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MEET OUR SPEAKERS |
Rebecca Rees A cycle of connecting and belonging begins with each birth. For adults this entails new identities as parents. Feelings of isolation can follow as a result of the changes and demands that are made on them. Natural concerns can quickly swell into feelings of anxiety without a network of family, friends and experts to offer support through these times For the last 10 years, Rebecca Rees has focused her work on new motherhood and how this parents’ mental, emotional and physical wellbeing directly affects the newborn’s adaptation to the world. She is an Early Years Specialist and AMI qualified teacher who has utilised her Montessori knowledge and practice, along with her own parenting journey, to develop a unique and special programme that not only serves the new mother but also builds a community of support. |
Keynote
Sophie Allen As the Project Officer at DadPad, Sophie contributes to the development of resources designed to support new parents. Her career journey, spanning Montessori teaching and educational technology, has equipped her with a unique blend of practical experience and theoretical knowledge. With a strong foundation in psychology and early childhood education, Sophie is committed to fostering positive parent-child relationships and promoting the well-being of families. Sophie has worked with a diverse range of children and families, allowing her to explore SENDCo roles and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams. |
Lynnette began her journey in Early Years education in maintained and Montessori nursery schools in London. A passion for empowering young learners led her to collaborate on a research project with Professor John Siraj-Blatchford from which SchemaPlay was born. As director and co-founder, Lynnette inspires educators around the world through the SchemaPlay training programme, a transformative approach to free-flow play that nurtures children’s ideas, investigations and explorations. |
Lynnette Brock
Aruna Dayal Over 100 years ago, Maria Montessori envisioned a world where human potential was developed in harmony with nature. Recent studies have linked physical, emotional, cognitive and social problems in childhood with a lack of exposure to nature. This session introduces a case study conducted in an urban Montessori Eco-School in Spain. It explores the school’s integration of environmental education with Montessori pedagogy. Aruna Dayal is co-founder and pedagogical director of Appledore Montessori, a bilingual preschool in Lancaster. She holds the AMI Primary and Assistance to Infancy Diplomas from the Montessori Institute of San Diego and an MA in Montessori Pedagogy from the University of Vic). Aruna has over 14 years’ experience working with young children in a variety of settings, both Montessori and traditional, in China, Thailand, England and Spain. |
Georgina Hood OBE As founder and principal of Paint Pots, Georgina's history in Early Years Education spans over three decades. She developed an early passion for the creative arts which dovetailed her Montessori studies. Over the years, her blend of creative, heuristic play and Montessori has been the foundation of the Paint Pots settings. Her history as a mother and a teacher give her a desire to support families through her wealth of experience. While raising her own family and being involved in the daily life of Paint Pots, Georgina also applied her leadership acumen to serving the Montessori community at large. She spent 15 years in the co-creation of the Montessori Schools Association and as the London Regional Chair she organised regular teacher training events. Her accolades include Montessorian of the Year and in 2023, she was awarded an OBE for Services to Early Years Education and to the Community in London. |
Bimpe has a passion for all things Montessori. She is part of the training team at the Maria Montessori Institute in London as well as the Montessori Study Centre in Lagos, Nigeria. Bimpe holds AMI diplomas for the 0 to 3, 3 to 6 and 6 to 12 age groups, an AMI post-diploma certificate in observation as well as a Masters’ degree in Childhood Studies from the Institute of Education at University College, London. |
Bimpe Pogoson
In 1994, Len left the British army following a 27 year career in military music, which included 17 years as a Music Director and founded the Len Tyler Music School, which focussed initially on early years and primary music education. Since 2000, Len has been part of the British Kodály Academy, and was appointed regional coordinator for Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire. Len has led numerous musicianship and teacher training workshops in the UK and other countries, reaching schools, music services and other organisations. He continues to promote quality music education whenever the opportunity arises. He has written a series of six books of musicianship training containing 222 music reading exercises and 180 two part exercises. Len has also written a series of 12 articles on early years/primary music education contained in two volumes. |
Len Tyler
Some things will never change, simply because they are fundamental for a child’s development, but the evolution of the Montessori materials has not stopped since Dr. Montessori passed away in 1952. For more than 19 years and with a lot of passion and dedication Chris has been working as a Global Brand Ambassador for the world’s leading Montessori material manufacturer, Nienhuis Montessori. He is responsible for the global Montessori network and is leading the marketing and product development team. Next to this, Chris has been representing Nienhuis at many international Montessori congresses. He has a degree in international marketing and is Montessori-trained at both 3 to 6 and 6 to 12 levels. He has observed Montessori education in many different countries and cultures, worked with many Montessori experts and gained a very broad perspective of Montessori education this way. |
Chris Willemsen