Welcome!

McWillie Elementary
Montessori Professional Development

Presenters

We’re excited to spend the day collaborating, learning, and growing as educators. Thank you for your commitment to your students and for participating in this valuable professional development opportunity!
Fana Takahashi
Elementary Level Coordinator


After completing college, Fana discovered Montessori as a teacher in an early childhood classroom. She was immediately convinced by the method and trained with Authentic Institute of Montessori in Early Childhood and Elementary I.

She also holds a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction and a B.S. in Education K-8 from Montana State University.

Fana has always had a passion for teaching and has been in a Montessori classroom since 2015. Before joining AIM full-time this June she taught Lower Elementary Classroom in Honolulu, Hawaii.

In her free time, Fana enjoys traveling the world, surfing, hiking, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

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.   

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

Today, we will focus on strengthening our teaching methods and classroom strategies through a Montessori lens. Our goal is to enhance our understanding of child development, classroom observation, and curriculum alignment from Early Childhood to Lower Elementary, ensuring we meet the needs of each student effectively.

Morning

Class Meetings for EC and EL: Building a strong classroom community and supporting emotional growth.

Peace Education and Activities: Fostering a peaceful environment to promote collaboration and respect.

Observation as Assessment in the Classroom: Utilizing observation as a powerful tool for understanding student needs and progress.

Lunch

• Prepared Teacher Presentation & Activity – Whole Group 

Afternoon

Math and Language Scope and Sequence: A deep dive into how Montessori education aligns with standards, exploring the continuum from Early Childhood to Lower Elementary.

Breakout Groups: Collaborate with your peers on lesson plans and activities that address specific curriculum standards for 3rd Grade in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math.
We will focus on:

  • ELA Standard RI.3.6: Helping students distinguish their own point of view from the author’s.
  • ELA Standard W.3.3: Supporting students in writing narratives with clear structure and vivid details.
  • Math Standard 3.MD.7: Engaging students in understanding area through multiplication and addition, with practical problem-solving strategies.     

PowerPoint Handouts

Scope and Sequence Math

Scope and Sequence Language

Class Meeting

Observation

Peace Education

Observation Forms

Individual Child Observation

Quick Observation

Observing an Individual Child

Whole Environment Observation

Work Engagement Observation

Early Childhood Daily Life Skills

Early Childhood Single Child  Observation

Resources

Community Meetings

Scope and Sequence

Montessori Gear

Suggested Course