We understand that answering the question “What should I do with my children during the Congress?” might be something many of you are asking yourself. To assist with that answer, we have pulled a few resources for summer camps and day excursions that might be a great fit for the youngest members of your family.

Summer Camps by Focus Area 

Day Camps 

Non-English Language 

Gymnastics/Dance

Overnight Camps 

Performing Arts

Science/Nature 

Special Needs 

Sports/Fitness/Martial Arts

*Please note that the programs listed below are not endorsed by the International Montessori Congress and we encourage you to do your own research when it comes to finding a program for your children.*

links provided by pdxkidscalendar.com

Maria Montessori organized the 1913 training course in Rome in response to many requests, from all over the world, but particularly the United States. It is the first course specifically for international students to benefit from a bilingual curriculum. Whilst Montessori obviously delivered her lectures in Italian, simultaneous English translation was offered by two students: Zoe Bateman, who went on to become secretary of the Montessori Educational Association (USA), and Emily Greenman, who was one of the first to express interest in taking an English language course with Dr Montessori.

The lectures on this 1913 course chart Maria Montessori’s development as a thinker on human development. They show the depth of her background as a doctor of medicine, anthropologist, philosopher and pedagogue—giving an enthralling insight into how she was influenced by her time, where she adopted new and traditional ideas as an inspiration and where she went “against the grain”.

The book contains an Introductory Lecture and 22 chapters consisting of 13 Theoretical Lectures and 9 Technical Lessons.

The Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company is proud to be publishing this title which has been edited by Dr Susan Feez, Senior Lecturer, TESOL/English and Literacies Education at the University of New England, Australia together with Carolina Montessori and Joke Verheul from AMI, with additional editorial assistance by Larry Quade, AMI trainer at the primary level.

We are thrilled that this publication will be sold for the first time at the 2013 International Montessori Congress!

The cost will be around $20.

For questions and pre-orders, please contact Montessori-Pierson Publishing directly at info@montessori-pierson.com.

In 1913 Maria Montessori sailed from Naples, Italy to New York, United States to promote her new and unique discoveries in education. During that oceanic voyage, Dr. Montessori maintained a personal diary to catalogue her thoughts and adventures.

In it she described 12 days at sea on the luxurious ocean liner, Cincinnati, detailing the interesting people and stormy weather she encountered. Of special interest is Dr. Montessori’s thoughts on leaving her son and father for the unknown adventure awaiting her in America.

We are delighted to announce that this Diary has been translated in English and will be printed and bound in an attractive hard cover booklet to be sold for the first time at the 2013 International Montessori Congress!

The Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company is proud to be publishing this Diary which has been edited by Carolina Montessori and Joke Verheul from AMI.

We are thrilled to be offering this exciting new publication to our attendees. The cost will be around $20.

For questions and pre-orders, please contact Montessori-Pierson Publishing directly at info@montessori-pierson.com.

The Juneau Student Symphony under the direction of Richard Trostel, Montessori musician, conductor, and composer, along with young musicians from all over the Montessori world, will premiere two pieces relevant to our Montessori community.

In one of their inspiring selections, The Life of the Child, the orchestra plays Maria Montessori’s philosophy of human development–truly a unique performance and a stellar addition to the Congress Opening Ceremonies.

During the breakout session the next day, Richard and the ensemble will be on hand to share the backstory of the these original works and lead you through a formal analysis of the compositions, how ideas inform music, and how music illuminates ideas.

The 2013 International Montessori Congress will feature some of the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, gathered to explore the universal themes and unique facets of Montessori education. We hope you are able to join us for this and all the other exciting components of this fantastic event. 

Staying in and around Portland, Oregon, and/or Seattle, Washington:
Hostels, unique campgrounds, and lodging alternatives abound in the great northwest, and they can be very affordable. The cities offer a number of hotel choices, from well- known budget chains to international hostels, which are exceptional values. From our major cities, one can travel west through forest passes to the Pacific Ocean, where you can rent an oceanside yurt at a state campground, or east to snow-capped mountains and glaciers, where you might ski or snowboard (even in July!) or to wild stretches of western rivers and waterfalls, each destination a short morning or afternoon drive from Portland.

click for larger view

The Oregon Convention Center and Hilton Portland & Executive Tower are located on bus and train lines that offer free transportation (via your Tri-Met pass) to diverse neighborhoods and colorful places of interest. A bus or train ride can be a sight-seeing tour in itself. The neighborhoods of Seattle and Portland have largely retained their distinctive character and charm, with a mix of architectural styles from different historic periods, and modern, main street shopping districts. In neighborhoods, both cities remain walkable. Youʼll find easy access to transit in Portland, and amenities along your way: coffee, bistros, boutiques, art, and friendly inhabitants! In future posts, Iʼll highlight some “small plate” and bite-size touring options and neighborhoods, but these links will get you started if youʼre exploring cost-saving alternatives and adventures in travel here:

Oregon State Parks and Recreation: Find A Park:  www.oregonstateparks.org/searchpark.php

Search here for hostels region-wide:  www.hiusa.org/Hostels

Hostels In Canada: www.hihostels.ca

Hostels in Seattle: www.hiusa.org/seattle

Hostel in Portland: http://www.portlandhostel.org (This Hawthorne District hostel s part of the “Inner Southeast” quadrant — and a frequent location for filming “Portlandia”)

Hotel in Seaside, Oregon: www.seasidehostel.net
(75 mi. west of Portland, 4 blocks from the Pacific Ocean)

Green Tortoise: www.greentortoise.com/
Seattle, Portland, SanFrancisco Bus/Hostel services

McMenamins Hotels: http://www.mcmenamins.com/
Artfully renovated and historic properties in Oregon and Washington:simple rooms, dormitory options, breweries, wineries, restaurants, gardens, orchards, live music — our own magic kingdom of over 50 sites, including the Kennedy School in northeast Portland, and the Edgefield estate (10 minutes east of Portland.)

Learn more about Debra Giannini on Page 2.

by Debra Giannini

Portland, Oregon is known as a green city with inventively creative spaces and inhabitants, but the entire region (or Cascadia Bioregion, as it is known in ecological circles) offers stunning natural beauty and cosmopolitan cities to explore.
Seattle, Washington stands out as a coastal international hub — for its renowned museums, dynamic culture, modern and historic architecture, and outdoorsy, welcoming vibe. Famously a home-base for prolific corporations like Starbucks and Microsoft, Boeing, and the arts, Seattle is also known as a gateway city for travelers. Its proximity to Vancouver, B.C. Canada, Alaska, Pacific Rim nations, and its variety of transportation options make it a good gateway city for the Montessori Congress.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport  is 11 miles south of the downtown area; known as Sea-Tac, it is served by major airlines companies, car rental agencies and Central Link Light Rail, Metro Buses, limo and taxi services. If you are traveling across one or more continents to arrive at the Congress, you may wish to explore packages offered by Icelandic Air (with 31 European gateways) that provide stay-overs that could include hotels, mineral springs, and aurelia borealis or “northern lights” sky-shows. Seattle is one of Icelandic Airʼs newest destinations, and Iceland is rated as a good travel value this year. Just ask one of Seattleʼs famous sons: travel guru and Public TV Star Rick Steves to creatively plan your excursion.

Access Press, now part of HarperCollins, offer a printed travel guide series that has led me on many self-guided walking tours (for those who like to explore travel independently through neighborhoods, local fare, and history.) Access Seattle is a good guide, but has not been updated to include some of the more recent, excellent options for traveling in the Cascadia Bioregion.

If Seattle or Vancouver, BC Canada (not to be confused with Vancouver, Washington, USA which is just across the Columbia River near Portland) is your gateway city, you could reserve a seat and wi-fi service on BoltBus for a little as $1 US (limited, early reserved seating) and generally about $10 one-way. Every bus offers reserve seating, electrical outlets, and wi-fi on board. The trip from Seattle to Portland is just over three hours — the same as a driving a car, but you get to nap or surf the web, or manage your logistics. BoltBus picks you up in downtown locations (near the Amtrak Station in Seattle, and 1150 Station Street Gate 4 in Vancouver, B.C.) and the Portland, Oregon location (648 SW Salmon Street) is less than one block from the Hilton Hotel.

Other transportation options between Seattle and Portland include the Amtrak train and Greyhound Bus.

My personal experience with Amtrak hasn’t always been a good one; several delays and cancelations. It’s listed here as an option, because it exists, but typically I don’t recommend it, especially for international travelers unable to afford costly changes to air tickets if they are dleayed and flights are going to be missed.

A short list of sights and sites for Seattle-Tacoma:

Pike Place Market–Seattle’s 9 acre public market that is home to shops and stands selling farm produce, specialty foods, international groceries, handmade crafts, antiques and collectibles, books and clothing, along with 60 restaurants and take-out spots.

Seattle Art Museum–From its early 20th-century roots as the Seattle Fine Arts Society to its growth into an internationally renowned museum with three distinct venues, explore how the Seattle Art Museum evolved into a vital Seattle institution.

Museum of Glass–The Museum’s galleries are dedicated to temporary exhibitions of works executed in glass and Permanent Collections from the 20th- and 21st-century.

Pacific Science Center–This educational non-profit foundation features a Volcano Watch exhibit, Starlab Planetarium, a playground, an IMAX theater, and other educational programming for young people.

Seattle Aquarium– The heartbeat of hands-on marine experience and preservation education in the Pacific Northwest, the Seattle Aquarium offers fun, exciting ways to discover more about the amazing Puget Sound ! Join them in their mission: Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment

Woodland Park Zoo–Woodland Park Zoo saves animals and their habitats through conservation leadership and engaging experiences, inspiring people to learn, care and act.

Learn more about Debra Giannini on Page 2.

“I would like to be hosted by a family during my stay for the 2013 International Montessori Congress”

To begin the process, please download and read the full Congress Home-Stay Handbook  HERE.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

”We would be delighted to host one or more delegates of the 2013 International Montessori Congress”

To begin the process, please download and read the full Congress Home-Stay Handbook  HERE.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Thank you for your willingness to support our congress delegates in this way!

You will be contacted soon about logistics and next steps.

Children’s Day will feature public, interactive Montessori classrooms, and brief presentations—the perfect event for Montessori to shine.

Events like the International Congress and Children’s Day require two main ingredients: volunteers and the respectful chance to practice. Help make Montessori visible!

The International Montessori Congress in 2013, and its leading event, Children’s Day on July 7th, 2012, will be all that we dream of, if each of you get involved. Great events are built one hand at a time, and we have the chance in a few weeks to lend a hand – the Glass Classroom planned for the 2013 Congress is having a “dress rehearsal!”

Invite your families to come by and let their children lead the way!

This event is being created to help the public better understand the importance of early childhood education and all the factors that can effect children’s development.

If those interested in volunteering:

•               setup and take down of classrooms – for toddler, primary and elementary levels.

•               children needed to work in the learning environments.

If you’re able to assist, please contact info@MontessoriCongress.org to receive additional information.

The Congress understands that summer is a busy time for families, but mark your calendars and be sure to stop by and show your support for this great event.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Children’s Day
Montessori Institute NW,
4506 SE Belmont, Portland, Oregon
July 7th, 2012
9AM-3PM

A PowerPoint Presentation:
PowerPoint (En Espagnol)
PowerPoint (In English)

A Movie About the 2013 Congress:
http://montessoricongress.org/about-the-congress/congress-movie/

A Movie About Portland, Oregon USA:
http://youtu.be/B1B2_r6Azvg

Add a Linked Congress Logo to Your Website:
http://montessoricongress.org/include-a-congress-link-on-your-website/

Download a Flyer in 8 Languages:
http://montessoricongress.org/about-the-congress/download-a-flyer/

Text For Newsletters and Publications:
http://montessoricongress.org/media/publicity-text/

Answers to Some Frequently Asked Questions:
http://montessoricongress.org/about-the-congress/faqs/

How to Become a Congress Sponsor:
Call-for-Congress-Breakout-Presentations

Learn More About Montessori Education:
http://montessoricongress.org/media/montessori-resources/

Additional Montessori Resources:
http://montessoricongress.org/media/montessori-resources/

We can also mail you magnets, business cards, and other promotional items.  Contact us HERE to initiate the process.

For more information or for media requests please contact Congress Administrator Glenn Goodfellow (+001 503 963-8992 / glenn@montessoricongress.org) 

2013 International Montessori Congress, follow us on social media: 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-International-Montessori-Congress/143322535751904
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MontessoriCongr
YouTube: http://youtu.be/S2HGv2h0yqY