30th International Montessori Congress
Katrina Cisne • July 15, 2026

This year, I had the amazing opportunity to attend the 30th International Montessori Congress held in Merida, Yucatán. This event, happening every few years, is an opportunity for Montessorians throughout the world to come together to reflect and discuss the important work of educating the whole child. This year’s theme was, Joyful Journey, “a global celebration of growth, learning, and connection inspired by Montessori education.” 


Over the course of four days, we listened to Montessori trainers, psychologists, and other experts in the field of human development as they shared with us their research, observations and knowledge. Among the featured speakers were Dr. Adele Diamond, a leader in developmental cognitive neuroscience; Dr. Angeline Stoll Lillard, author of Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius and director of the early development Laboratory and the Montessori Science Program at the University of Virginia; and keynote speaker, Dr. Gabor Mate whose work focuses on addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship of stress and illness. 


The Congress opened with Dr. Maté's keynote address on the needs of the child and what he described as the "biology of loss." He spoke about the essential developmental needs of every child: secure attachment, emotionally attuned relationships, the freedom to experience emotions—including grief, sadness, fear, and joy—opportunities for unstructured play in nature, and the presence of calm, consistently available caregivers. Rather than focusing only on overt trauma, Dr. Maté explored what happens when even one of these fundamental needs is not fully met. He explained how chronic stress or emotional misattunement can influence a child's developing brain, affecting both physical health and behavior.

His message challenged us to reconsider the purpose of education. If our goal is to help children become self-regulated, compassionate, and independent thinkers, then our work must extend beyond academics. How do we, as educators and parents, support that development? Dr. Maté's answer was both profound and beautifully simple: we build relationships. He argued that the single greatest influence on a child's brain development is the quality of the relationship between the child and their caregiver.

The message of relationship was echoed throughout the conference and across multiple speakers. Strong, supportive relationships foster resilience, help children understand and regulate their emotions, encourage healthy vulnerability, and cultivate trust. While I came away with countless new ideas and insights, this was the lesson that resonated with me most deeply as both a teacher and a parent.


On the surface, we all recognize the importance of connecting with children. But when we pause to consider the profound influence we have, not only on their daily experiences but on the architecture of their developing brains and the people they are becoming, we are reminded that our greatest work is not simply teaching lessons. It is building authentic relationships, being fully present, and offering each child the unconditional respect, care, and love they need to flourish.

The Congress served as a powerful reminder that Montessori education is not simply a method of teaching; it is a way of honoring the humanity of every child. As I return to the classroom, I do so with renewed purpose and gratitude, committed to nurturing not only my students' minds but also their hearts, knowing that the relationships we cultivate today will shape the adults they become tomorrow.


Katrina Cisne

Early Childhood Program Director

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In a world that often feels rushed and fragmented, Montessori education offers something rare: a place where children are truly seen. It is an approach built not just on academic achievement, but on the belief that education, real education, has the power to change the world. Maria Montessori developed her method in the early twentieth century, but her deepest conviction was not about reading or mathematics. It was about peace. She believed that if we want a more peaceful world, we must begin with the child. " Establishing lasting peace ," she wrote, " is the work of education ." In a Montessori classroom, peace is not simply a topic that is taught. It is something that is lived. Children of different ages work alongside one another, learning to collaborate rather than compete. They develop independence, not because they are left alone, but because they are trusted. They are given real work that matters, real choices that shape their day, and real consequences that teach them to think carefully about their actions. This freedom, however, is always balanced with responsibility. Children learn to care for their environment, to resolve conflicts with words, and to consider the needs of others as naturally as they consider their own. Grace and courtesy are woven into the fabric of every day, not as rules imposed from the outside, but as habits grown from the inside. Montessori also understood something profound about the child's relationship with the world itself. Through Cosmic Education, the sweeping story of the universe, the Earth, life, and human civilization, children come to see themselves not as isolated individuals, but as participants in something vast and interconnected. They learn that every living thing depends on every other, that the air we breathe was shaped by ancient organisms, that the words we speak carry the fingerprints of countless civilizations. This perspective cultivates humility, wonder, and a deep sense of responsibility toward the world and toward one another. What you will see today in our classrooms is a reflection of that vision. The quiet concentration, the purposeful movement, the children helping one another: these are not accidents. They are the fruits of an environment carefully prepared to bring out the best in each child. Montessori education does not promise to solve the world's problems. But it does promise to raise children who are capable of empathy, who know how to listen, who find meaning in contributing to something greater than themselves. And in that promise lies something quietly extraordinary: the possibility that the children in these rooms might one day help build the more peaceful world we are all hoping for.