Membership

In an effort to strengthen the unified message about Montessori education, we are offering a School/Staff Membership and an Individual Membership to further the MTAD mission to provide enrichment and support for Montessorians and other educators in Delaware and surrounding areas promoting the understanding of Montessori education in the larger community.

Membership Benefits

In an effort to strengthen the unified message about Montessori education, we are offering a School/Staff Membership and an Individual Membership to further the MTAD mission to provide enrichment and support for Montessorians and other educators in Delaware and surrounding areas promoting the understanding of Montessori education in the larger community.

    • Annual Conferences: A goal of MTAD is to provide opportunities for local Montessori teachers to hear national speakers locally without the costs of travel to conferences.  In the past years the conference has highlighted respected Montessorians as well as non-Montessori speakers who complement our work.  These have included:
      • Martha Torrence
      • Dr. Robert Brooks
      • Martha McDermott
      • Dr. Mel Levine
      • Judi Bauerline
      • Betsy Coe
      • Catherine McTamaney
    • MTAD rotates the conference focus each year so that one year there is a full day presentation by a National Speaker and the next year workshop based conference with local teachers and presenters complementing the topics of a national Montessorian.  The speaker for the 2014 conference will be Gigi Schweikert.
    • Parent Lectures: MTAD has provided an annual lecture for parents of children in member schools.  This lecture is usually held the night prior to the conference and features the speaker from the conference. It is a great opportunity for parents to share in the learning experience of teachers.
    • Fall and Spring Workshops: Each year MTAD provides a fall and spring workshop hosted a local school.  Usually these workshops highlight a local speaker or teacher in one of our schools.  These workshops are often free to MTAD members.  Topics have included:
      • Exploring the environment through butterflies
      • The development of reading and oral language
      • The horse shoe crab unit
      • Responsive questioning
      • Keeping Music in Mind
    • Networking for Heads of Schools: MTAD hosts a dinner prior to the fall and spring workshop for Heads of Schools to come together to network, share thoughts about the goals for MTAD, and to work together to support Montessori education in Delaware.
    • Joint Advertising:  MTAD supplements the cost of a joint advertisement that most member schools participate in.  Please see the advertisement from this year in your folder.  The Advertisement appears in January in the News Journal Education Supplement or the Community Newspapers.  This advertising allows us to send a unified message about Montessori education that benefits all Montessori schools.  In addition, it offers larger advertising presence at a cost to member schools which is comparable to what each school would individually pay for a smaller ad.   MTAD is also exploring web based services such as the Brandywine Buzz.
    • Web Site Development: The MTAD Board is currently working on plans to develop a web site to connect families to MTAD schools and resources on Montessori education.
    • If you are involved with or doing anything that has to do with professional development you are invited to post it on the AMS website by visiting the Local Professional Development Events page (http://amshq.org/Teacher-Resources/Professional-Development/Local-Professional-Development.aspx)
      • Public Policy: MTAD is addressing the role of the organization in providing a liaison to the American Montessori Society’s Public Policy Committee.  Laurie Orsic is working with the Board to define this role and will be looking for assistance from members.
      • Becoming an Involved Member:  MTAD welcomes your involvement in planning the fall and spring workshops, the annual conference, public policy initiatives, and planning the parent lecture series.  We want to provide the services you need.  Please communicate with those of us on the Board about your thoughts for MTAD.

      A letter from the Board of Directors

      It is IMPOSSIBLE to believe that we are already approaching the middle of another school year. By now the dust has settled for everyone and we invite everyone to mark their calendars for the Tenth Annual Montessori Teachers’ Association of Delaware winter conference to be held at Hockessin Montessori School on Friday, February 14, 2014. Our keynote speaker will spotlight Parent Relationships and feature Gigi Schweikert (www.gigischweikert.com). Afternoon breakout sessions will focus on many topics both traditional and Montessori. Registration will be available through DIEEC (www.dieec@udel.edu) and Provider Pursuits in January. Delaware teachers who have not created a profile will need to set one up through DIEEC in order to register and receive State of DE training hour credits. Read more…

      Calling all Delaware Montessori Schools

      Here’s how your school can be part of the larger Montessori community:

      • Fill out the form and pay your dues TODAY to MTAD so that we have an accurate accounting of our local teachers and schools.
      • Pass on (via mail or Email) the MTAD membership information to individuals you know that are local and interested in being part of Montessori in Delaware.  (Perhaps they are retired or taking a break from a full time school commitment at this time.)
      • Check out the site www.montessoriforward.org and be part of the conversation around current public and private issues that Montessori is collecting information about.
      • Check out the YouTube videos AMS has added to their website (http://www.youtube.com/user/AMSMontessori) and share the links with your parents, add to your websites, and further spread the word of Montessori.