Our Guests: Julia Volkman & Ann Epstein
Show Notes
Ann Epstein and Julia Volkman join the Voices in Montessori podcast to discuss the preliminary results of a research study examining the effectiveness of mentoring for Primary and Elementary Montessori Guides. Ann and Julia describe the structure of the mentoring program, the qualities of effective mentors, and the results of the study.
Key findings include:
When compared to a teachers who did not receive mentoring, participants experienced:
- Lowered levels of burn out
- Increased self-confidence
- Increased self efficacy
- Decreased anxiety
- Increased reflective practice
Mentees reported the following elements as the most impactful in their growth:
- Collaboration among colleagues
- Flexibility to address participants’ specific challenges (i.e., “following the teacher”)
- Focusing on small (SMART) goals
- Consistent emphasis on what participants were doing well and their week-to-week accomplishments
These are exciting findings, and Ann and Julia look forward to sharing the published study this fall!
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About our Guests
Ann Epstein
Director of Early Childhood Education at the University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse
Ann Epstein taught in children’s house for 15 years (in both public and independent Montessori settings). She has been a Montessori teacher educator for the past 45 years. Her passion is supporting children with special needs in Montessori settings, in particular children in trauma or who have experienced trauma.
Ann is currently the Director of Early Childhood Education at the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse. She loves working with undergrads who are making their dream of teaching young children come true. Ann also loves “coming home” to a range of Montessori projects, including consulting, presenting at conferences, research, and writing.
Julia Volkman
Founder and President of Maitri Learning
Julia has been teaching children and mentoring teachers in private and public schools since 1997. She is a Faculty member of the Brain Health Initiative, a guest lecturer for Harvard University’s Neuroscience of Learning course, an educational researcher affiliated with the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, and a teacher mentor consulting with public and private schools across the nation.
Julia earned her Master’s degree from Harvard University and her AMI 3 to 6+ diploma from the Montreal Montessori Training Centre (a bilingual program). Her graduate research on early literacy won the Harvard Dean’s prize for outstanding research. Her work focuses on transforming education into a transdisciplinary, scientific pedagogy grounded in mind, brain, and education.
Julia is the founder and president of the educational project, Maitri Learning.
Resources
Blog Post: Building Effective Teacher Mentoring Communities: Lessons from the Field
Booklet: Teacher Mentoring Communities: Lessons from Evidence-based Practice
Book: Evocative Coaching by Bob Tschannen-Moran and Megan Tschannen-Moran
Voices in Montessori Podcast
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