering them to create supportive and engaging learning environments that foster a love of learning in their students. Ashley holds certifications from both the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) and the North American Montessori Center (NAMC), demonstrating her expertise in Montessori education. These international certifications showcase Ashley's commitment to delivering high-quality Montessori education and her ability to support children's development from infancy to early childhood.

October 16, 2024

Beneath Behavior: Understanding and Addressing the Root Cause of Your Child’s Behavior

Kayla Tychsen

When our children display challenging behaviors, it’s common to respond with strategies that treat all behavior and all children the same, without considering the deeper roots driving them. This talk encourages a shift in perspective—to look beyond the behavior itself and explore the underlying causes. We’ll learn to see behaviors as signals—indicators of something deeper going on beneath the surface. By understanding these signals and addressing them within the context of a safe and trusting relationship, you can more effectively support your child. 

Kayla Tychsen is a Certified Parenting Coach and Educator, and a Montessori enthusiast. Kayla co-founded two elementary schools in the Middle East that serve refugee populations. She has training in Trauma-Informed Classrooms and Resilience in Children and has certifications in Social Emotional Learning and Motivational Interviewing. She holds a 0-3 certificate from AMI and works with The Montessori Society for Education and Development (Montessori for Lebanon). Kayla is currently completing a certification in Interpersonal Neurobiology under Doctor Dan Siegel. Kayla is passionate about helping parents have more confidence, connection and joy in parenting through her one-on-one and group coaching programs, workshops, and online resources. You can learn more about her amazing work and resources at Montessori Expat. 

October 23, 2024

How to Be Present for "Montessori Moments" in the Lives of Our Children: Practical Tips for Parents

Jennifer Rogers

This session is designed to help Montessori parents cultivate the awareness and presence needed to truly connect with their children during these special, often subtle moments of growth and joy. Our discussion will focus on how parents can observe their children with an understanding of Montessori’s concept of Sensitive Periods—those crucial times when children are particularly receptive to learning certain skills. We will explore how to adjust the pace of our daily lives to better align with these developmental stages across the planes of development. Many of these "Montessori Moments" occur when children do not need our direct involvement—moments of deep concentration and self-sufficiency that are often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of daily life. By learning to be more attuned to these moments, parents can better support their children's natural development and find greater joy and affirmation in the process.

This session will offer practical suggestions for becoming more present and mindful, allowing parents to fully appreciate and nurture the small, yet significant, moments that shape their children’s lives. Join us for this thoughtful discussion on how to create a more intentional and fulfilling parenting experience.

Mrs. Jennifer Rogers is a Primary Teacher at Wheaton Montessori School.  She has been a Montessori teacher for over 30 years. Her admiration for Wheaton Montessori School began in 2005 when one of her nephews (she has 10 nieces and nephews!) enrolled in Ms. Rebecca Lingo’s class. She is thrilled and very proud to be a part of the Wheaton Montessori School community as a primary teacher.  Mrs. Rogers has a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and English from Albion College and a master’s degree in theological studies from Candler Seminary at Emory University. She completed AMI primary training in Atlanta, AMI assistants to infancy in Denver, and the AMI Montessori Orientation to Adolescent Studies. She has also completed the comprehensive and advanced continuum Orton Gillingham training.

Jennifer has three children who thrived throughout their time at Wheaton Montessori School. She enjoys baking bread, reading, yoga, and writing. She has completed yoga for children training at Global Family Yoga. She  also enjoys taking care of the koi and frogs that live in the backyard pond she built with her husband and kids. When she grows up, she hopes to be active and healthy enough to observe the next generation of young people growing up in Montessori Schools as enriching and joyful as Wheaton Montessori School has been for her family. 

Montessori at Home with Shawn Edwards. Click here.
Sensitive Periods with Heather Pratt White. Click here.

Conscious Parenting with Reena Morgan. Click here.
Navigating Parenthood: Tools & Best Practices with Dolores Vazquez. Click here.

Pathway to Peaceful Parenting with Michelle Tovar. Click here.
Implementing Montessori At Home with Heather Pratt White. Click here.

Implementing Positive Discipline at Home with Jeanne Marie Paynel. Click here.

Navigating Early Childhood with Reena Morgan. Click here.

Engaging with Your Child with Rupali Sharma. Click here.
The Prepared Adult - The Key To Becoming a Montessori Parent with Heather White. Click here.
Montessori In Real Life with Kristen Ancker. Click here.
From Yelling to Calm with Lorena Seidel. Click here.