Our special guest speaker will be Jan Gaffney, a dedicated Montessori practitioner and a passionate advocate of the Montessori philosophy and the power it has to change lives. She believes that…

Children and adolescents need an optimal environment in which to grow and develop. Tomorrow’s world desperately needs flexible, thinking, compassionate, inclusive adults with drive, initiative, and the desire to contribute to their varied communities – on a local, national, and global scale. All children need an education that actively encourages and supports them to develop in such a way that these attributes form an integral part of their life. I wish to be a part of transforming the current system into one in which all children can thrive and shine.

Background

Jan has been involved in Montessori Education for over 30 years as a parent, class teacher, school principal and consultant. She has her BA and MA in Education, the NAMTA Orientation to Adolescence and AMI Diplomas for 3-6 and 6-12 levels. In 2000, Jan helped to establish the Montessori unit at Berhampore School. She managed the initial growth of the unit and integration into the wider school. From 2006-2014, Jan was elected as a Council member / President of the Montessori Association of New Zealand (MANZ). In 2009, in her role as principal of Wā Ora Montessori School, Jan established the adolescent programme which eventually grew into a high school. Several years later she joined Montessori School Bali and worked to establish a toddler programme and rebuild their adolescent program. In 2022, Jan was a trainer-in-training on Sydney Montessori’s Training Centre for AMI 12-18 Diploma (Perth) and she’s regularly part of their workshop programme. Currently she lives in Taiwan, establishing a new adolescent community.

Jan Gaffney is an interesting and well-respected speaker in the field of education, and with her huge breadth of experience and knowledge. I encourage parents not to miss this opportunity to hear her speak.