Assemblies
Future Assemblies
Voices of Educateurs sans Frontières was launched in July 2021 around the theme: Child, Community, Cosmos – From Independence to Interdependence. The series aims to facilitate and encourage conversation around the broader social mission at the core of Montessori education.
Voices of EsF 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
The 7th Educateurs sans Frontières Assembly was held from 21 July - 3 August 2019 in Tepoztlán, Mexico, in collaboration with AMI Affiliate Montessori Mexico. This Assembly, themed The Mind and Hand Together - Community in Action, brought together 65 participants from every continent, with a large representation from Latin America. The first week focused 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. Three different groups came together to collectively work on the following topics as a foundation for EsF work: involving adolescents, measuring impact and children's rights.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.