At Grace Montessori School, we believe that great teaching begins with lifelong learning. Each year, our faculty members attend the American Montessori Society’s annual conference to deepen their understanding, connect with fellow educators and bring fresh inspiration back to our classrooms. This spring, head teacher of Grace Montessori School’s Toddler program Alicha Pantoja returned from the conference with renewed perspective—and a few new ideas she’s excited to implement.
“Attending the conference helps me grow as a Montessori educator by allowing me to discover new materials and approaches, gain new perspectives, reflect on my own teaching, and learn the latest research and information on toddler development, classroom management and Montessori pedagogy,” Alicha shared.
One session that left a lasting impression was titled “Confessions of a Primary Teacher: What I Thought I Knew About Infant and Toddler Programs.” For Alicha, this talk underscored just how unique toddler development is and why early childhood programs need their own specialized curriculum and approach.
“It really highlighted toddlers’ unique development and how the toddler program has its distinct curriculum,” she explained.
The conference also offered practical tools to bring home. In the session “Strategic Shifts From Toddler to 3–6,” Alicha gathered new strategies she’s already planning to incorporate into her classroom routine. These insights help ensure that the toddler classroom continues to support children as they grow into independent, curious, and capable learners.
An idea that especially resonated with her was how young children process and absorb information differently from adults.
“An insight from the conference was learning about how brainwave patterns differ between adult and child minds,” she said. “It aligns with Maria Montessori’s observation that children process and absorb information in their own unique way.”
Through opportunities like the American Montessori Society’s annual conference, our educators continue to deepen their practice, bringing the most thoughtful, research-based methods into the prepared environment each day. We’re grateful to have passionate, reflective teachers like Alicha guiding the youngest members of our school community.
