News & Events

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November Seminar a Success

November 4th, 2006...MECA students studied the impact of music and movement in the Montessori Environment. Sanford Jones, a world reknowned children's music expert and a founding member of the North American Montessori Teachers Asssociation, led student in a morning seminar and an afternoon workshop. Students examined the importance of a child's interaction with the natural world and of artistic self-expression. Key topics included musical development through listening activities, singing, movement, instruments, and musical notation, as well practical ideas for integrating music into the classroom

Celma Perry named as AMS Living Legacy 2005

April 5th, 2005...The founder of MECA, Celma Pinho Perry, was presented with the Annual Living Legacy award at the 2005 American Montessori Society National conference in Chicago, IL. This is due to her lifetime of service to Montessori education throughout the world. Her work in educating qualified teachers for Montessori schools has taken her to Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa, as well as North America. Countless numbers of people owe their start in this dynamic field to the inspiration and work of Celma. Currently, she is assisting in the development of teacher education programs in Korea and Brazil (see the article in Montessori Life - summer 2004).

MECA to hold teacher education courses at Concordia University

October 1st, 2004...MECA is pleased to announce that beginning in the summer of 2005, it will hold teacher certification classes on the campus of Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois. "This connection to Concordia makes the work of MECA more visible in the four year academic arena, and it brings MECA closer to the city of Chicago which will be more convenient for many of our students," said Eva Parrucci, MECA's Director of Academics. The connection between Concordia and MECA was established many years ago when Concordia offered MECA graduates undergraduate and graduate credit toward degrees in education.

Heartland Celebration Honors 50 Years of Montessori in the Midwest

October 20th, 2004...Celma Perry led a committee of Chicago Montessorians in hosting this gala event at the Chicago Marriott on Saturday, October 16, 2004. This event was a celebration of 40 years of Montessori education in the Heartland of America. In 1964 the first annual AMS conference was held in Chicago, Illinois. The evening promises was one of great fun with many Montessori dignitaries attending.

Cosmos Exhibit Popular and Praised

September 8th, 2004...MECA's "Introducing the Child to the Cosmos" exhibit has won praise at AMS conferences in Chicago, IL; Covington, KY, Anaheim, CA; and Boston, MA (see article in Public School Montessorian). The dynamic and museum-like display gives both the concepts and the practical materials for use in introducing ideas such as time, history, physics, geography, and more to the child aged six and younger.

Meg Murphy-Fedorwicz's presentation on a physical sciences curriculum for children aged 3 to 6 years, closely tied to the exhibit, and also garnered much praise. Her curriculum guide is available for purchase through the MECA bookstore.