South African Montessori Association

A beautiful shelf is not what makes Montessori education Montessori. The real work is happening underneath the surface.

The prepared environment is intentional. The materials are carefully sequenced. The adult observes. And the child is given meaningful opportunities to move, concentrate, choose, repeat, problem-solve and gradually become more independent.

These experiences are not separate from learning. They are part of how children develop the capacities they will draw on as their learning becomes increasingly complex.

This is why Montessori does not ask us to choose between child development and academic achievement. The two are deeply connected.

So when you see a Montessori child pouring water, sorting objects, caring for the environment or working with a carefully designed material, look again. Ask yourself what might be developing beneath the surface? Because in Montessori, the activity is rarely “just” the activity.

Our history is filled with women whose courage helped shape our country. Some we know by name. Others we know through the lives they have touched and the people they have helped along the way.

Today, we celebrate the women who have taught us, encouraged us, challenged us and opened the way for others. We honour those whose work is recognised, and those whose contribution has shaped lives in ways that may never be fully known.

Happy Women’s Day from the South African Montessori Association. 🇿🇦

On this Workers’ Day, we recognise the significance of work in all its forms, and its role in shaping both individuals and society.

Work is more than productivity. It is how we participate, contribute, and grow. Through work, we engage with the world and with one another. In Montessori education, work is not only a human tendency, but a means through which the child constructs their intelligence, independence, and sense of self.

As we support children, families, and communities, we recognise the importance of meaningful activity in developing purpose, capability, and connection.

Day 1 of SAMAcon Flourish was a truly exceptional start. A beautiful day marked by meaningful engagement, insightful contributions, and strong connections. 🤍🤲🏼

Thank you to our attendees and speakers for making it so memorable - and Day 2 is already proving to be just as exceptional. More highlights to follow soon!

SAMAcon Flourish is here!

We extend our sincere gratitude for the invaluable support of our sponsors and all those involved in making the 24th Annual SAMAcon possible. Here’s to connection, growth, and a truly flourishing experience together. 🤍

We’re pleased to have Penny Taiton leading our SAMA Management Day. With over 40 years of experience across corporate, government, and political sectors, she brings deep expertise in leadership development, governance, and systems change. Through her consultancy, Evolve, she supports organisations to navigate complexity, build resilient teams, and drive meaningful, lasting impact.

The day will focus on strengthening SAMA’s national presence and deepening its impact by fostering meaningful collaboration among Montessori schools. Together, we will harness the collective wisdom of the community to generate practical, sustainable solutions, build a shared vision, and establish shared responsibility for implementation.

We are pleased to announce Kid-Ease as a Gold Exhibitor at SAMAcon: Flourish.

Be sure to visit their stand, where they will be showcasing their beautiful equipment and offering exclusive conference specials!

We are looking forward to a meaningful, enriching, and truly memorable conference experience. 🌱

🎤 Breakaway Sessions | SAMA Con 2026: Flourish

As the final breakaway session of the day, this offering invites a gentle and meaningful close before we gather for the closing ceremony.

🌱 The Bells: Keys to the World of Music, Helen van der Merwe.
With nearly 20 years of experience across Montessori environments, Helen invites us into the rich and often underexplored world of music in the classroom. Drawing on her work with children across the planes, she shares how the bells can open the door to musical understanding, exploration, and joy. This session offers a thoughtful look at how music can become a meaningful and accessible part of the child’s learning experience.

🌱 Origami Crane Mobile for Young Babies, Claire Howie & Joelene Draper.
A hands-on, creative workshop where participants will craft a delicate origami crane mobile for young babies. Rooted in the Montessori understanding of the prepared environment, this session is both practical and playful, offering a chance to create something beautiful while exploring how simple materials can support early visual development and wonder.

🌱 Timelines and Materials for Igniting an Interest in History, Sharon Caldwell.
With decades of experience in Montessori education, Sharon explores the central role of history in the 6–12 environment. This session unpacks how timelines and key materials can spark curiosity, imagination, and a deeper understanding of the world. With a focus on relevance, participants are invited to consider how history prepares children not only to understand the past, but to navigate an unknown future with awareness and purpose.

Each session offers a unique opportunity to deepen practice and reconnect with the richness of the Montessori environment.

📅 26 April 2026

🎤 Speaker Announcement | SAMA Con 2026

We are honoured to welcome Shaun Dunn, educator and lecturer in Sustainable Development at Stellenbosch University, as a speaker at SAMA Con 2026: Flourish.

Shaun’s work explores the intersection of leadership, sustainability, and ecological wisdom. In Sustainability Education, he goes beyond teaching to facilitate transformation, guiding students toward ecoliteracy and systems thinking through immersive experiences in nature as teacher, guide, and healer.

After nearly eight years in secondary education, Shaun spent time in Tanzania learning from traditional medicine practices and indigenous understandings of health, community, and the natural world. Alongside his engagement in African Earth Jurisprudence and work with indigenous communities in southern Africa, these experiences shape his deeply relational approach to learning.

Grounded in regenerative leadership and the ethics of Ubuntu, Shaun’s work asks a powerful question: how might remembering our interconnectedness with each other and the Earth reshape the way we lead?

In his keynote, “Flourishing: Learning from Nature and Ancestry,” Shaun invites us to reflect on how relationships with the natural world and ancestral knowledge systems can inform the way we teach, lead, and care. His work offers a thoughtful lens on education that is rooted in belonging, responsibility, and a deeper understanding of our place within the wider living world.

📅 26 April 2026
Join us as we reflect on what it means to truly flourish