The Montessori School of Shanghai (MSS), affiliated to the Zion Education Group, holds its monthly parent education workshops to provide quality practical Montessori and parenting content to all current MSS families.

By the end of November, our Parent Education Workshop welcomed Mary MacIntosh, senior director of montessori program, who brought us a workshop on the theme of Success and Responsibility.

Success in school, career, and even personal life depends on a person’s sense of responsibility. From birth to the age of 6, a child’s character is being formed, and the development of the sense of responsibility is deeply rooted in this process.

Montessori said that the purpose of education, beginning with the family and expanding to the community, is to prepare the child to be an adult.

If (children) fail to learn the responsibility lesson, they will have a very hard time transitioning into adulthood.When children learn to take responsibility, they are empowered, competent and resilient, and they can take on the world in an authentic way.

When adults take responsibility for the children’s actions, we may show our competence, but the child’s self-esteem is lowered.So, children need practice in being responsible early in their lives.

Responsibility is a trait that is rooted in the developing character of children at the birth to six year phase of life.

The contents of the workshop:

Why is responsibility important for children?

How do children learn responsibility?

What is the relationship between freedom and responsibility?

How can parents help their children develop a sense of responsibility?

How can we help our children make responsible decisions?

What dose a Responsible child look Like?

Through the above content, Ms. Mary helped parents understand the importance of Montessori environment in cultivating a sense of responsibility, and how parents could help their children develop it. Her more than 40 years of experience in Montessori education made the lecture very informative and her easy-to-understand style has also been widely recognized by our parents by their great interaction.

About Mary MacIntosh

Mary MacIntosh began her career with us as TMEC Instructor in 2016. She has been the Senior Director of Montessori Program for Zion Education Group since 2017.

She holds an Early Childhood teaching qualification from AMI and a Master’s degree in Special Education, Child Education, and School Management. Her academic interests include child development, Montessori education, and school administration. She has many years of teaching experience in the field of Montessori training, as well as extensive experience in education and school management.

During her Montessori career, Mary has served AMS as a board member and on the AMS teacher education commission and on MACTE committees. She is responsible for and leads the Montessori Training Center Accreditation Program.

Mary upheld the Montessori principle that all children deserve to learn as a school vision and standard practice in all classes. Along with her teaching and leadership experience, Mary is a life-long learner, which she models in her work as a Montessori consultant for schools and teachers. Her insights on best practices in Montessori pedagogy and instruction create a strong foundation for Montessori programs and teacher development.

Mary recently received the American Montessori Society Nancy Rambusch (founder of AMS) award for her service to children, teachers and families.In December, she will receive the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education Wisdom of Elders Award for her professional dedication and service to Montessori education.

MSS holds parent education workshops on a monthly basis, and we hope that our professional resources will help our parents in polishing their parenting skills. We look forward to having more of you join us in our future workshops.