Welcome!

McWillie Elementary
Montessori Professional Development

Presenters

Suzanne Tipton
Elementary Level Coordinator

Suzanne Tipton found Montessori while working as a high school Math & Science teacher in Thailand. She completed the Lower Elementary course with Age of Montessori and led her own Lower Elementary classroom at Montessori School of Louisville for four years. She made the difficult decision to leave the classroom in pursuit of her passion for training teachers.

Montessori education changed her life and she is eager to help others realize the beauty of this style of teaching. She lives in Tennessee near her niece, Kathryn, and nephew, David Michael, whom she adores wholeheartedly. (They think Auntie Q is a party!)She also loves to draw, travel, read, scuba dive, hike, camp, and especially cooking. She has been working on writing her own cookbook for a few years now so if you are interested in vegetarian recipes, look no further!  

Liz Goodman
Early Childhood Professional Development Coordinator

Liz lives in Sharon, Massachusetts with her husband where they raised two children, a recent college graduate and rising college junior.

Liz holds a M.Ed. in Montessori Education from Xavier University, a Montessori Early Childhood Certification from aim, and a B.A. in U.S. History from Central Connecticut State University. Her experience as an educator spans over 20 years both as a high school teacher, and for the past 13 years in an early childhood Montessori classroom.  â€¯

In her free time, Liz loves to read, hike, practice yoga, travel, cook, and spend time with family and friends. She is also a huge Boston Celtics fan!

Schedule

Welcome back to our ongoing professional development series. Today's session will build on the valuable insights gained from our previous discussion, addressing key areas of Peace Education and writing standards. Our agenda aims to deepen your understanding of how to promote independence in the classroom and foster strong foundational writing skills through a range of instructional strategies.

1:30-1:45

  • Follow up from Previous PD
  • Questions and Discussion

1:45-2:15

  • Peace Education – Promoting Independence in the Classroom
  • Presentation and Discussion

2:15-3:15

  • Addressing Writing Standards – Personal Narrative
  • Setting the Foundation in Early Childhood
  • Using Mentor Texts and Examples
  • Writing Personal Narrative Assignment
  • Using Read–Alouds to Model Early Reading Comprehension Skills (particularly following the plot, and sensory experiences)
  • Writing Personal Narratives in Elementary

3:15-3:30

Closing and Questions

PowerPoint Handouts

The Essence of Montessori

My Sledding Adventure

Resources

Reading Comprehension Planner

Journal
Paper

Montessori Gear

Suggested Course