MINT Share & Learn
Preparing for the Explosion into Writing and Reading
A free, in-person professional development for the Montessori 3–6 community
Join Montessori trainers Uma Ramani and Caroline Clark for an interactive morning at MINT focused on recognizing and supporting each child’s progress toward writing and reading in the Casa.
Who Should Attend
This gathering is open to guides, assistants, administrators, school leaders, and anyone whose professional work touches Montessori 3–6. An AMI 3–6 Diploma is not required to participate.
Professional Development Certificate
All participants will receive a certificate documenting 3.5 hours of professional development. The certificate is included with this free event at no additional cost.
Saturday, September 12, 2026
9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Community Potluck 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm
Montessori Institute of North Texas
4006 Belt Line Road, Suite 100
Addison, TX 75001
Free to attend. RSVP required.
Supporting Each Child’s Development
You have carefully prepared the environment, welcomed new and returning children, and helped orient them to the community. Now is the time to observe where each child is developmentally and use those observations to guide your planning.
During this 3.5-hour interactive session, we will revisit the continuum that leads to the explosion into writing and reading. Through discussion, group activities, and games, participants will explore practical ways to recognize where each child is on that continuum and determine what support may be needed next.
Together, we will consider activities that support:
The development of spoken language
Phonemic awareness
The association of sound and symbol
Written expression
Preparation of the hand
Total Reading
We will also discuss how these activities can be adapted to meet the developmental needs of three-, four-, and five-year-old children.
What We Will Explore
This gathering is designed to be relaxed, collegial, and highly practical. Participants will have opportunities to exchange experiences, ask questions, and learn from one another while engaging deeply with the progression toward writing and reading.
You will leave with observations, activities, and practical tools that can be put to use in your daily work with children.
A Place to Share and Learn
The learning session will be followed by an informal potluck, offering time to reconnect with colleagues and strengthen relationships within the Dallas-area Montessori community. MINT will provide coffee and tea.
Stay for the Community Potluck
Distinguished Pedagogical Leadership
AMI 3-6 Trainer and MINT Director of Pedagogy, Uma Ramani
AMI 3-6 Trainer, Caroline Clark
This session offers a rare opportunity to learn with Uma Ramani, M.A., MINT’s Director of Pedagogy, and Caroline Aguilar Clark, two accomplished AMI 3–6 Trainers whose work has advanced Montessori practice through teacher preparation, consultation, examination, and professional development.
Uma brings an exceptional depth of Montessori knowledge to the session. She completed her AMI 3–6 training with A. M. Joosten and S. R. Swamy, both trained by Dr. Maria Montessori, and has served as an AMI Trainer since 2010. Since joining MINT in 2014, her pedagogical leadership has shaped the institute’s approach to adult education, program innovation, and the wider application of Montessori principles across diverse communities.
Caroline contributes more than 25 years of experience in public and private education. In addition to her work as an AMI 3–6 Trainer, she serves as an AMI/USA 3–6 Consultant and National Examiner, supporting the quality and integrity of Montessori practice in schools and training centers.
Together, Uma and Caroline will bring this expertise directly to the realities of the Casa. They will guide participants in examining the developmental progression toward writing and reading, interpreting what they observe in children, and making purposeful choices about what to offer next. Their combined knowledge makes this gathering a significant opportunity for practitioners to deepen their understanding, refine their practice, and engage in substantive exchange with respected leaders in Montessori education.
Meet Uma Ramani and Caroline Aguilar Clark.
Spend the morning with AMI 3–6 Trainers Uma Ramani and Caroline Aguilar Clark for a substantive exploration of the child’s progression toward writing and reading. Every participant will receive a certificate documenting 3.5 hours of professional development at no cost.
This free, in-person gathering welcomes guides, assistants, administrators, and others whose work touches Montessori 3–6. Alongside focused study and practical discussion, there will be time to reconnect with colleagues and enjoy an informal community potluck.
Reserve your place for a morning grounded in child development, the daily work of the Casa, and the professional relationships that sustain our Montessori community.