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SATURDAY KEYNOTE FOR ALL MONTESSORIANS

Maati Wafford, LSW

Achieving Equity Integration: How We Consent to the Undoing and Commit to the Rebuilding

What happens when critical inquiry, creativity, and our cosmic task unite for a much-needed conversation? This keynote address is an invitation to explore collectively how Montessori educators and leaders can utilize self-reflection to achieve an embodied equity integration practice. Together, we will explore the importance of real and imagined meeting spaces, where we learn to undo the internal systems that sever our intuition by recommitting to justice frameworks that rebuild and restore the psyche.

Maati Wafford is a Culturally Responsive Educational Consultant & Coach committed to liberating mindsets and strengthening organizations to achieve equity integration. She is a licensed social worker, equity practitioner, and spirit-led credentialed Montessori leader (Early Childhood, Lower El, Upper El, Administrator), with a unique eye that integrates social work competencies around equity, mental health, and community models of care with justice-oriented pedagogy and best practices in adult learning. Maati offers a distinct approach to lifelong learning that creates avenues for the coexistence of science, spirit, and social justice in progressive student-centered education. Her leadership focuses on integrating models of community care to strengthen schools, elevate teaching and learning, and support the overall well-being and transformation of adults. For over 15 years, Maati has served Montessori, public, and independent school communities by creating innovative spaces for learning organizations and individuals to expand, build, and create more justice in the world. She firmly believes in divine intelligence and understands that we all sit at the very center of that space.

FRIDAY KEYNOTES FOR MONTESSORI LEADERS

Awestruck Leadership: Igniting Adult Transformation for a Thriving Montessori Community

In the last several decades, the role of emotions in learning has made a significant impact on the science of education, especially relevant for Montessori leaders. This keynote delves into the transcendent effects of awe and wonder within Montessori communities, illuminating how reflective awareness of awe can ignite lifelong learning. Participants will explore how this heightened state of consciousness fosters a sense of interconnection and interdependence, which transfers into transformative leadership practices. Drawing from speaker Tammy Oesting’s research, this address expands on how Montessori administrators can transcend mechanical applications, creating a collective liberatory and ecological consciousness in their schools. By integrating the science of learning, cosmic tendencies, and indigenous worldviews, this keynote invites leaders to reimagine adult education systems that foster spiritual transformation and cultivate responsive, emotionally aware Montessori practitioners.

Tammy Oesting MEd, (she, her) is an internationally known Montessori speaker and teacher educator and self-identifies as a practitioner of awe and wonder. She serves educators globally through her company ClassrooMechanics as a consultant and mentor. Tammy is widely published and is a founding member of Montessori Everywhere receiving the 2021 AMS Community Service Award. She is a faculty member of The Institute for Educational Studies graduate program and she cultivates content creators for Trillium Montessori. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Tammy has had a lifetime of travel and adventure including 9 years traveling the world as a nomad and supporting Montessori communities before settling in New Mexico where she serves Montessori as a board member of the Montessori Network of NM. Her professional passions include issues of social justice, educating support staff, neuroscience as applied to educational practices, and exploring the magnificence of the universe. AMS-credentialed (Early Childhood, Elementary)

Natalie Neris Ed.D.

Cultivating Resilience: Embracing Change for a Thriving Future.

Participants can anticipate a keynote session focused on change management, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and innovation within educational settings. The keynote will explore strategies for effectively navigating transitions, fostering resilience among educators and students, and implementing sustainable practices that align with Montessori principles. Attendees will gain insights into collaborative frameworks that empower leaders to drive meaningful change, ensuring that Montessori education continues to thrive in an evolving landscape. This session aims to equip leaders with practical tools and inspiration to enhance their communities and educational practices.

Dr. Natalie C. Neris leverages over two decades of experience in public education to advocate for social justice and equitable access to a high-quality education for all students. She is a national leader in inclusive system design and stakeholder engagement. Natalie recently spearheaded efforts at Chicago Public Schools to redesign its school accountability policy to be more inclusive and equitable - ultimately engaging more than 20K stakeholders across Chicago. Natalie carries deep expertise in instructional leadership, accountability, and change management. As a third-generation public school graduate, Natalie is keenly aware that access to a quality education is a game-changer, especially for students living in communities most impacted by injustice. She has committed her life to this work. Natalie earned her undergraduate degree from Northeastern Illinois University and her graduate degree from Concordia University. While in the classroom, Natalie earned a Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching and became a Nationally Board Certified teacher. Natalie completed her doctoral studies at National Louis University in 2021, where she focused on designing systems for radically inclusive policy design. She is the founder of Root and Reimagine Consulting Collective and most recently served as Chief of Community Engagement at Kids First Chicago. Natalie is a 2017 Surge Fellow, a 2020 Chicago United for Equity Fellow, a 2023 Pahara Fellow, and serves on the Board of Directors for Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center and Epic Academy Charter School. She is the parent of two teenage daughters, a plant mom, a lover of words, travel, food, connection, and a fighter for the underdog.

SATURDAY BREAKOUTS FOR ALL MONTESSORIANS

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