Session One
Prabha Narayanan offers us some exciting “deep dives into specific aspects of Cosmic Education, with a time for questions and sharing.” Including the First and Second Timeline of Human Beings. This will be an extension of what Prabha is delivering at the conference, allowing for more in-depth, hands-on work in a more relaxed and personal setting.
Session Two
Dr Philip Snow Gang and Tammy Oesting – Living the Montessori Legacy: A Dialogue responding to the question: What is the Montessori legacy, and how do we embrace it in our personal and professional lives?
This session will explore Montessori’s foundational insights through personal reflection and collective dialogue. Engaging in guided conversation and visual mapping, participants will have an opportunity to trace connections between Montessori’s life journey and their own, discovering how her cornerstone principles illuminate our paths as educators and individuals. This 90-minute live Zoom experience all the way from Portland and New Mexico in the USA, invites you to examine your contributions, gratitudes, and pivotal moments through a Montessori lens
Session Three
Mireille Nel, join us for an Afternoon of Cosmic Education Through the Vehicle of Story.
An inspiring afternoon of Story, where we weave together the ancient art of illustrated manuscripts with modern research on the benefits of cursive writing. Discover how handwriting is strongly linked to cognitive development, self-esteem, fine motor growth, and academic success. Step into the world of medieval monk-scribes and rediscover the beauty and power of the written word.
You’ll experience Story the Nova way, in our beautiful wood-panelled classroom. Create your own feather quill to take home and share with your students, view samples of children’s work, and leave with practical ideas to enrich your teaching kete.
This practical, hands-on workshop will be offered by Mireille Nel, 6–9 kaiako at Nova Montessori School.
Morning tea and afternoon tea will be provided, but please bring your lunch.
For those who wish, we would love to gather for an evening meal afterwards Christchurch offers a wonderful selection of restaurants.
Date: 6 July, 2026
Time: 8.30 am – 4.30 pm
Location: Nova Montessori School, 53 Owles Terrace, New Brighton, Christchurch
Cost: $30
As the Teacher Only Day is a follow on from conference, the registration for this workshop day is on the conference registration form.
Speakers
Prabha Narayanan
Prabha Narayanan is an AMI Elementary Trainer based in Chennai, India. She is currently the Director of Training at Vivek High Montessori Institute, Chandigarh, and is part of the pedagogical team on the blended 6 -12 year course run by Alison Awes in Montessori Institute Bangalore. She completed the AMI 6 – 12 and 3 – 6 courses in Navadisha Montessori Foundation, India. She worked in Navadisha as part of the training team under Ann Dunne from 2012 to 2021.
She has been a National Examiner on AMI Elementary courses and has conducted many Orientation courses, both online and in-person, in India and abroad. She was part of the training team that conducted the first-ever Montessori Core Principles course in India. She consults with Montessori schools supporting elementary teachers in their practice. She conducts workshops for parents and teachers, and is especially interested in the area of supporting children’s language and emotional development during the elementary years.
Dr Philip Snow Gang
Dr Philip Snow Gang has been deeply involved with the Montessori landscape for more than five decades. Since 1977, he has been a close friend of the Montessori family… Mario Sr, Mario Jr, and Carolina. He has been part of the Nova Montessori community since 2000, joining his late wife, Marsha Snow Morgan, and Pauline Matsis, co-founders of Nova. Thirty years ago, Marsha and Phil created the Institute for Educational Studies’ (TIES) graduate program in Montessori Integrative Learning… now with 18 graduates from New Zealand. His latest book is Educating for Right Action and Love: Extending and Expanding the Montessori Vision.
Tammy Oesting
Tammy Oesting, MEd, has walked the Montessori path for three decades, describing herself as a practitioner of awe and wonder. She works with educators around the world through her company, Classroom Mechanics, serves as faculty for The Institute for Educational Studies graduate program, and cultivates content creators for Trillium Montessori. A Pacific Northwest native, she spent a transformational year as an exchange student at Rangiora High School in New Zealand, later traveling the world as a nomad for nine years before making New Mexico her home. Her work centres on social justice in education, supporting classroom staff, and exploring the wonder of our universe with learners of all ages.
Mireille Nel
Mireille has been working in Montessori for over 20 years, mostly in New Zealand. She has enjoyed being with 0-3 aged children and 3-6 aged children for many years. Right now, however, her passion lies with the primary-aged children in Christchurch, where she mostly enjoys telling them Stories. In the very little spare time she has, she loves being outdoors with her husband and children, doing activities like kayaking, skiing, hiking, cycling and playing hockey – and watching sunrises over the sea.
