ASSEMBLIES & EVENTS
Every year, Educateurs sans Frontières hosts an assembly where participants from all over the world can come together to collaborate, share, debate and develop concepts and ideas that can be applied practically to support the principles of Montessori education and the rights of the child.
WHAT IS THE EDUCATEURS SANS FRONTIÈRES ASSEMBLY?
The Educateurs sans Frontières Assembly is a unique retreat for a diverse, international group of people who support children and families to flourish in all kinds of communities, by applying Montessori principles both within formal education and within the community and the family. Montessori’s profound contribution to the understanding of the child’s development and her commitment to champion the rights, education and welfare of children and families worldwide provides the foundation of the Assembly.
Eminent speakers share their work with an aim to deepen individual and collective understanding of essential Montessori principles through reflection and exchange.
Participants will learn from one another and revisit Montessori principles and practices through reading and discussions of Montessori-based initiatives as well as other social reform initiatives. During Assemblies participants explore the innumerable possibilities and opportunities for Montessori work in the world. This acknowledges the power of one person to make a difference and encourages and empowers participants to sow the seeds of Montessori practice and thought in the world.
2021/2022
Voices of Educateurs sans Frontières
Voices of Educateurs sans Frontières 2021/2022 is fully booked. Registration is closed.
The Voices of Educateurs sans Frontières, will commence in July 2021 around the theme: Child, Community, Cosmos – From Independence to Interdependence. Voices of Educateurs sans Frontières aims to facilitate and encourage conversation around the broader social mission at the core of Montessori education.
It aims to provide a new perspective on the interdependence between the child, community and cosmos, and to inspire a conversation on the responsibility we have towards ourselves, others and nature given this interdependence. The series will address the challenges and responsibilities that the journey from independence to interdependence entails as children are prepared to adapt to their environment and to their time, place and culture. Throughout the series, the role of interdependence in the challenges of today’s world and the innovative solutions that are needed to overcome these challenges, will be explored.
PAST ASSEMBLIES
2019
Tepoztlán, Mexico
Held in Tepoztlán, Mexico in collaboration with AMI Affiliate Montessori Mexico, the 7th EsF Assembly was themed The Mind and Hand Together – Community in Action. 65 participants from every continent, with a large representation from Latin America cam etogether to focus on the connection between the Mind and Hand, with topics ranging from brain development and creativity, Montessori for ageing and Montessori in indigenous communities. The theme for the second week was Community in Action, with presentations from adolescents from Mexico, UNICEF Mexico, the story of building Montessori community in Argentina and Arts and Creativity as social interventions.
2018
Stellenbosch, South Africa
The 6th Educateurs sans Frontières was held from 4-18 August at the Sustainability Institute in Stellenbosch, South Africa in collaboration with the Indaba Montessori Institute. The Assembly, themed Strengthening Communities for a Sustainable Future, brought together 95 individuals from all around the world to discuss the potential of Montessori education for social change.
2016
Hyderabad, India
In 2016 the Assembly moved to Hyderabad, India. The strong history of the Montessori movement in India and the strength of Montessori training and schools in India provided an ideal setting to explore the fundamental values of Montessori and to begin to articulate the preparation needed to become an effective Educateur. Again, the Assembly combined Montessori study and speakers, reports from the participants, outside speakers and tours of surrounding schools. Participants were invited to participate in cultural traditions and each day was enriched with performances and activities from children in Hyderabad.
2015
Khon Kaen, Thailand
The 4th EsF Assembly was the first to be held in Asia. Participants gathered in Khon Kaen, Thailand for two weeks to focus their discussions on Innovative Solutions to Montessori for Social Change. The study of Montessori theory and readings in the light of Thailand’s development of Montessori schools within the public system and their recently established AMI Training Center confirmed the work of EsF to expand the reach of AMI. The emerging Montessori programs to serve the aging and dementia was introduced at the Assembly.
2011
Dallas, Texas
The third Assembly was held in Dallas, Texas in 2011. In addition to the programme of study and discussion, Montessori speakers, and outside speakers, participants were also invited to tour Lumin Education, a program in East Dallas that had been established to serve children and families in a Latino immigrant community. The theme for the two-week assembly was Montessori Education for Social Change. A working group was established to begin to formalise the structure of EsF as a division of AMI and a website specific to EsF was created.
2004
Burgos, Spain
The second Assembly was held in Burgos, Spain in 2004. It was shortened to three weeks and the focus of each week was a study of a single plane of human development: birth to six, six to twelve and twelve to eighteen.
In addition to readings, study sessions and reflections, Montessori participants presented their work in their local communities. Outside speakers added a depth to the study and sowed the seeds for future partnerships.
1999
Citta di Castello, Italy
Renilde Montessori, Hilla Patell and Camillo Grazzini organised the first EsF Assembly. It was held at the Villa Montesca in Citta di Castello, Italy, where in 1909 Maria Montessori had conducted her first training course.
The assembly was a six week intense study and reflection. It resulted in the formalisation of Educateurs sans Frontières as a part of AMI.
OTHER EVENTS
AMI Talks is a series of online sessions that will be hosted by AMI throughout 2021.
WE WILL ANNOUNCE OUR NEXT SESSION SOON!
To get the latest news and announcements, please join our community mailing list.
Anyone with an interest in the social mission of Montessori is more than welcome to join the session which will be hosted on Zoom.
In 2020, we looked back on 150 years since the birth of Maria Montessori and reflected on her groundbreaking contribution, creating awareness around the potential of the child and their importance to human society and the fact that children do not find the conditions for life in adult society.
Some of the issues Montessori raised around the rights of the child during her lifetime have been given more prominence, while many challenges remain before every child will have the opportunity to develop to its full potential. The global pandemic has exacerbated inequality, particularly affecting children who were already marginalised.
The ideas of Maria Montessori are of the greatest importance, not only to children, teachers and parents, but to everyone interested in human development and progress. First appearing as a method of child education, her work is seen to be based on the deepest foundations and to point to the improvement of human life, on an individual, community and societal level.