Montessori for adolescents
A 2-hour masterclass including Q&A with Tony Evans (founder of the Strata Montessori adolescent program) and Marzieh Darling-Donnelly (graduate of Strata Montessori). Let’s explore how we can apply Montessori principles during the adolescent years.
2 hours via Zoom · Recording and certificate included · Lifetime access
Seeing adolescents in a new way
Whether your teenager attends a Montessori program or not, or even if your child is not yet a teenager, this workshop is essential. You will find out who your child can become in the adolescent years with the Montessori approach.
Because we all know that adolescence can be a challenging time for young people and the adults who care about them.
But what if we looked beyond the challenges and started to see this stage for all the possibilities it holds?
Adolescents bring together the idealism, creativity and drive of childhood with the growing capabilities of adulthood. They’re working out who they are, where they belong and what they have to contribute to the world.
They need independence, but they still need us. They need to feel loved and understood, but they also need to be trusted with real responsibilities. They need space to discover what they’re capable of, alongside adults who are there when they need support.
How do we support our child to transition from childhood to the adolescent years?
How can we bring Montessori principles into the home in the adolescent years?
How do we stay connected while giving them room to grow?
And how can we help them develop the skills, confidence and sense of purpose to become active contributors to their communities?
In this workshop, Tony will draw on his years of experience working with adolescents and families, while Marzieh will share her perspective as someone who experienced Montessori throughout her own adolescence and has worked within the United Nations system as a youth delegate.
Together, they’ll guide us through what adolescents need from us, how we can support them through this important stage of development where they have so much potential, and how we can help them find meaningful ways to contribute to the world.
We are excited to explore with you
- 01
How to understand the adolescent and what they need
What makes adolescence such a unique stage of development? We’ll look at the transition from childhood, the importance of belonging and relationships with other adolescents, and the need for meaningful work, responsibility and a sense of purpose. We’ll also explore how we can recognise the potential in young people, even on the days when it’s harder to see.
- 02
How to find the balance between independence and support
How do we give adolescents more freedom while making sure they know we’re still there for them? We’ll explore how to build trust, offer real responsibilities and help young people develop their capabilities, while recognising when they need us to step in. And we’ll look at how we can create opportunities for adolescents to work together, pursue their interests and make meaningful contributions to their communities.
- 03
How to communicate in ways that build connection
How we speak to adolescents matters. We’ll explore ways to communicate that help them feel seen and respected, even when things are difficult. How can we work alongside them rather than tell them what to do? How do we help them understand the reasons behind expectations, take ownership of their learning and responsibilities, and feel supported as they find their own way?
- 04
How academics can fit into the picture
Supporting adolescents doesn’t mean that academic learning becomes less important. But what happens when young people understand why they’re learning something and can connect it to the world around them? We’ll consider how we can encourage them to take greater responsibility for their learning while developing the skills and knowledge they’ll need for the future.
Join us to expand your vision of what is possible at this age
This workshop is for parents, educators and carers who want to better understand the young people in their lives and support them with respect and connection. You don’t need to have a Montessori adolescent programme in your community to put these ideas into practice.
You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of adolescence, practical ideas to try in your everyday life, and a fresh perspective on what young people are capable of when they’re given the right support and opportunities.
Adolescence is a time when we have the opportunity to help young people discover who they are, what they can do and how they can contribute to a better world.
A live online workshop via Zoom
- Date
- Saturday 24 October 2026
- Time
- 11am PT / 2pm ET / 8pm Amsterdam time / 11:30pm IST / 5am AET (the following day)
- Length
- 2 hours including Q&A
- Cost
- US$29, or US$200 for schools. Payment is possible via credit card, GPay and PayPal.
- Recording
- The recording will automatically be sent to everyone registered within 24-48 hours of the event. You will have lifetime access to the recording.
- Accessibility
- Closed captions are available
- Certificate
- All participants will receive a PDF certificate of attendance
- Giving back
- 20% of all profits will be donated to the work of Educateurs sans Frontières, Black Montessori, and Indigenous Montessori Institute
Join us live, or watch the recording
US$29
- Attend live on Saturday 24 October
- Lifetime access to the recording
- You will have unlimited access to this workshop – come back to it anytime
US$200
- Attend live on Saturday 24 October
- Receive a recording to share with your staff and school
Tony Evans
“Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.”
This is the Montessori quote that drives Tony’s work. That fundamental idea is that we can change the world through high-fidelity Montessori education, for him the definition of peace includes the individual, the family, the community and society at large. A few years after training as an Elementary Montessori Guide in Bergamo, Italy, Tony started Dundas Valley Montessori School. Since those early days with only 8 students, DVMS has grown to 275 students on 2 campuses, with students from 18 months to 15 years. He established Canada’s first authentic Erdkinder and developed a high school built on the idea of a village as a curriculum. Most proudly, he is the father to two Strata graduates.
Marzieh Darling-Donnelly
Marzieh is a graduate student of Strata Montessori and the McMaster School of Globalization Studies, where her research focuses on the role of social movements, particularly youth-led movements, in shaping the development of international institutions. She has worked within the United Nations system as a youth delegate and has spoken at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) and (COP27) and the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. In addition to her UN engagement, she has worked with a range of civil society NGOs both within and outside UN institutional frameworks. Her work is centred on strengthening global governance structures and advancing institutional pathways capable of addressing complex global challenges.
Montessori for adolescents
Saturday 24 October 2026 · 2 hours via Zoom · Recording included