Hudson Montessori Presents Education Innovations at International Conference

Our STEAM program proudly showcased our teaching innovations to educators from around the world at this year’s International Society for Transforming Education (ISTE) Conference in Orlando, Florida. More than 15,000 educators, school leaders, and researchers from 86 countries and all 50 states attended the conference.

This year, educators Dr. Grace Sanvictores, Michelle Velho, and Rucha Gokhale joined four students from Hudson Montessori School to showcase projects exploring artificial intelligence, creativity, and problem-solving. The teachers led interactive sessions, workshops, and panel discussions featuring hands-on activities. The presentations included:

• Sparking Curiosity in the Age of AI: Designing for Inquiry and Imagination

• Beyond Screens: Technology for Connection, Collaboration, and Community

• Robots from Recyclables: Scissor-Lift Bots Built on a Budget

• Play with BIG Ideas for Little Learners

• The Learning Lab: Brain Science Meets AI

• Oral Stories to Digital Narratives: Building Empathy, Data Literacy Through Community Science

  
  

These topics engaged thousands of people as our group unveiled student-designed robots built from recycled materials that demonstrated engineering, circuitry, coding, and physical computing using everyday supplies. 

Our topic of using screens in teaching resonated with educators for its balanced, age-appropriate approach to technology—helping students develop the skills to connect, collaborate, and create as they grow.

One presentation featured origami engineering and tactile critical-thinking challenges that encourage curiosity from an early age.

Another featured presentation highlighted how students combine storytelling, community science, and digital technologies to build empathy, strengthen data literacy, and inspire meaningful action through culturally responsive STEAM projects. 

We are incredibly excited that our STEAM teachers and student presenters were able to guide other educators on such a meaningful stage. Their work reflects our commitment to STEM learning and shows how our students are developing the skills to become thoughtful innovators and changemakers in our community.

Hudson Montessori School, located in downtown Jersey City, serves children from ages 2 through 8th grade. The teachers use an interdisciplinary, theme-based learning approach grounded in Montessori philosophy and methodology to foster students' love of learning. Its STEM-certified campus is the only one of its kind in New Jersey, featuring STEM-certified teachers who meet the highest standards set by the National Institute for STEM Education. The school welcomes parents to a school tour to learn more about its programs.