Speaker Series

ASM welcomes educators, authors, psychologists, child development specialists, and thought leaders who inspire thoughtful conversations around parenting, education, child development, wellness, and the Montessori philosophy.

Our guest speakers provide families and educators with opportunities to deepen their understanding of children and learning while fostering a stronger, more connected community. Each presentation is thoughtfully selected to support ASM’s mission of nurturing compassionate, confident, and engaged learners in an ever-changing world.

Below is a sample of guest speakers that have presented at ASM.

Donna Shea

Donna, Founder of the Peter Pan Center, consults with families, schools and human services agencies to address the needs of children who are struggling with behavior and social challenges. Donna holds certifications in Positive Psychology, Cognitive Behavioral Coaching and Pathological Demand Avoidance. She is also certified in bullying prevention through the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center.

Kristen Ancker

Positive Discipline and Parent Empowerment are Kristen’s most popular topics of conversation. An Early Childhood and School Consultant, Kristen provides parents and teachers with valuable knowledge, tools, and skills to foster confidence in our role as guides to our children. A Montessori-trained educator, Kristen helps us understand the importance of a child’s environment to their physical and emotional development.  She also shares communication tools to help build and strengthen a respectful relationship with our children.

Jeanine Fitzgerald

Self-regulation is a complex set of skills that exert influence over internal sensations and states. These skills are necessary for consistent performance, behavior and school readiness.​ ​Without them, a child may experience a life of chaos characterized by explosiveness, violence, anxiety, substance abuse, impulsivity, hyperactivity, distractibility or mood disorders. This skill development begins at the point of conception and continues into the late twenties. Jeanine’s session examines self-regulatory functions through a developmental lens and offers proven strategies to develop and strengthen them.

Jeanine is the Founder of the Fitzgerald Institute for Lifelong Learning and has over 35 years of experience as a certified teacher, mental health professional and mother of three grown children.

Sarah Ward, MS CCC-SLP

Sarah’s workshops explore strategies that help support students to manage their time, tasks, and materials (and keep their emotions in check!).  Among other topics, Ms. Ward focuses on children’s development of executive functioning skills aligning with Maria Montessori’s belief in fostering independence, organization, and concentration.

Ms. Ward is the co-director of Cognitive Connections and has over 20 years of experience in diagnostic evaluations, treatment, and case management of children, adolescents, and adults.

Elizabeth Englander, PhD

Elizabeth Englander, PhD, speaks about how students can best develop positive relationships with peers, whether online, on the playground, or at home. With grace and courtesy engrained in the ASM curriculum, Ms. Englander’s presentation affirms a Montessori education and further explores important topics surrounding bulling, cyberbullying, and children’s general use of technology.

Ms. Englander is a Professor of Psychology and the founder and Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University.

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