MSM is pleased to be able to offer a high quality conference experience for schools in the Massachusetts area. The most important part of attending the MSM Annual Conference is the valuable information you take home to your community. The ideas and strategies you learn from workshops, roundtables, speakers, and exhibitors can be implemented back home in your own school.

Thank you for attending the 2018 Annual Conference. We have already begun planning for 2019 and look forward to sharing details with you soon.

Save the Date! Our 2019 Annual Conference will be January 5, 2019.

MSM 2018 Annual Conference Press Release

Montessori Conference Draws over 500 to Dean College

Saturday, January 6 more than 500 teachers and administrators from Montessori schools throughout Massachusetts and New England met at Dean College in Franklin for the annual conference of the Montessori Schools of Massachusetts (MSM).

Seen by many as the template for 21st Century Education, the Montessori approach encourages and builds in children independence, creativity, autonomy and peaceful resolution of conflict. Keynote speaker Sandra Girlato, emphasized the essential role observation plays in Montessori classrooms. At its core, a Montessori classroom assumes what is now called differentiated or personalized learning; observations of children as they learn from classroom materials and each other guides teachers on what each child needs. Ms. Girlato is Primary Director of Training at the Foundation for Montessori Education in Toronto, Canada.

The teachers and administrators who attended, most of whom are trained in Montessori education, chose from 28 morning and afternoon workshops. Among these workshops were "Scaffolding and Differentiating STEM," "The Heart's Path: Social Emotional Curriculum," and "Creating an Inclusive Classroom."

There are over 120 Montessori Schools in Massachusetts. For more information visit http://www.msmresources.org /.

2019 WORKSHOP PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS

Now Accepting Workshop Proposals

Take your thinking to a higher level...share your research and wealth of knowledge and experience at this year's MSM Annual Conference! Your work in Montessori and in larger education context is of great value; this is your opportunity to inform and inspire your community!

Submitting a proposal: Submit your proposal for the 2019 Annual Conference. All proposals should reflect research and/or practical experience that is innovative, well-grounded, and consistent with the principles of a Montessori education. Proposals must be submitted online. MSM will inform you of your status regardless if the proposal is accepted or not.

The online proposal form provides detailed instructions on how to complete a submission. Workshops run for 75 minutes.

Important Dates: To allow for a new expansive planning process, we are calling for educators in the MSM network and beyond to submit workshop proposals by an earlier deadline this year--Friday, September 21st..

If your proposal is selected, you will be automatically registered for the conference at no cost to you. You will also be given an honorarium of $200 for your presentation.

No Sales policy: MSM's policy is that presenters may not sell products in session rooms. Presenters are not permitted to sell products before, during or after their session at the Annual Conference. If you would like to purchase a booth in MSM's Exhibit Hall, please contact Susan Swift at

Questions: Please e-mail Mary Gale at

CONFERENCE LOCATION - DEAN COLLEGE

The facilities at Dean College in Franklin, MA, have been so wonderful more than three years that we are returning to Dean College again this year. Centrally located and easily accessible, Dean College's light-filled, modern, well-equipped facilities have helped provide a comfortable and nurturing learning environment for teachers....especially at lunch. The conference will be held in their campus center at 109 West Central Street Franklin, MA 02038 - if you are using a GPS please use this address as it will bring you directly to the conference building. Any other address used will take your elsewhere on campus. Click here for a map of the Dean College campus.

CONFERENCE WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

This year MSM is offering several new options for our Conference participants.

• MSM is adding two new Intensive Workshops to our Conference Schedule. These Intensives are designed to offer additional time for selected speakers to share and present relevant topics from research to best practices in greater depth for our Montessori educators. Please note the time frames for the morning and afternoon Intensive sessions are for 1 hour & 45 minutes. Your time frame for lunch will match your workshop registration schedule.
• MSM is also offering a brief time in the schedule for Program Level Gatherings.

Our changes to the schedule will also alleviate over-crowding, due to the growing number of participants, at different times during the day. More importantly, this year's schedule offers the continuity of our past schedule and offers participants new options which we hope will strengthen your conference experience.

2018 Schedule

• Vendors and raffle will be open throughout the conference
• Registration opens, 8:00 AM
• Opening remarks, 9:00 AM
• Keynote address, 9:15-10:45 AM
• Morning workshop
  • 11:00-12:15 PM, Traditional Workshop
  • 11:00-12:45 PM, Intensive Workshop
• The Cafeteria would be open from 12:00-1:30 PM
  • Program level gatherings will be 12:45-1:15 PM; Check your Conference Folder at at Check-In for room assignments.
• Afternoon workshop
  • 1:30-2:45 PM, Traditional Workshop
  • 1:30-3:15 PM, Intensive Workshop

HOTEL INFORMATION

For attendees that will be coming from a distance, there are three hotels close to Dean College for your to choose from. When you make your reservation, mention that you are attending a conference at Dean College as they run specials at times that will give you a discount on your stay.

Residence Inn Boston Franklin
Address: 4 Forge Pkwy, Franklin, MA 02038
Phone:(508) 541-8188

Hampton Inn Franklin
Address: 735 Union Street, Franklin, MA 02038
Phone:(508) 520-2999

Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Franklin
Address: 835 Upper Union St, Franklin, MA 02038
Phone:(508) 553-3500

VENDORS

The Annual MSM Conference provides your company with an outstanding opportunity to display your products and services to the largest gathering of Montessorians in the state. Our over 400 attendees are the leaders and decision makers, as well as users of materials, from schools across New England. They come to network, attend more informative sessions, and would love to learn about how your products or services can be used at their schools. Are you interested in being a vendor? Click here for more details.

PRESENTATION MATERIALS

In response to member comments after the 2008 Annual Conference we have created this section of the site for Keynote and workshop handouts and PowerPoint presentations. Presenters will be given the option to post their information here either before or after the conference date. All materials are provided in PDF, which can be viewed with Adobe Reader.

If information from a workshop is not listed on this page please contact the presenter directly with questions. MSM does not have copies of presenter materials available.

2018 Presentation Material
Curve of Work Sheet
Foundation for Montessori Education - Observation Codes
Daily Observation Form
Observation Log
Observation Behavior Form
Singing Games and Dances in the Elementary Classroom
20 Science Experiments for Group Time
Websites for Science Experiments
Aiding Independance
Aiding Independence Lessons
Circling Back to Circle Time - Handout
Circling Back to Circle Time - Observation Tool
Labyrinth Drawing
Lesson 8 - Mindful Smelling
MSM Brochure
Peaceful Science
The Very Hungry Toddler - Handout
The Very Hungry Toddler - Outline
Historical Dinner Presentation Handouts
Overview: Introduction to Biochemistry
Introduction to Biochemistry for Middle School
Experiments for MSM Conference
Your Community, Your Classroom
Toddler Speak
Scaffolding and Differentiating STEM in the Montessori Classroom


2017 Presentation Material
Benefits of Place-based Education
Swimming Upstream Against the Current: Changing the School Improvement Paradigm
Student Gains from Place-Based Education
Greening Your School Through a Community Organization Parntership
Making it Stick
The Science Shelf
The Science Shelf: Electricity Curriculum Introduction
Translating Montessori
RVCS Peace Education Curriculum Map
Sing for Joy
Labyrinths in the Classroom: Cultivating Mindfulness in a Montessori Setting
Cultivating Ecological Literacy in the Montessori Classroom
How Our Language Affects Children's Lives and Learning--Words matter
Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones
The noun lesson of Maria Montessori


2016 Presentation Material
Effectively Integrating Reading
Resources for Mindfulness Zentangle
Zentangle Lesson Plan MA grades 3-6
Using Zentangle to Enhance Mindfulness in the Classroom Notes

CONFERENCE CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY

Substitution Policy: If a registrant is unable to attend an event for any reason they may substitute, by arrangement with the registrar, someone else from the same institute/organization.

No Show Policy: Refunds will not be granted for no-shows (registrants who do not attend the conference with no prior notice of cancellation).

Weather Related Policy: In the event of impending, inclement weather, MSM will make the determination of whether the conference will continue, or be postponed, by 6PM the evening before. A message informing registrants will be posted to the MSM webpage and Facebook page. Refunds cannot be given to registrants who decide not to attend the day of the conference for any reason.

MSM makes arrangements for a snow date each year for the Annual Conference this date is posted to the MSM website at the time of registration. For this reason, MSM does not give refunds to registrants in the event that the snow date needs to be used.

The policy as stated on this page is valid from August 2017.