Dates and location
Dates	July 3rd and 4th, 2019. From 9am to 1:30pm and 3pm to 5pm.
Location	Montessori Palau Girona
Organized by	Montessori Palau International Research and Training Center (MIRTC)

Course information:

Teacher: Ruben Jongkind

Languages: Español / English

Course description:

Age group: 3-6

"Tennis, football and the like do not have for their sole purpose the accurate moving of a ball but they challenge us to acquire a new skill -something lacking before - and this feeling of enhancing our abilities is the real source of delight in the game" Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, p.164

Montessori Football empowers schools to let children enjoy sports and enhance their overall development in a Montessori way.

With hundreds of millions of children and adults playing and enjoying the game, football is by far the most popular sports in the world. Since football is universal in its appeal to children, we can tap into it to accelerate learning. It is a scientific fact that sports can enhance physical, psychological, social and academic development of children leading to stronger, healthier and more productive adults. The Montessori environment is the best environment for the development of the child, therefore also for sports development. The Montessori Football program is unique since it focuses on training (Montessori) teachers, rather than sports trainers.

The Montessori Football program aims to reverse the traditional paradigm of youth sports development that focuses on the coach and the result, and instead put the child development at the center, while incorporating Montessori teaching principles and practices.

Attend this two day workshop and learn:

• about the benefits of sports and particularly football to the Montessori child
• the concept of connecting Montessorian principles to sports and football in particular
• the basic tenets of a prepared football environment
• to develop your own ball skills
• to observe the child during a football training and identify individual progress of the child

Program

Day 1

Benefits of football for the Montessori child

• The synergistic relationship between Montessori and Sports education
• physical, social and mental benefits of sports and in particular football
• application of football in Montessori schools

History of Football

• from ancient football to modern football
• the most important schools of thought
• the world of football and its relation to education

Youth Football Paradigms

• the coach paradigm
• the player paradigm
• the relative age effect in youth football

Montessori principles applied to Football

• Core Montessori principles and football
• human tendencies and football
• sensitive periods and football for young children

The prepared environment for football

• Characteristics of football environments
• Materials
• Role of the adult/teacher/guide

Practical session: introduction of football materials

• Play and interact with football materials

Reflection

Day 2

The development of the whole child

• The four planes connected to football
• Organizational structures and development
• Control of body, mind & ball
• Functional movement, strength and lifestyle
• Self-regulation and coping
• Football skills

Practical session

• Apply Core Montessori principles and football theory into the practice of a football training session

Observation & Reflection

• How to observe in real life and time and through video
• Reflection on observations

Training creation

• how to design a prepared environment for sports
• designing and presenting training sessions

Reflection

Additional notes

• Practical sessions will take place on football area (grass/turf pitch or other designated area)
• Participants need to wear sports clothes and sport shoes.
• There will be no handouts or summaries; all participants can make their own summary from the theory sessions.

Teacher

Ruben Jongkind

After a successful period as a coach in amateur football and in track & field, coaching elite 800 meters athlete Bram Som to world level, Ruben attained the position of individual trainer at the famous AFC Ajax Youth Academy. In 2010 he became Head of Talent Development of Ajax. He teamed up with Johan Cruyff and Wim Jonk and wrote "Plan Cruyff" a revolutionary plan that contributed to Ajax reaching the final of the Europa League in 2017 with the youngest team ever to reach any European final and the revival of the Dutch national team.

Ruben was introduced to the Montessori philosophy through the son of Lynne Lawrence (Executive Director AMI) whom he coached at the Ajax Academy. Ruben started implementing Montessorian principles into football with great results.

During these years Ruben got inspired by the work of Montessori and saw the connection between the Montessori philosophy and working with children in sports. He therefore decided to dedicate himself to the improvement of education by using the power of football.

Together with Patrick Oudejans he founded Montessori Football. Montessori Football programs are now running in Montessori schools in China and Australia. More than 1000 children are playing and enjoying football in a truly child centered approach, that enhances the full development of each child.

Ruben holds a degree in Environmental Science from Wageningen University and a Master in Business Administration (MScBA) from Nijmegen Business School.

Awarding certificates

The workshop covers 12-hours of content (excluding breaks). Participants who attend the full workshop are issued an AMI Workshop for Montessori Football (3-6) Certificate of Attendance.

Prices:
Places limited according to order of registration. Lunch included in the price.

• Registration before June 1st: €260
• Registration after June 1st: €275

The cost of registration will only be refunded if the minimum number of registrants is not reached and the activity is canceled.

Enrolment:
The registration ara closed.