Embracing Equity in
Montessori Education

Embracing Equity in
Colorful curved lines on a transparent background.
A white tornado line on a transparent background.
Montessori Education
A box icon on a white background.

Get Started

A Montessori Approach to Adult Professional Development

A Montessori Approach to Adult Professional Development

Group of teachers with international flags and educational materials.

After a decade of firsthand experience as a Montessori teacher and principal, Daisy Han recognized the urgent need for anti-racist teacher training within Montessori teacher education programs.

At Embracing Equity, we believe in the power of education to liberate and empower every child. We provide Montessori institutions with the tools and support needed to turn equity and anti-racism values into daily practice.

Together, let's fulfill Dr. Maria Montessori's vision of the liberated child by truly embracing equity in Montessori education. Join us and unlock the transformative potential within your Montessori community today.

The Embracing Equity programs are designed to offer adults the kind of affirming Montessori environments they strive to create for children. Embracing Equity is a community where people, often for the first time in their lives, feel like Montessori students who are affirmed and guided in their self-directed learning journey for liberation.

Group of teachers with international flags and educational materials.
Woman posing next to a tall stack of pink boxes with graphic elements.
"Montessorians, as a community fiercely dedicated to the liberation of all children’s potential, have the capacity to bravely engage in this work in the same way our Montessori students do: ask questions, listen to the voices of those learners who are marginalized or invisibilized, and use education as medicine. Embracing Equity provides a concrete path for healing and org-wide development specifically for Montessori environments."

Daisy Han

Montessori trainer, educator & CEO of Embracing Equity

We've prepared the Environment

Embracing Equity is designed to offer adults the kind of affirming Montessori environments they strive to create for children.

Embracing Equity is a community where people, often for the first time in their lives, feel like Montessori students who are affirmed and guided in their self-directed learning journey for liberation.

We've prepared the Environment

Customized
Data-Informed Solutions,
Proven Results

Embracing Equity is designed to offer adults the kind of affirming Montessori environments they strive to create for children.

Embracing Equity is a community where people, often for the first time in their lives, feel like Montessori students who are affirmed and guided in their self-directed learning journey for liberation.

A message bubble icon on an orange background.

Professional Development

Embracing Equity creates brave facilitated spaces for the "spiritual preparation of self." We build a solid foundation of shared language, knowledge, and practices related to anti-racism, equity, inclusion, and culturally sustaining practices. 



As a program developed by Montessori trainers for Montessorians, we put theories into action and meet you where you are with love and compassionate accountability instead of shame or guilt. We don't just check the box on equity, we integrate practical, personal, relational, and systems level change that is tailored to your unique context.

A bookmark icon on a pink background.

Teaching for Equity Micro-credential

Join us in this interactive, self-paced program with 10 high-leverage practices to dismantle systemic racism and build a culture of belonging in classrooms. Access numerous concrete examples from a lively virtual community of practitioners.

A house icon on a teal background.

Building Equitable Organizations

Every Montessori organization is at a different place in their journey towards equity, diversity, and inclusion. That’s why we tailor our programs to make sure they are relevant to your unique organizational culture, needs, and goals. Our end goal is what Dr. Montessori called "universal liberation."



Leveraging our data-informed approach, we support you and your organization to audit your current equity landscape, lead sustainable change, and measure real progress over time.

A like icon on a light blue background.

Coaching

Through coaching, we help you sharpen your equity lens and build your racial literacy. We support you in addressing specific problems of practice and building your skills as an inclusive lifelong learner. 



Coaching equips you to own your strengths, communicate more effectively, work through conflict, and create better alignment between your purpose and impact.

“Embracing Equity has been one of the most meaningful professional (and personal) development opportunities I've ever experienced. The Embracing Equity facilitators intentionally lifted us up as leaders by modeling, validating, and providing powerful feedback and tools we can apply in our organizations. I am beyond grateful and look forward to leaning into this vital work!”

Meagan Ledendecker

Co-Founder & Director of Education at The Montessori School of the Berkshires

Montessori
“I joined Embracing Equity as a way to further my work to create liberated Montessori learning spaces. The facilitators created a brave space that challenged our willingness to be vulnerable and allowed each cohort member to show up as they were in that moment. I believe that only when we show up as our true authentic selves and accept ourselves as works in progress can we become truly powerful. From this place of power, we can answer Dr. Montessori's call to action to transform the world. Thank you for the reflective, challenging and rejuvenating learning space!”

Dr. Luz Casquejo-Johnston

Director of Montessori Teacher Education

Montessori
"Embracing Equity was definitely one of the most eye and heart opening experiences of my life. The day we covered the pervasiveness of white supremacy culture, I consciously opened my eyes and redefined my view of just what that meant to me (key word: consciously.) A veil was lifted and I had a visceral reaction to how normalized it was in my life, how I had been contributing to it on so many levels and how, as an Indigenous woman, it had assaulted me many times. Being able to participate in Embracing Equity while in my Montessori training was essential to my development as a Montessori guide.”

Esther Barela

Zuni Pueblo Montessori Teacher

Montessori
“Embracing Equity has been a game-changer in my life. They have helped me to help my people understand the significance of the Yazzie vs. New Mexico Public Education Department court ruling and the ways in which our children can be seen and educated in a system that allows them to be their whole Indigenous selves inclusive of our native language and everything embedded in it...That’s why I am proud to be part of this growing movement and community.”

Trisha Moquino

Executive Director of Keres Children’s Learning Center

Montessori
“The summer of 2016 was painful. I ended up locking myself in our home and didn’t leave for two weeks. Struck with grief, anger, and fear I started reading everything I could about #equity, #race and structural racism to understand and dismantle white supremacy. Fast forward, I found myself leading conversations and building community with social justice folks, but I still hadn’t healed from the killings that happened in 2016. I signed up for Embracing Equity seeking information about racism and the systemic effects in education. Instead, I healed. Embracing Equity is a profoundly reflective program focusing on one’s identity, one’s teaching practice and empowerment. I gained multiple perspectives, a community, anti-racist language and the essential tools to create a critical action project. I carry with me Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and Sandra Bland, may they rest in power.”

Britt Hawthorne

Montessori Elementary Teacher & NYT Best-selling author of Raising Antiracist Children

Montessori
“Through Embracing Equity, I learned that I, as a teacher, am perpetuating systemic racism with the procedures I set up in my classroom. I now feel enlightened to set up my classroom in ways that resist white supremacy culture. I feel empowered with information to keep me conscious of embracing equity with my learners."

Sandi Bowers

Montessori Lead Guide

Montessori
“I’ve been socialized (and most white people have been socialized) in a white dominated culture which is inherently, systemically racist. Being “good” and supporting “diversity”, is not even close to “enough”. Embracing Equity turned the mirror toward myself and helped me examine my role and responsibility as a head of school. I’ve begun to explore where my fragility lies, where my perfectionism and sense of urgency lay dormant ready to explode when challenged or corrected. Embracing Equity held an incredibly supportive space for me to make mistakes and build my anti-racist muscles. I am deeply grateful for the facilitators, participants and offerings of Embracing Equity.”

Angelina Hawley-Dolan

Head of School - Aster Montessori School

Montessori
“Embracing Equity was a powerful experience in recognizing my individual participation in systems of oppression AND providing me with skills to better use that awareness and knowledge to identify actionable steps to shift organization culture and policies that are rooted in equitable and anti-racist values.”

Nora Springer

Director of Outreach & Licensed Social Worker at The Montessori Center of Minnesota

Montessori
“Through love and compassion, Embracing Equity has helped our school, our teachers, our staff, and our administrators to disrupt actions, words, feelings, and beliefs that support White Supremacy and critically look at changes on an individual and systemic level that we can make to create change.”

- Alex E

“The world would be a better place if Embracing Equity cohorts were a universal requirement. Highly recommend this for everyone!”

- Alex E

Montessori Resources

May 1, 2024, 1:00 PM CT

What Does it Mean to be an Antiracist Asian American?

Register Now
May 22, 2024, 1:00 PM CT

Turning Reflections into Action: 4 Years After George Floyd

Register Now

Get a free 30-minute consultation

Let's figure out the best fit for your needs. We work as an extension of our clients’ teams to design, implement and produce measurable and high value impact.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Four women in grayscale with "10K+" in a purple circle.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Join our community for access to exclusive webinars, inspiring resources, and tools for transformation.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.