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Montessori Internationales Ausbildungszentrum (MIA e.V), the AMI Teacher Training Centre in Germany, hosted, for the first time, an international conference. The interest from Germany and Europe in general was vast and speakers addressed a 'full house'. One fifth of the participants came from outside Germany, i.e. from the Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA. Tobias Fürstenau, a communications expert specialising in Montessori topics, covered the conference and wrote a report especially for AMI.
Lecturers from various countries addressed an audience of about 250 Montessori professionals and other teachers. The weekend of January 9 to 11 was packed with reports and practical demonstrations on how, for all levels of child development, the Montessori Method is implemented today.
The conference speakers emphasised how Education for Peace could be a possible solution to many of the world's future problems. They expanded on the need to allow young people to grow up in a prepared environment, so that they are able to develop their personal and social capabilities and competencies. This would equip the children to manage their future life, and care for this world. They want to be part of our future society, and will be. They want to take a positive attitude and play a role in their own future, and they will. They are ambitious to learn all about nature and human existence, and they do learn.
The following keynote speakers gave presentations: Lilian Bryan provided a deep insight into the phenomenon of normalisation.
David Kahn reported on the theory of flow of Csikszentmihalyi's findings, who himself was stunned on finding out he had been beaten to the post by Montessori so many years ago.
Practical demonstrations on how to present complex mathematical operations or the cycles of night and day on earth were given by Dr. Peter Gebhardt-Seele, the only German AMI elementary teacher trainer (for 6 to 12 years).
Bilingual education principles and practical demonstrations were presented by Lynne Lawrence, AMI primary teacher trainer in London, together with Maria Roth, Germany's only AMI primary teacher trainer (for 3-6 years).
Furthermore, workshops were held on the following topics:
• the prepared environment for 0-3 year-olds by Cordula Lehrer
• the prepared environment for 3-6 year-olds by Maria Roth
• Montessori work with the aging adult by Bianca Mattern
• people with special needs by Lore Anderlik
• how to work with parents of children in Montessori institutions by Bärbel Klaukien
• theory and examples of Cosmic Education by Anne Dunne
• religion in the context of Montessori by Claudia Schmidt.