Indigenous Montessori Network
Purpose Statement:
To ensure Indigenous education keeps language and culture at the forefront while honoring our kinship systems and the way we historically and traditionally raised our babies, children, and youth, recognizing that early childhood is the foundational period. At the core of all Indigenous education and growth, our language, culture, families, community, values and beliefs that honor the interconnectedness of all things; inclusive of the integration of spiritual knowledge and inter-generational learning through a holistic approach.
IMN HOPE:
Our hope is to exercise educational sovereignty by supporting community driven Indigenous education models/systems of learning.
We believe Educational Sovereignty can be achieved through transforming Indigenous Education by creating access and opportunities for self-actualization within models of learning rooted in healing and supportive environments.
IMN Offers:
- Mentorship – one on one support calls among Montessori/Early Childhood/Language teachers
- Training – Montessori training, Philosophy of Indigenous Education, Immersion techniques, Second Language acquisition, School start up
- Advocacy-Work for systems and policy change, (i.e. BIE, Head Start, Public Schools centering Language and Culture)
- Technical assistance – Best practices and coaching around methods, school start up, etc.
- Database – comprehensive contact list of Montessori/Early Childhood programs with a focus on Immersion
Vision
We envision a future where Indigenous children, families, and communities thrive through an education rooted in ancestral knowledge, language, and Sovereignty. Guided by the wisdom of our ancestors and the dreams of the next seven generations, we cultivate sustainable, land-based learning spaces where language is revitalized, cultural traditions are honored, and education is an act of Liberation. We measure success by the flourishing of our young people—through their confidence in identity, critical thinking, and deep cultural connections. In the face of global uncertainty, we stand firm in our sovereignty, forging alliances, innovating for language reclamation, and healing from settler-colonial trauma through truth, wellness, and intergenerational reparations. As a network, we are committed to Indigenous education that is self-determined, community-led, and dedicated to the flourishing of Indigenous nations for generations to come.
Values
Mutual Support:
Through courage, trust and non-judgment, we cultivate a space for healing, repair and collective care.
Reclamation:
We reclaim our right to holistic education, centering Sovereignty and Liberation as pathways to revitalizing our languages and cultures.
Advocacy:
As a collective, we actively shape the future by sharing our stories in service of de-Colonization and re-Indigenization of our educational systems.
Community:
Native ways of knowing are inherently communal. Our connectedness includes families, Tribes, schools, and Mother Nature. We think ahead for future generations by embracing intergenerational learning.
Interdependence:
Our strength lies in our relationships. Through trust, generosity, and collaboration, we create a support system that carries us through challenges and amplifies our collective impact.
Patience:
This work is intergenerational. We honor the changemakers that have defended our children, the Earth and our lifeways and we continue to build upon that legacy for the future, understanding that transformation happens over many generations”
News
Upcoming Events
We meet on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 2 PM PST / 3 PM MST / 4 PM CST / 5 PM EST
How to Join
IMN Members
For more information contact:
Indigenous Montessori Institute Office
margarita@kclcmontessori.org
505-526-8059