Our Common Home: Geography and the Interdependent Mindset in the Elementary
Elementary Refresher Workshop with Allan Nguyen
Our Common Home: Geography and the Interdependent Mindset in the Elementary
Geography in the elementary classroom is far more than a sequence of lessons. It is the child's invitation to understand the world as a connected whole, shaped by cosmic forces, living systems, and human societies. Yet many guides share that their geography work can become heavy, fragmented, or overly technical with time.
This Refresher offers an opportunity to rediscover the geography album as a living story. Across two days, we will revisit the key presentations, from God With No Hands to human interdependencies, and reconnect them into a coherent arc that supports the child's growing sense of belonging, responsibility, and hope.
Using a Head, Heart, Hands approach, participants will explore:
Scientific understanding of Earth and its forces
Emotional connection to place, awe, and gratitude
Meaningful classroom work that grows from the geography line
You will experience the lessons in a way that reflects the work of the children: storytelling, demonstrations, map work, collaborative tasks, and shared reflection. Space will also be given to adapt ideas for different school contexts, including settings with limited resources.
This Refresher is for guides who want their geography work to breathe again, to feel lighter, clearer, and more connected to the spirit of cosmic education. Together we will explore how geography can help children build a relationship with the Earth and understand the deep interdependence that shapes all life.
Allan Nguyen
Allan Nguyen
Allan Nguyen is an AMI 6–12 Trainer working internationally in adult education and community-focused Montessori initiatives. Recognized as a Full Trainer in 2025, he serves on the faculty of the AMI 6–12 diploma courses in Tanzania and South Africa, and is preparing upcoming blended courses in North America with Montessori Northwest and the Washington Montessori Institute. He is also the Director of Training for the Montessori Core Principles course in French with ISMM (Paris), leading a cross-level team of trainers to make this foundational experience available to a wider French-speaking community.
Over nearly twenty years, Allan has combined elementary classroom work, consulting, and mentoring with a sustained interest in adult growth and the deeper orientation that supports meaningful Montessori practice. His recent work focuses on helping guides reconnect with the philosophical roots of Montessori’s vision and bringing those ideas to life in contemporary school settings. He is the founder of Paideia Nova Education Inc. ( www.paideianova.org), which brings together his consulting, writing, and international collaborations. His current projects explore how cosmic education can renew the adult’s sense of purpose and help communities nurture a mindset that supports connection, curiosity, and care for the world.