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Role:
Deputy Chair of MSCA
Current working position:
Self-employed education consultant.
Tell us about your Montessori background:
I have two half-brothers who attended Montessori schools in Brazil and in South Africa and so it was my stepmother who alerted me to Montessori. Once I understood Montessori better, I realised that basically, I had always been trying to change whichever school I was at to a Montessori school! Ten years as principal of Melbourne Montessori School was a joy; growing the junior school, expanding the school footprint and amenities to include a senior school to Year 12, adding extracurricular experiences, and always delivering through the excellence of highly-trained Montessori staff was exciting every day. I now enjoy being able to support Montessori leaders through MSCA and have had the time to undertake the AMI Administrators Course plus 3-6 Montessori training.
What do you love about Montessori?
What I love most about Montessori is the true respect given to each student and each adult. Each individual is respected through the whole system, and thereby each individual is empowered to follow their interests and realise their full potential at the developmental speed and methodology that works for them. Everything about the Montessori philosophy accords with my values, and the pedagogy is fantastically rich in every incredibly deep and beautifully thought-out nuance.
From the student perspective, it is essential for me that education be relevant for students who live in 2023, in our world, looking at the future of work in the next decade or two. Experts and educators talk of creativity, problem-solving, self-starters, initiative, collaboration, communication, 10,000 hours of mastery, and being in flow. Yet, I can only see Montessori education delivering on these skills! It works for every child – how brilliant is that? On a personal note, I love that modern neuroscience research, including the use of MRI and other technologies, continues to corroborate the impressively intelligent, empirical research and observation conducted by Maria Montessori over 100 years ago. What a woman!
What are your hopes for MSCA?
Through our mission and vision, I hope to be able to continue the mandate we were given to support excellence in Montessori learning across Australian schools and centres in a democratic way, responding to the needs of the community in whatever way they need with the resources we have.
What is your favourite Montessori quote and why?
In truth, each time I read a new quote, it becomes the best! But all quotes by Maria Montessori have relevance, so the quote I like today is:
“Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.”
About Gay.
Gay was the Principal of Melbourne Montessori School for ten years from January 2012 to January 2022. During this time she led the school through several achievements; adding the senior school, gaining IB Authorisation, and receiving one of only seven Innovative Schools Awards for Victorian Schools in 2019. Previously, Gay spent 12 years at Christ Church Grammar School, transforming the curriculum into inquiry-based, concept learning. With an additional 13 years of prior experience in the business world, Gay has the ability to work strategically and bring real-world learning to each child.
MSCA is the Australian Affiliated Society for the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)
