The Montessori Perspective: Igniting Purpose and Agency in Youth | Season One

Gavin McCormack has been a teacher for more than 25 years, working in countries throughout the world and building many schools in the Himalayan regions of Nepal. As a Montessori ambassador for Australia and the co-founder upschool.co and Educationinfluence.com, Gavin has worked tirelessly for 25 years to change the face of education for those before him.

As a Montessori teacher, Gavin’s focus is to putting children at the centre of their education. As a writer, he has engaged in writing many picture books based on ethics and moral lessons for children, whilst also writing and producing a parenting book based on the Montessori principles around early child development and cognitive ability, The Potential in Every Child.

Gavin believes that hope lies in empowering young people to have the confidence to try things that are new, and the resilience to fail and to try again. Gavin’s recent Ted talk spoke of children building confidence, trust, morale and leadership when these are often overlooked in modern educational philosophies and pedagogies. He believes that these are the skills that will take us into the future in a world we can be proud of. A world, where every life matters, regardless of colour, creed, religion or demographics. A world where nature is our greatest ally, not an asset to be over-utilised, and where children are looked upon as leaders who have the confidence and independence to make informed choices of their own from a very early age.

Resources:

• EducationInfluence
• Gavin’s Profile on EducationInfluence
• Gavin’s Website
• Gavin’s Ted Talk